(acoustic guitar music)

♪ I know that I need ♪

- [Interviewer] WinterJam is the country's

largest Christian music tour.

In 2020, it was recording artist,

Billy Ballenger's big break.

- Here we go, Tampa Bay!

- [Interviewer] His single"Tree and the Nails"

is his first hit.

♪ You call me chosen ♪

♪ You call me loved ♪

♪ You don't see broken ♪

♪ You see more than enough ♪

- "Tree and the Nails,"

it's such a powerful song.

- Thank you, I just feel that

man, that's a true honor to get

to be able to present a song like that.

So many times we feel like we are broken,

we've missed it, we've messed up,

but I think, I think what'simportant about that song is

is that we get to talkabout what Jesus did

not what we failed.

- When you think aboutfailure in your life,

looking back, it's a different story.

- That was rough, mymemory of that was rough.

(soft piano music)

- [Interviewer] Billy wasraised in a broken home

and as a teenager, began running away.

- I just felt like I was runningaway to freedom each time.

But then you'd get there and the grass

wasn't greener on the other side.

You know, I just wanted, as a kid,

you know, I just wantedto have some peace.

- [Interviewer] Billy wasplaced in a residential facility

and for a while things began looking up.

That's when he met Jodi.

- We were in choir together.

Like the boys wanted to see the girls,

the girls wanted to see the boys,

and choir was a place to do that.

- [Interviewer] The couple'srelationship grew quickly.

When they were 17, Billyand Jodi left the group home

and Jodi became pregnant.

Though they were married shortlyafter, the Ballengers fell

into the wrong crowdand began selling drugs.

- I had great opportunitiesin front of me,

I just chose, for whateverreason, to take the wrong path

and it cost me dearly.

- Billy and Jodi were involved

in the theft of anine-millimeter handgun and cash.

They stashed the money at their home

before a SWAT team busted down their door.

You're laying on the floor in handcuffs

and your daughter andJodi are in the next room.

What's going through your mind?

- That is the moment where you're thinkin'

how could I think Iwould never get caught.

You know, that's that momentyou have a wake-up call.

- I was just thinkingoh my goodness, like,

it's all caught up to me.

It, this is all caught upto us and what do we do now?

- [Interviewer] The couple wasarrested and their daughter

was taken into foster care.

While on bond, Billy gota job in construction.

His boss, a Christian, invitedthe young couple to church.

- I remember showin' up thatnight with the best I had,

a pair of old work pants,a ripped up NIKE T-shirt.

I did leave my hat in the car.

Came in and I was gonna hide in the back

'cause I felt like needles were stickin'

in my body all over when I walked in.

And then just before we went to trial,

one night at a service there,they did an altar call.

I knew I'd hit rock bottomand I was like, I need God.

- [Interviewer] Billy andJodi committed their lives

to God, but still had to face trial.

They were both sentencedto six years in prison.

- I was just heartbroken.

You just feel like, my wife,

I can't hold her, I can't be with her.

What have I done?

You wanna put everything inrewind, you know, reverse

and redo everything but you can't.

- [Interviewer] Billyfaithfully sent Jodi letters

telling her about his love forGod and a desire to change.

- He changed so much that I'm like,

wow, he has like really changed.

It was like a brand new man.

I mean, he was not thatold person whatsoever.

- And I credit the Word of God to that

because I was justsaturating myself with it.

It changed me.

I didn't change me, itchanged the way I thought.

It changed everything I did.

And I said I'm not gonnabe violent no more,

I'm not gonna party no more,

I'm not interested in the drugs anymore.

I just wanted my family back.

- [Interviewer] After theBallengers served two years

in prison, the state board of appeals

granted them a hearing.

- They brought me and mywife back to that same judge

and she looked at us andshe said we have decided

to suspend the rest of your sentence,

and we went home that day.

- [Interviewer] Billyand Jodi were reunited

with their daughter andresolved to live for God.

- And when I got outtaprison, I started going

to the nursing homes withmy church and preaching.

I had so much Word inme, I'd just go somewhere

and explode, you know?

And, but then I joined the praise team.

And then that desire started to come.

And then when I wouldsing, somebody would say

there's somethin' there.

- [Interviewer] Over the years,Billy recorded seven albums

and in 2020, joined the Winter Jam lineup.

Today, the Ballengers travel the country

sharing their story ofGod's grace told best

through his song "Tree and the Nails."

♪ The tree and the nails ♪

- You know, the music becomesa vehicle for the message.

God has truly redeemed us.

It isn't like He redeemedus to go to heaven,

it's the fact that He caresabout our entire life.

It really is true, it doesn'tmatter how broken it was,

if you're still breathing,you still got a chance.

That's what that song does.

It's sayin' right now is your moment.

That's what that song saysto me and I pray that's

what that song says tothe people that hear it.