(upbeat music)

- Well, it's a sobering statistic,

a million and a half Americans

will likely try to killthemselves this year.

The number of suicide attempts has spiked

during the COVID crisis.

- The good news is,

many of them could betalked back from the brink.

Paul Strand explains how.

(key typing)

- [Paul] The suicide rate is now as bad

as the other worst time in America

for people killing themselves,

The Great Depression.

But it'd be much higher

than the present 14 out of 100,000 people,

if medical advances weren't thwarting

so many of today's suicide attempts

- Our suicide rate would beanywhere from a 100 per 100,000

to 300 per 100,000,

meaning the highest it's ever been

anywhere in history,any country, anything.

- [Paul] In "Hope Always,

How You Can be a Force forLife in a Culture of Suicide"

Former emergency departmentdoctor, Matthew Sleeth

sees much hopelessness

in an America leavingthe spiritual behind.

- We're seeing the effect of

society having unmooreditself from the anchor of God.

- [Paul] Which phrasewould held us together

like family and faith.

(thunder cracking)

That leaves room for the devil,

who's been encouragingsuicide, since Adam and Eve.

- They were told if if theydid this particular thing,

they would die, they would surely die,

and they did it andsomeone was pushing them

and that was Satan.

Every time Satan shows up in scripture,

there's a trail of dead bodies.

- [Paul] Faith got Jobthrough Satan's many efforts

to get him to kill himself,

and Jesus countered thedevil with scripture.

Those two, faith and scriptureare available to everyone

and they do actually shield people.

In "Hope Always", Sleeth writes

for well over a century

it has been known by the medical community

that a belief in Godhas a protective effect

when it comes to suicide.

But more than just restin that protection,

Sleeth advocates that Christians learn

how to see the warning signs of suicide,

and learn how to protectpeople contemplating it,

how to ask them if they are.

- A lot of people are hesitant to do that

because they think they might put the idea

in someone's mind.

- [Paul] But studies show.

- Asking someone actually

decreases the chances that they will,

because it says I care

and I care enough to ask you

about this very difficult thing.

- [Paul] Here are the essentialthings to ask someone.

- [Sleeth] Are you thinkingabout harming yourself?

If the answer is yes,

you have to ask, do you have a plan?

If they're thinkingabout harming themselves,

and they have a plan, then youask, do they have the means?

If all of those three things are positive,

you got an emergency.

- [Paul] Sleeth writes,

if someone's plan is to shoot themselves,

get the firearms out of their house.

If they plan to overdose,get rid of the pills.

- [Sleeth] And you need to dial 911.

- They're good actions for us to take,

even if we aren't face to face

with someone actively thinkingof killing themselves.

- [Sleeth] Putting 1-800-273-TALK,

that's National SuicideHotline in your phone

so that you can haveit to give to somebody

just says I cared and I'mprepared and I want to help you.

- And one of the best ways to do that

is to go through what'scalled a HALT check,

Sleeth says, I think this maybe something he came up with,

but if you're feelingdesperate, check this out.

H A L T, are you hungry?

Are you angry?

Are you lonely?

Are you tired?

Because often if youconsider those things,

it'll help you to back offfrom your desperate state.

- Well Paul, why is the HALTcheck especially important

when dealing with young people?

Why is that?

- Yeah, that's, what's interesting is that

Sleeth told me that often

the thought of suicidein a young person's mind

to when they might actually do it

is so much shorter thanan older person's mind,

it's sometimes about 45 minutes or so.

So this is something thatyou want to think about,

maybe with your ownyoung people in your life

is to talk to them in advanceabout this HALT check idea,

to just kind of put that in their minds,

that if you're ever feeling really bad,

think about these things first,

like take care of your hunger,

settle down if you're angry,

get around people if you're lonely,

get some sleep, thinkabout it for you know,

don't just act on this instinct.

And we also have to remember that people,

young people until they're about 25,

even the front of their brains,

they haven't totally formed yet

to where the things that helpyou to make wise decisions,

that's not there necessarily for them.

So they're much more likely to do this.

And I think suicide hotlinescalls from young people,

have spiked about 800%during this pandemic time.

So this is a very real crisiswe're in the middle of.

- Well, do people who are suicidal

actually want someone tointervene and stop them?

- This is pretty much a factthat it's known over the years.

I actually worked at asuicide prevention hotline,

and that's something we were,this habit grounded to us,

never give up on someonethat calls because

they're calling out for help.

I mean, there's a reason they call.

They don't want to do this,

and most people, they don't want to do it.

And so you have to think about,

well, like this fact,

God is for life, Satan is for death.

And so most people they realize,

they're doing something wrong.

The wrong entity is calling out to them,

this is what you should do.

So if you just get a chance tobe around somebody like that

you can usually talk them out of it

because they don't really want to do it.

- Well, Paul, thanks for the insight.

Thanks for joining us.

If you know someone who isstruggling with depression

who may be strugglingwith suicidal thoughts,

keep in mind those questions.

Have you thought about harming yourself?

Do you have a plan?

Do you have the means?

And then reach out, reach out to them,

but you can also reach out tothe National Suicide Hotline.

The number's on the screen,

1-800-273-TALK, T A L K.

You can also go to our website at cbn.com.

We'd love to help you,we'd love to there for you,

let you know God loves you,

He doesn't want you to perish,

He doesn't want anyone to perish,

He is for you,

He's not mad at you,

He's with you

and He's got other peoplethat care about you

and can come alongside you.

So call that number1-800-273-TALK, Ashley.

- All right, well, coming up,

she's a 13 time world record holder.

So what does one of the mostdecorated Olympic champions

say is greater than the gold?

See for yourself right after this.

(upbeat music)

Well move over Tom Brady,

Jessica Long was the real starof the Super Bowl this year.

A Toyota commercial about her life

aired during the big game,and quickly went viral.

Over the course of 60 seconds,

it told Jessica's inspiring story

beginning in a Russian orphanage

and ending with Olympic glory.

CBN's Will Dawson has more.

- [Announcer] Jessica Long at this point

really has her work cut out for her.

She's only been swimming for two years.

- I see the world record holder,

and I realize I'm gainingon her with each stroke,

and there was at one point

we were 15 meters out of thewall and I just said to myself,

I did not come here to get second.

- [Announcer] Jessica Long,

putting in some hugestrokes towards the finish.

- And we touched the wall so close

you had to look up at the scoreboard.

- [Announcer] Jessica Long

is gonna have to extend for the wall.

She does it.

A Paralympic games record!

- But in that moment,I knew that I had won.

- [Will] In 2004 at the age of 12,

Jessica Long became theyoungest Paralympian

to win a gold medal.

In fact, that year she won three.

- There was 20 some thousand people

who had just watched that race,

so I was just trying to catch my breath,

excited that my family saw it

and just that I couldn't wait to see them.

- [Will] Jessica was born in Russia

without her lower leg bones.

It was there in a Siberianorphanage she was adopted

by Steve and Beth Long, acouple from Baltimore, Maryland.

- They saw a picture ofme and another little boy

and I think it's sospecial and so incredible

because they just,

they really felt on their hearts

that we were the childrenthat God wanted them to adopt.

- [Will] At 18 months, the Longsmade the difficult decision

to amputate Jessica's lower legs,

the first of 25 painful surgeries.

- You didn't have to tell agirl with no legs that she,

you know, I knew I was different,

I was missing half of my body,

but I really had incredible parents

who really taught me that,

you know God has alwayshad a special plan for me.

- [Will] That plan made sense in water.

- Every Sunday after church,

we would go over to my grandparents house

and spend time with them,

and they had a pool in their backyard

and I would like, eat as fast as I could

just so I could be thefirst one in the pool,

and then I would be the last one out.

- [Will] At the age of 10,

Jessica joined the local swim team.

And while the pool made sense,

she questioned why God made her different.

- I remember being really angry.

I remember not wantinganything to do with God

and I was going in forsurgeries every three months.

And I mean, all I ever heardwas God made me this way

and I was like, hmm, Idon't think I like that.

- That anger fueled her competitive drive.

In 2006, at the WorldChampionships in South Africa,

14-year old Jessica won nine gold medals,

beat out fellow swimmer,Michael Phelps for an SB award

and received worldwide recognition.

- I think swimming reallyjust became my identity

because going into the 2008 Paralympics,

I didn't perform as wellas I would've liked to.

I was the world record holderin the 100 breaststroke,

but I got the bronze medal,

And one of the firstthings I asked my parents,

like do you guys still love me?

And they're like, whatare you talking about?

- [Will] Her surface relationship with God

gave way to her identity as a swimmer.

- I think in a way I felt likeI could do it all on my own,

and I totally could.

I was the one going through surgeries,

I was the one walkingin two prosthetic legs

and I was going, I mean, mylegs hurt me every single day.

And I didn't even wantto rely on my parents,

let alone someone thatI couldn't even see.

I was winning awards, Iwas on red carpets in LA.

I was, you know, getting sponsorships.

- [Will] Over the next six years,

Jessica racked up over 50 goldmedals and 18 world records.

At the London Paralympic games in 2012,

Jessica realized something was missing.

- I just won five gold, life was great.

I had a commercial with Coca Cola,

there were so many thingsagain that were happening,

but still, I just rememberfeeling really empty,

and just really just unsatisfied,which I was like, why?

I mean, I've done everythingthat I've ever wanted to

in the swimming journey,the swimming career,

how do I still feel empty?

How do I still feel unsatisfied?

- [Will] While training for London,

Jessica attended a women's Bible study.

And over time she knew sheneeded something to change.

- I think I was just tired of being angry.

I think I was tired ofcarrying all this weight.

I think, you know, nothingwas still satisfying my soul,

and that's all I'd everheard my whole life, right?

God is the one, he's the onethat can fulfill and satisfy

all of your needs.

- [Will] One night in the summer of 2013,

she surrendered her life to God.

- I walked up and prayedwith a woman that I had known

and just was like, I reallywant to give him my whole heart.

I want to pray.

I don't want a question anymore.

I know it was a really special moment.

I really do know for a fact,like I was like, I gave him

all of me and I just rememberfeeling so weightless and so,

just a part of God'sfamily for the first time,

like really a part of it.

I feel so much gratitudeand love towards just

everything that God'sgiven me, just so thankful

- [Will] Today, Jessica is married

and training for this year'sParalympic games in Tokyo.

She even started in a ToyotaSuper Bowl commercial.

As one of the most decorated

Paralympic athletes of all time,

Jessica is confident in her ability,

but even more secure in her identity.

- My identity is in Christ

and I really hope that I showthat with just my character

or the way that I dothings on the pool deck

and I know I couldn't do it without God.

So I do really rely onhim and when I'm swimming

I do picture him next to me in that like,

like I'm still using thetalent that he has given me,

and I think that I'm stillreally living my purpose,

and that he's really proud of me.

And I would say every athlete or anyone

has probably ever felt this,just not satisfied right?

It's not working, you're not satisfied.

It's never going to be enough,

but God is enough.

And that's really hard,

and it's all on your own time, of course,

but just know that God's waiting,

waiting for you with his arms open,

and he can't wait to haveyou a part of his family.

- Yeah we are all called tobe a part of God's family.

And hear the words of Jessica.

God is just waiting for you to come home.

And I'm reminded when she said that,

I'm reminded of a story that Jesus told,

and it's called the prodigal son,

and here's the son,

he had this amazinginheritance from his father,

from his family, but hedecided to throw it all away.

And he just, he left home, hewanted to do life on his own,

do his own thing, and he did.

And where did it end him up?

Where did he end up?

He was empty.

He was hopeless.

And he remembered, heremembered his identity.

I am a son, I have an inheritance.

I need to go back home.

So that's exactly what he did,

he went back home and thebeautiful part of this story is,

the father saw him from a distance.

He knew it was his son,and he wasn't angry,

he wasn't bitter towards his son.

He was joyful.

He was thankful.

And when his son came, he embraced him,

he threw a robe over him,

he put a ring on his fingerto remind him of who he is.

He was overjoyed thathis son came back home

to where he was supposed to be all along,

where he belonged and friend,

that story is about me and you.

We are sons and we aredaughters of the most high God,

and we belong in the family of God.

God made a way for us tobe adopted into his family,

by the blood of Jesus Christ.

All we have to do is believe,

believe in that,

recognize who you are,

recognize your beautifulbeautiful inheritance,

your overflowing inheritance.

God calls us to live an abundant life,

and like Jessica said,

she was empty when shewas doing it on her own.

I was empty when I wasdoing life on my own

but I came to a point, I said, Jesus,

I want to do life your way

and it was the best decision I ever made,

and I believe God isasking you to believe,

to just say yes, to come home.

If you feel a stirringin your spirit right now,

stirring in your heart,

pray with me right now tocome home to the father,

he's not angry with you.

The Bible says that it'sout of his kindness,

that we repent, that we turnfrom our ways and say, Jesus,

I receive you, I believe you.

And it's from that point

that we are in an intimate relationship

with our Abba, father, our creator.

So pray with me right nowto receive the love of God

and to have your life transformed,

to surrender your life to Jesus Christ,

pray with me right now.

Jesus, I believe in you.

I am done doing life my way.

I want you in my life,

I want you to rule andreign over every area,

my mind, my heart,

rule over my body, my spirit,

God infiltrate my life like never before.

Jesus, thank you for dyingon the cross for my sins.

I ask for forgiveness and Ireceive the resurrection power,

the Holy Spirit of God,I receive that right now

by believing in my heartand confessing with my mouth

that Jesus is Lord, Lord of my life.

Jesus, I thank you for whatyou're doing in my life,

continue to move mountains,continue to purify me.

Thank you Lord for sanctifying me,

thank you father for calling me home.

I come home and I come back to you.

Thank you father for this inheritance.

It's in Jesus name that I pray, Amen.

And Lord, I just pray for myfriends who prayed that prayer

and I just pray a baptism of your love,

a baptism of your love,Lord, a revelation,

open the eyes of their heart,

enlighten the eyes of their heart Lord,

to receive you, to know whothey are in Christ Jesus

which is a beloved son anddaughter of the most high God.

Thank you for what you'redoing in their life.

It's in Jesus name thatI pray, amen and amen.

If you just prayed that prayerwith me, please call us,

tell us that you justgave your life to Jesus.

We want to celebrate with you.

Give us a call, 1-800-700-7000, Gordon.

- Well coming up

from the new collaboration

with Christian music artist

Tauren Wells and RnB singer H.E.R

to a nine-year-old viral sensation,

Efrem Graham from "Studio 5"

gives us a look at thelatest in entertainment,

right after this.

(upbeat music)

Well "Duck Dynasty" starSadie Robertson Huff

is headed back to the television screen.

Moving reality TV, her new fiction novel

is becoming a series.

- And looking to bringhope during rocky times,

Grammy winning award artist H.E.R

and Christian artist Tauren Wells

have joined together on a new song.

Here's Efrem Graham with more

on the latest in entertainment.

- [Efrem] At number five.

- Hey, I'm H.E.R.

- I'm Tauren Wells.

- And we are on the set ofmusic video "Hold Us Together"

- [Efrem] Christianmusic artist Tauren Wells

teams up with soul music's H.E.R

for the song, "Hold Us Together".

- I am so interested to knowwhere the song came from.

- Actually the song camefrom a good friend of mine.

He was feeling what wasgoing on during the pandemic,

and when he played me the song,

I kind of was in tears when I heard it.

- [Efrem] Here, they sharea behind the scenes look

at the making of the music video

- Because at the end of the day, you know,

no matter what, I thinkGod is always there

to hold us together and give us hope.

- ♪ I will trust in you ♪. ♪

- [Efrem] At number four,

an inspirational romanticdrama set in Ireland,

hitting theaters this weekend,

and "Studio 5" has this exclusivepreview of "Finding You".

(soft music)

At number three.

- I'm scared he's actually gonna kiss me.

- [Efrem] "Duck Dynasty"star, Sadie Robertson Huff

returns to television.

She's inked a deal to turn her novel,

"Life Just Got Real"into a scripted series.

She shares in this Instagram post,

I really can't believe my fiction book

is about to come to lifeas a scripted series.

Feeling incredibly grateful,as always all the glory to God.

- My dad actuallynicknamed me The Original

when I was five years old, whichis why everything that I do

is like the original or live original.

- At number two.

- ♪ there's river runningthrough my deepest sorrow ♪

♪ there's river runningthrough my deepest pain ♪

- [Efrem] It's "Canyon",

the title track from EllieHolcomb's third album.

Now we turn to "Canyon",

this is your third studio project,

but your first with a label?

- It's my first project with a label.

I've been a little independentartist kicking it in

with a team of a mighty team of 47 people.

I just got on the Zoom with my label

and burst into tears

'cause there were 45people on the Zoom call,

and I was like, what!

- [Efrem] Ellie releasesher new project, June 25th.

- ♪ there's river running through ♪

♪ every dream that ever came true ♪

♪ made me a canyon ♪

- [Efrem] At number one.

- Good morning students and staff,

today we have a special treat,so listen up and sing along.

- [Efrem] We head to thisschool in Louisville, Kentucky

where we find nine-year-oldto Decory Johnson,

the third grader whosevoice has gone viral

♪ the bombs bursting in air ♪

for his performance of the National Anthem

in celebration of his school reopening

to in-person learning.

- ♪ And the home of the brave ♪

I just love singing,

its what God made me to do,and I'm following my journey.

- Decory started off singingat St. Stephens Baptist Church.

He was a little bitty thing and you know,

he would hum along to the songand he would raise his hand

and praise the Lord.

I never got to sing theNational Anthem before,

but now they want me tosing it at a baseball

and at football, at aschool and everywhere,

and I'm like, Oh my Jesus.

♪ broad stripes and bright stars ♪

- Oh my gosh.

That little, he puts a smile on my face.

All right, well that is Decory Johnson.

He's a nine year old boy from Louisville,

his video has had 114,000views on Facebook alone.

He's been taped to singthe National Anthem

for the upcoming TennesseeTitans game, oh my goodness.

- Even more what an incredible,

- Wow.

- You know, old soul and anine year old body, good grief.

God has made me to sing, andI'm going to follow my journey.

- I mean.

- That is, well, what do you say to that?

- I know, seriously, like, we need.

- At age 9 to know exactlywhat it is you want to do.

- Exactly.

- I think I still wantedto be a fireman at age 9.

- That kid's going places.

He is going places, I love that.

All right,

well originally for thenew Disney movie "Safety"

H.E.R and Tauren Wellshas a new song out called

"Hold Us Together", which I was actually,

I didn't know H.E.R was.

- I didn't know H.E.R, I was saying H E R,

So I can't even pronounce her name.

If you put periods, I stop,

so that's I'm old-fashioned.

- That's okay.

- It's okay.

- It's all right, it's all good.

I really do love H.E.R.

- I just of dismissed, that was.

- I like her music

and I'm glad that she'spartnering with Tauren Wells,

I think it's.

- I think it's fantastic

and for a singer to say, Ifell in love with the song,

it moved me to tears and Iwanted to do a collaboration,

I wanted to really bring this out,

and to evidence her own faithin this project that you go,

yay, go.

I'll learn how topronounce you name, H.E.R.

- H.E.R.

- Allright, Sadie RobertsonHuff's got a new book,

and it's becoming a TVseries and it's called

"Life Just Got Real".

And Efrem was interviewing Sadie

back when the book came out,

and so now we now have a TV series.

- Yeah I'm excited for her.

This is like,

I feel like God just continuesto use her in mighty ways,

and she's such an amazinglight in our generation,

my generation, and so I'm excited.

I think yeah, keep using her Lord,

keep using Sadie RobertsonHuff, and she's pregnant,

she's about to have a baby.

- Yeah, you're up on all the latest.

She can pronounce thenames and you're up on.

I didn't know she was pregnant.

That's, congratulations.

That's a great step forward.

My youngest daughterwas really into Sadie.

She was a big follower.

So she has been an inspirationto a whole generation,

it's good to see.

- She really has.

- All right, EllieHolcomb, what do you think?

- She's got a new album,

let's listen to it.

- You'll listen to it?

- We're going to sing,

right now.

- No we're not.

- All the latest.

- I'll dismiss you, yeah just stop.

- Check out Efrem'sweekly show "Studio 5".

You can watch it on the CBN News channel

or online at cbnnews.com/studios.

- We're going to close with the scripture.

May grace and peace be multiplied to you

in the knowledge of Godand of Jesus our Lord.

God bless, we'll see you tomorrow.

(upbeat music)