- [Narrator] The followingprogram is sponsored by CBN.

Coming up.

- This was getting worse.

- [Narrator] A patient bleeding to death.

- I would put his statistics at dying

around 70, 80%.

- [Narrator] And no one knew why.

- Distraught is the onlyword I can think of.

- [Narrator] The frantic rush to the OR.

- He was barely hangingon to consciousness.

- [Narrator] And themiracle along the way.

- I felt God's peace inthe back of that ambulance.

I believe God healed me.

- [Narrator] On today's 700 Club.

(ethereal music)

Welcome to the stage 700 Club.

Let's go over to the CBNnewsroom for today's top stories.

- Gordon, an epidemic ofviolence was unleashed

in the United States over the4th of July holiday weekend

with more than 180 peoplekilled and 516 injured

in shootings across the country.

Charlene Erin has this story.

- [Charlene] It was a deadlyweekend of gun violence

as America celebrated its independence.

In Ohio, a mass shooting duringa 4th of July block party

left a 17 year old deadand 11 others injured.

In Chicago, 100 people,including two police officers

were shot, 18 people were killed

and at least a dozen children injured.

A one month old baby isin critical condition

at a local hospital after beingshot in the head on Friday,

frustrated residents say enough is enough.

- When are we really gonna say enough?

When are we really gonna get out here

and stop this ourselves?

You know, we need help on all ends,

you know, all levels.

So start at turning these individuals in,

that's where we start andthen we'll go after them

to prosecute them .

- [Charlene] The city'spolice superintendent

addressed the violence.

- There are too many violent offenders

and too little consequences in our courts.

There are too many illegal guns

in our city.

- [Charlene] In New York city,at least 35 people were shot

in 29 shooting incidents

from Friday through Monday, killing two.

According to the gun violence archive

in the first five days of July,

they were a whooping 20 massshooting across the country

bringing 2021's total to 336.

May saw 72 mass shootings

and June saw 76.

The 14 mass shootings overthis past holiday weekend

are the most of any weekend in 2021

the organization said in a tweet.

New York, Governor, AndrewCuomo issued the first

in the nation executive order

declaring gun violence in NewYork as a disaster emergency.

- People are dying every day out there.

Time is not on our side.

Begin by acknowledging the problem.

And you know what the problem is?

It is a statewide problem,

and it is an emergency.

And I want the people of thestate to understand that.

And I want them torespond to the emergency

for the way it is.

So today, first state in the nation

is going to declare a disasteremergency on gun violence.

- [Charlene] And in Philadelphia,two children were killed

adding to the increasingnumber of children

dying by gun violence.

- This is the secondchild less than a week

to die from an incident on gunshot wounds.

- [Charlene] The deadlyweekend was the latest example

of this surge in violentcrime across the country.

And there doesn't seemto be an end in sight.

Charlene Aaron CBN News.

- Hurricane Elsa weakenedinto a tropical storm

as it threatened Florida's Gulf Coast,

the storm moving north almost parallel

to the state's West Coastaccording to forecasters.

They expected it to come ashore sometime

between eight and nine this morning.

A tropical storm warning was in effect

for a long stretch of the coastline.

After hitting Florida,

the storm is expectedto move on to Georgia,

the Carolinas and Virginiain the next few days.

The storm comes as the search for victims

of the condominium collapsein Surfside, Florida

reaches its 14th day today.

The death toll at threedozen as the day began

with more than 100 peoplestill unaccounted for,

eight more deaths were announced Tuesday

and authority sounding more and more grim.

- You know, unfortunately we'renot seeing anything positive

that continues in that sense.

You know, the key things we're looking for

all throughout in regards tovoice space, livable spaces,

you know, we're not coming across that.

- [Efrem] The debris is now being sorted

at a nearby warehouse.

- We're in a search and rescue mode.

It's an active investigation and that's,

and we're focused right now.

Our primary goal right now

is to bring closure to the families.

- Authorities still hopeto find more people alive,

but no one has been rescued from the site

since the building collapse on June 24th,

when many of its residents were asleep.

Turning overseas, thedeadline for US withdrawal

from Afghanistan is set for September

and religious minorities in the region,

including Christians are bracing

for even more violence by the Taliban

and other Islamic extremist groups.

Jennifer Wishon brings us the story.

- Since may the Taliban has seized about

a quarter of Afghanistan's districts.

Now Christians are asking for prayer

as they and other religious minorities

find themselves easy targets of extremist.

- The withdrawal will makethese vulnerable communities

even more vulnerable,it's as simple as that.

- [Wishon] Security conditions have failed

religious minorities as Islamic extremist

run rough shot across the country.

- They are under fairly serious attack

by extremist groups,

particularly ISIS K and the Taliban.

- [Wishon] In a hearing this week,

the US Commission onInternational Religious Freedom

discussed the plight ofnon Sunni Muslim Afghans.

The Sikh population is nearly extinct

dropping from 250,000 in the 1990s

to just 200 today.

- It is devastating

and thousands of worshipDagra of the Sikh community

are constantly destroyed,

religious services are attacked.

- Women and girls heavily traumatized.

Young girls have limited or no education.

Our families worry aboutthe future prospects.

- [Wishon] The commissionrecommends US injected protections

for religious freedomin peace negotiations

between the Taliban and Afghan government.

Add Afghanistan to the statedepartment special watch list

for tolerating violationsof religious freedom

and put US tax dollarstowards specifically

protecting religious minorities.

- When we hear Taliban spokespeople

discussing plans toIslamicize the country,

the international communityneeds to recognize

the vulnerability thatminorities are exposed.

- [Wishon] As you, as servicemembers pack up their gear

leaders aren't optimistic.

This graphic video reportedlyshowing Taliban fighters

firing on Afghan soldiers in the north.

- We're starting to create conditions here

that doesn't, won't look goodfor Afghanistan in the future

if there's a push for a military takeover.

- So far the US Afghandeal hasn't led to peace,

religious freedom advocateshope keeping a spotlight

on the situation will help.

Jennifer Wishon CBN News.

- Turning now intohealth news here at home.

An epidemic of exhaustion

that's what millionsof Americans are facing

even millennials.

So what is the sourceof this energy crisis?

Something deep inside.

Medical reporter, Lorie Johnson explains.

- [Lorie] Americans are dealing with

a new kind of energy crisis.

- Fatigue and tiredness now isan epidemic in this country.

Well, over 50% of people

actually complain of chronic tiredness

and that includes Millennials.

And that's certainly not ourexperience in years past.

- [Lorie] What's changed?

According to Dr. Steven Gundry

author of "The Energy Paradox

What to Do When YourGet-Up-and-Go Has Got Up and Gone"

it's all about looking inside ourselves.

More people have an unhealthygut today than in the past.

And that's the primarycause of our energy crisis.

- Two o'clock in the afternoon,

all of a sudden kind of allsystems seem to go on pause.

You don't feel like working anymore.

You don't feel like doinganything with the kids anymore,

and you just wanna lay down

or, you know, reach for anenergy bar, get another,

you know, pick me up a cup of coffee.

- [Lorie] Dr. Gundrysays this zaps our energy

because of holes thatdevelop in the gut lining.

- If you're tired andfatigued you got a leaky gut.

- [Lorie] And that leakingcauses inflammation,

which can drain huge amountsof our precious energy.

- Inflammation is actuallyour white blood cells,

our immune system, ourfoot soldiers, if you will

attacking threats thatactually come into our body

primarily through the lining of our gut.

- The good news is wecan repair a leaky gut

and reverse other gut issues

by consuming lots of differenttypes of good bacteria

called probiotics, thenfeeding those good bacteria,

lots of fiber richfoods called prebiotics,

causing the bacteriato thrive and multiply.

These probiotics can befound in supplements,

foods like yogurt and kimchiand drinks like kombucha.

Then it's important totake so-called prebiotics

found in supplements orfoods like fresh vegetables.

These literally feed the good bacteria,

helping it reproduce.

- They actually communicate

to the energy producing organelles

and all of our cellscalled the mitochondria

to make more energy.

So probiotics that youmanufacture by eating prebiotics,

literally turbocharges your energy.

- [Lorie] And it's alsoimportant to stay away

from foods that deplete energy

that includes the usualsuspects of too much sugar

and processed foods,

which can also damage the gut.

Gundry further recommendsresisting the temptation

to overmedicate.

- Please, please, please tryto avoid taking antibiotics

for simple things like runnynoses or scratchy throats.

Try to avoid eating animals

that have been raised withantibiotics from factory farms.

It turns out antibiotics killoff most of the good bugs

in our intestines that actuallyprotect us from leaky gut.

- [Lorie] And don't take certain heartburn

and acid indigestion medicineslonger than two weeks.

- We now know that these actually stop

the energy producingorganelles, the mitochondria

from working because they interrupt

how mitochondria produce energy,

which is called proton pumping.

- [Lorie] Dr. Gundry sayspeople suffering from low energy

usually need more vitamin D.

He recommends a 5,000 IU daily supplement

and going outside.

- We actually produce ATPenergy from sunlight exposure.

- [Lorie] Lastly, inorder to feel energetic

during the day, we needa good night's sleep.

However, blue light comingfrom our electronics

can keep us from falling asleep.

Dr. Gundry recommends turningthem off hours before bedtime

or wearing blue light blocking glasses.

Lorie Johnson CBN News.

- And those are today'stop stories from CBN News.

Gordon and Terry are backwith more today 700 Club,

it's coming up right after this.

(ethereal music)

- And the Bible is goingback to public schools.

It may surprise you, butthat's not against the law.

A teacher in Virginia is on a mission

to put Bibles in schoollibraries across the country.

And it's not just any Biblethese are "Action Bibles".

Mark Martin explains.

- But God did a miracle.

He protected Daniel'sfriends from the fire.

Not one of them was burned.

So it was like worse thanbeing in a fireplace.

- [Martin] Brianna Jimenez is reading

"The Action Storybook Bible" to students

at this afterschool programin Richmond, Virginia.

It contains Bible stories

and is designed like a graphic novel.

The creation story is thefavorite of fourth-grader,

Kimberly Rodriguez.

- Because it shows how God made things,

by just like he just spokeand then they appeared.

- [Martin] Even as a young third grader

Didier Madrid believes reading the Bible

has changed his life for the good.

- And I used to like say alot of bad words and stuff

with my friends,

we used to do bad stuff

like breaking intopeople's houses and stuff.

And then after like Istarted reading the Bible

I didn't do that no more.

- Hi, my name is Hannah Sailsbury

and I'm an elementary teacher in Virginia

in a public school.

- [Martin] Public schoolteacher Hannah Sailsbury says,

God, put it on her heart to donate

"The Action StorybookBible" to school libraries.

Her mission also includesgetting the Bible in classrooms

and after school programs.

- I started to prayerwalk around our school.

And as I would pass everywindow in our school,

I would pray for my coworkers by name.

And I would pray for the students

that entered the building.

And it was one particular daythat I prayed that Jesus' name

would be mentioned in the classrooms

and hallways of our school.

And little did I know thatthat prayer got answered

in bigger ways than I could have imagined.

- [Martin] One bigger way came in April

when Sailsbury launchedthe nonprofit organization,

Bibles in Schools.

- And God really opened my eyes

to realize if we have thisold Bible in our school,

how come we don't have a moreengaging Bible that's fun

and that has pictures in it.

- The movement has nowspread to 18 counties

in Virginia and seven states.

Since people started donating the Bibles,

Sailsbury says around 125 students

had checked them out from their libraries.

You might be asking yourself

is a Bible even allowed on the shelves

of a public school library,

or am I even allowed to donatea Bible to a public school.

On her website Sailsburyurges you to know your rights

and then to you use them

- Anybody can donate anythingto their library at school.

It is, if they take other donations,

then they have to acceptthe Bible donation.

But the librarian does nothave to put it on their shelf.

So that's where prayer really comes in.

As teachers, if you have other literature

on your school shelves,

you can have the Bible on your shelf.

- [Martin] Art teacher Chelsea Joyner

believes God woke her up early one morning

and planted the idea to puta Bible in her classroom.

- You know, just 3:00 AM,I can't even explain it.

Like it just, you need to put one of these

on your bookshelf.

And I was like, okay, let's do it.

- [Martin] "The Action Bible"is also available in versions

for middle and high school,

which means Levi will beable to stay in the word

through graduation.

Why do you like this Bible?

- 'cause God is in it andI'd like to learn about God.

- [Martin] Why do like to learn about God?

- 'cause he's the best and does good.

I like the part where he diedon the cross to take our sins

and came back alive.

- [Martin] Mark Martin, CBNNews, Richmond, Virginia.

- Congratulations to Hannah,

what a wonderful idea, very creative.

And if you wanna get involved,

here's an easy way to do it.

For more information on Bibles in School

and "The Action Bible"all you have to do is

go to our website, cbnnews.comand be a part of it.

Let's get Bibles placed inevery school in America.

- What a great idea.

And it looks like it's reallyfun to go through and read.

Way to go, Hannah.

Well, still ahead, she was onceon welfare and food stamps.

So how did this savvy senior

become the president of herown real estate company?

The secret to her success is coming up.

But first his chances of dying

on the way that the hospital 80%,

what happens to this man duringhis 30 minute ambulance ride

and what shocked thedoctors upon his arrival.

(ethereal music)

A frantic trip to the hospital,

a supernatural encounter in the ambulance

and a total shocker upon arrival.

These events made news anchor, Scott Swan,

part of the headlineshimself, take a look.

- Scott Swan.

- [Narrator] April 26th, 2017

news anchor Scott Swanhad just powered through

another mid newscast forWTHR in Indianapolis,

but now he could no longer ignore the pain

that had plagued him for days.

- I went into the bathroomand felt very clammy.

I felt lightheaded.

I just felt this enormouspain down in my stomach.

And just knew that, youknow, this was getting worse,

progressively worse.

- [Narrator] Scott's wife,Janae was in Mexico on business.

When he texted her, thepain had gotten worse.

- And that's when I finallyshot him the text, all caps,

you know, go to the doctor today.

I just knew it wasn't gettingbetter, he needed to go.

- I don't know if I felt fear.

I just felt pain

and I just wanted the pain to go away.

- [Narrator] Still hewaited until after work

to check into an emergencyroom near his home.

After finding Scott's bloodpressure dangerously low

doctors ordered a CT scan.

Vascular surgeon, Dr. Randy Irwin was home

when he got a friend hadcalled from the ER doctor.

- And he had called me even before Scott

got out of the CT scanner

and found that he wasbleeding into his belly.

He was barely hanging on to consciousness.

We knew he was bleeding todeath, but we didn't know why.

- [Narrator] What they did know was

that Scott needed surgeryas soon as possible.

- I immediately triedto get them flown down

to the big hospital at St.Vincent on 86th Street,

but we couldn't do it

because of an impending storm coming in.

So we had to bring him down by ambulance,

even though his blood pressure

was kind of between 60 and 80.

I would put his statistics at dying

on the way down to see meprobably around 70, 80%.

- [Narrator] Meanwhile, Janae was trying

to get a flight home from Mexico.

With spotty cell service

all she knew was that Scotthad checked into an ER,

but now needed to betransferred to another hospital.

- I had no idea really theseverity of what was going on.

I'm not getting information.

It was very hard to communicateand I just, I was stuck.

I couldn't leave.

All I just want to do was sit and pray

and like I was just,

I guess, distraught is theonly word I can think of.

- [Narrator] But Scott nowin a 30 minute ambulance ride

and running out of time

was having a much different experience.

- I don't remember feelingthe pain at that point.

I just knew that, I sensedthat God was with me

and while I couldn't speakand I couldn't open my eyes,

I felt God's peace in theback of that ambulance.

- [Narrator] By the time Scott arrived

at St. Vincent's Hospital,Dr. Irwin was waiting

and had him wheeled straight into the OR.

He had been receivingupdates on Scott's condition.

- His blood pressure was very low.

At one time it was down through the 50s

and when it gets that low,

it's hard to get enoughblood flow to your brain

and he lost a lot of blood.

I would say he probably lost

two to three liters of blood.

- [Narrator] At once.Dr. Irwin tried to locate

the bleeding artery using a catheter

instead he made a startling discovery.

- But it looked like Scotthad stopped bleeding.

It stopped on its own,

but we could clearly seesome arteries inside there

that were not normal.

And then after that, wekind of stopped everything.

- [Narrator] As surgerywas no longer needed,

Dr. Irwin sends Scott to intensive care.

The next day he inserteda coil into Scott's artery

to prevent further bleeding.

Having finally found a flight home,

Janae arrived at thehospital later that same day,

slowly the details ofScott's brush with death

began to unfold.

- He was in ICU at that point

and I just ran into the room

and I was just so excited to see him.

You know, he's been my bestfriend for almost 40 years

and just really hit me how,

how close he was to die.

- [Narrator] After 12days, Scott went home.

By then doctors had discovered

he had a rare autoimmune disorder

that attacked the arteriesaround his stomach.

It could be controlled by medication,

but some things callfor another explanation.

- He had no other complications.

And his CT scans recentlyhas shown that the,

the arthritis or polyarthritis nodosum

has completely gone away.

And I think there's no doubt

that if Scott didn'tstop bleeding on his own,

that he probably would have died

before he got down here to see me.

- To me, there's nogood medical explanation

to why that artery sealed

and why I stopped bleeding.

As a Christ follower, Ibelieve God healed me.

- [Narrator] Scott andJanae say this experience

has revealed God's power to them

in ways they've never seen before.

- I know that the Lord takes something

and just makes it better

and that's what he'sdone with the situation

by creating a miracle, saving him

and now for him to havea platform like this,

to go and spread the goodnews and to encourage others.

- You know, I read through scriptures.

God is my rock.

God is my fortress.

God is my healer.

Those were just words before,

but I've experiencedall of those firsthand.

God is my healer.

God is my savior.

He is my God of miracles.

And I want people to know

that whatever you'regoing through in life,

that God is with you.

- I hope that today youcan receive that word

because it's for all of us.

He is our rock, our healer, our savior.

He's there in time of need.

He's there in the good times.

He's there in the bad times, he's there.

He's got plan and purposefor your life and power.

And so today on the heelsof this amazing testimony

of what God did for Scott,we wanna pray for you.

We don't know what your needs are,

but we know that many of you have things

that you're asking God to intervene in,

to touch, to change, to heal.

And so we wanna encourageyour faith further.

Gordon, this is an email from Julie.

She says my husband and Ido an annual mission trip

to Guatemala each July.

He is a retired physicianand I was a surgical tech.

We spend much of our time helping

to build cinder block homes for families

that live around the Guatemala City dump.

I was extremely grieved when Ideveloped extreme joint pain,

especially in my wrist

and a recent diagnosisof rheumatoid arthritis.

Just a few days prior toour trip to Guatemala,

my husband and I werewatching the 700 Club

when Gordon had a word of knowledge

about someone with arthritic pain,

especially in the hands.

I jumped up saying, "That's me."

I ripped off my wrist guards

and although my wrist stillfelt weak at that moment,

by the next day, all the pain was gone.

We traveled to Guatemala

and I was out therewith all the young ones

shoveling and filling a bucket,

singing praises to ourwonderful Lord, hallelujah.

- Hallelujah, here's another hallelujah.

This is Brenda from Live Oak, Florida.

She had been treated for stomach ulcers

since she was 12 years old,recently was hospitalized.

And then one day she wasflipping through channels,

came across the 700 Club and hears Terry

and Terry's praying.

"There's someone's sufferingwith ulcerative colitis.

It's so painful and nothingthat doctors do for you

seems to alleviate your pain.

Today is your day, Jesus is healing you,

it will be more than a little bit better,

it will be gone in Jesus' name."

Well, Brenda received the word.

Normally after eating she'shad trouble swallowing

and felt a terrible burning sensation.

Brenda had breakfast without any issues.

The symptoms left have stayed gone,

since 12 years old she had that.

- Wow!- Now it's gone.

Today is your day.

It's your day.

Today is the day of salvation.

Realize that Jesus is there for you.

He is your very presenthelp in your time of need.

And just start visualizingJesus right before you,

Jesus above you.

I'll use the great prayer of St. Patrick,

Jesus above you, Jesus below you,

Jesus to the left of you,Jesus to the right of you,

Jesus behind you

and then Jesus in you.

For in him, we live andmove and have our be.

You don't have to wonder,

can he come down fromheaven again for you?

He's right there.

So Terry and I are going to pray

and the Jesus who is right there with you

is going to answer.

You can reach out and touch him

and you can get your healing today.

Let's pray.

Lord, we lift those who have needs.

And we just ask that

your manifest presence would be with them

That they would sense you all around them

and in them right now

and how you are the sameyesterday, today and forever.

You are able to heal,you are able to deliver,

you are able to restore.

So Lord God almighty manifest yourself

in their bodies right now.

There's someone you've got tumors

and they have spread

and you're beyond stage four.

God almighty right now isdissolving those tumors.

They are all going away.

You are having a tremendousmiracle throughout your body

to stretch forth your hands and receive it

and begin to praise him forwhat he is doing for you.

Tumors, be gone now, burnaway now in Jesus name,

let there'll be no morecancer, no more reproduction

in the name of Jesus, Terry.

- Yeah, and keeping with that,

there's someone you have atumor is behind your right ear,

but it's inside your head

and it's blocking your hearing

and bad prognosis for you.

But not anymore, todayJesus has healed you

as quickly as that came isgoing to simply melt away.

- Someone else you have agrowth by your right eye,

and God's able to take that away.

It's obscuring your vision.

And in the name of Jesusbe healed and be restored.

Someone else you've got a detached retina

and you're having vision problems from it.

And God is healing that,he's able to restore it.

Someone else you've got problems with the,

the internal jelly in the eye

and just God is able to heal all of them,

in Jesus' name, be healed.

Eyes are made to see,see now, see perfectly,

see gloriously in the name of Jesus.

- Someone else, you have a painful lump

under your right arm,very concerned about it.

Large enough for you to easily feel.

God is healing that for you right now.

It's just going to dissolveand be gone in Jesus' name.

- There's many peopleyou've seen the stories,

you heard the reports about colitis

and you heard the report about

the healing of thearteries in the stomach.

You've got bleeding ulcers.

There's several who have colitis

and you're saying, pleasesay those things for me.

So we're saying them for you right now,

colitis be healed.

Let there be normaldigestion, no more pain,

no more doubling over in pain.

God heal in Jesus name.

Anyone with an ulcer, be healed.

All of that infection,all of that discomfort,

all of that burning sensation be gone now

in the name of Jesus be healed.

- Someone else with kidneyissues be healed in Jesus' name.

It's gone.

- Lord, we thank you.

We thank you, you are the healer

for by your stripes we are healed.

You come, you forgive all our inequities

and you heal all our diseases

in the name of Jesus we receive it now

in the fullness of it in Jesus' name.

I just wanna repeat that kidney word.

It's in your rightkidney and it's inflamed

and just terrible pain.

God has healed and he'sjust taken all that away.

You felt a touch gointo their right kidney

and you're being healed,you're being set free.

Lord, we thank you.

We thank you.

Amen.

- Amen.- Amen.

If you've been touched by God,let us know, give us a call.

1-800-700-7000.

And if you need prayer,we're here for you.

All you have to do is pickup the phone and call us.

1-800-700-7000.

Terry.

- Well, still ahead, she's in her mid 70s,

but nowhere near retirement.

This Zumba instructorand real estate mogul

has the energy of someone half her age.

Her secret will surpriseyou and that's coming up.

Plus he was a terrifying rage-aholic.

She hung out with HellsAngels and the Mexican mafia.

Any hope for their hot mess marriage?

Stay tuned to find out.

(ethereal music)

- Welcome back to the 700Club for this CBN Newsbreak.

Israel will bid farewellto President Reuven Rivlin

as he marks the end ofhis seven year term today.

The Israeli presidency islargely a ceremonial role.

Rivlin served in manypublic and political roles

before being elected in 2014.

He was known for trying tobring Israelis together.

His office said Rivlin workedto protect Israel's character

as a Jewish and democratic state,

and to ensure freedom ofreligion to all religions.

Here in the United States,

New York city is honoringessential workers

who fought against COVID-19

during the height ofthe pandemic in the city

during the spring of 2020.

That includes employees fromthe city's electric company,

the city will celebrate the workers

with a ticker tapeparade in Lower Manhattan

through the iconic Canyon of Heroes.

It will feature flows fora wide variety of people,

including healthcareworkers, first responders

and many more.

I would like to remind you,

you can always get thelatest from CBN News

by going to our website, it's cbnnews.com.

Gordon and Terry are backwith more of today's 700 Club.

It's all coming up right after this.

(ethereal music)

- At one time Maria Millercouldn't open a checking account

or get a credit card.

She was also on food stamps.

Well, today she lives in her dream home,

runs her own real estate business.

What caused the reversalof fortune, take a look.

- [Narrator] Maria Millermay be in her mid 70s,

but she has more energy thansome people half her age.

- I do a lot of Zumba,

usually three times aweek, an hour each time.

I really enjoy it so much

so I decided to become an instructor.

- [Narrator] And that's not all she does.

Maria is also the president ofher own real estate company.

She loves helping peoplefind their dream home

and remembers when there was no way

she could buy one herself.

After her divorce, shehad leans against her.

She couldn't open a checking account

or get it credit card.

- I was left with three kids to raise

so there wasn't much money at all.

We struggled just to pay rent.

And for a time I was on section eight

and food stamps.

We ate a lot of rice, a lot of hamburger.

- [Narrator] Friends helped her get a car

and her parents used theirsocial security income

to pay her rent.

Still Maria needed afinancial breakthrough.

She gave at church andwatched the 700 Club.

While she'd supported CBN at times

now as a single mom working on commission,

she didn't think she could afford it.

Then one day, someone fromCBN called to check in on her

and Maria mentioned her money problems.

- She said, "Well, why don'twe pray for your finances?"

I'm like, "Why don't we, thank you."

So then she prayed for me, you know?

And so after I hung up, I was like,

I need to go back and youknow, start giving again.

- [Narrator] So by faith,Maria started consistently

giving $20 a month to CBN.

Before long she became atop producer in her office

making twice what she'dmade the year before.

- The only reason I can think of is

those extra $20 a month.

I was like, whoa, this works.

- [Narrator] Other agents started asking

where her success was coming from.

- Tell you my secret.

You know, you have to giveabove and beyond your tithe

to further God's kingdom.

- [Narrator] With her increased income,

she paid off her debt andfaithfully gave even more.

Once she gave $1,000 to CBN.

- It was like, the HolySpirit said, do it.

And I just kept making more sales.

And I thought, well,I wonder if I can buy,

you know, a home.

- [Narrator] Soon when shewas a first time homeowner.

Now, years later, she ownedseveral rental properties

and continues to give to CBN.

- Anytime I see, whereas CBNeven buys a sewing machine

for somebody to make themselves sufficient

and to get out of the poverty.

It just touched my heart

to bring water to people

that are drinking from this disgusting.

That's all that moneyrepresents is being able

to help people.

- [Narrator] Maria encourages other

who are financially stuckto follow in her footsteps

and give.

- You just got to trust God,

you give above your titheto further God's kingdom.

That's it.

You can't outgive God.

The more I give him, the more I have

and the more gratefulI am so the more I give

so it's just never ending.

- I love Maria's story

and I encourage it to adopt what she did.

Here's what she did.

She started praying for her finances

and that started breakthroughafter breakthrough.

When you start praying over your job,

when you start praying over your finances,

it will lead you automatically to say,

I want to be known as generous.

And then when you start that

the law of reciprocitywill kick in for you.

Give and it will be given unto you.

These are the words of Jesus.

I'm not some kind of prosperity preacher,

but I am a preacher ofthe gospel of generosity.

For God so loved the world that he gave.

And when you start a lifestyle of giving

and generous and cheerful giving

wonderful things will happen.

God always stands byhis word to perform it.

He will perform it for you.

If you just follow the same principles.

Now, if you wanna starta life of generosity

over and above and say, Iwant to be known for that.

Give us a call.

1-800-700-7000

and just say, I wanna join the 700 Club.

Just like Maria, it's $20 a month.

That's just 65 cents a day.

If you can join at a higher level,

we have 700 Club Goal, that's $40 a month.

We also have 1,000 Club.

That's $1,000 a year thatbreaks out to $84 a month.

At whatever level call right now.

And when you call, ask for Pledge Express,

that's electronic monthly giving

the bank is doing all the work

and we can send as our giftto you, Power for Life,

monthly teaching CDs.

So if you'd like thoseask for Pledge Express,

when you call or just go to cbn.com,

when you give monthly on the internet,

you're automatically signingup for Pledge Express.

Do it now, 1-800-700-7000.

Terry.

- Well, up next, after twoweeks, their honeymoon was over.

No surprise here.

Two toxic people makean explosive marriage.

How did they hide it inside the church?

And how did a suckerpunch blow their secrets?

(ethereal music)

Tommy had a raging temper.

Michelle had trafficked guns and drugs

with Hells Angels and the Mexican mafia.

The two of them got marriedjust four months after meeting.

And the combination quickly became toxic.

- [Narrator] When Tommy andMichelle Hunter met in 2008,

they were both new Christianshealing from troubled pasts.

Growing up they'd bothbeen victims of emotional,

physical and sexual abuse,leading them to lives of anger,

brokenness and violence.

- My mom was a single mom.

She dated a few guys

who were extremely physically abusive.

And I specifically remember one time,

a guy coming in the houseand beating my mom up.

And I mean, I must'vebeen three years old,

I think at the time.

And I remember takinga plastic machine gun

and beating him over the back,

trying to get him off of her

and him throwing me across the room.

You know, for what Iwas trying to figure out

for 40 years was why was I so mad?

Why was I so dysfunctional?

And why things around mealways seem to fall apart?

- Most of my life, I just, Iwas involved in drugs and guns

and you know, I worked withHells Angels and Mexican mafia.

And I just really was very purposeful

at going the opposite direction from God.

And when I was 30, everythingpretty much caught up with me.

And I was looking at avery long prison sentence

and God rescued me out ofall of that miraculously.

When I was let out of jail

and didn't have to spend 20something years in prison,

I made a decision that Ineeded to change my life.

- [Narrator] After four monthsof dating, they married,

but after only two weeks,their honeymoon was over

and the reality of theirunresolved pain was revealed.

- Yeah, the physical andverbal abuse that I experienced

created a mindset

that women were good for two things,

one, for sex, two for abuse.

- Tommy would get mad.

He would, his rage and angerwould just overtake him.

He was all about intimidating.

And so there was a lotof screaming and yelling

and shaking his fist at me

and pretending likehe's gonna headbutt me.

So he'd get real close

and just like roar rightin my face, you know?

- [Narrator] Michelleturned to prescription drugs

to cope with her husband's rage.

- I felt like if I was really numb,

I could keep from myselffrom being really upset

or I could stay in control of myself,

meaning I wouldn't lash out at him.

I wouldn't start crying.

I would just be like, don't care.

- [Narrator] Meanwhile, the couple managed

to mask the tension at home

while serving as trustedministry leaders at their church.

- There was a perception in our church.

I think when peoplelooked at us that we were,

you know, this great couple

and my husband was so charismatic

and he was a great preacher.

We would go to churchand we would play church

and then we would go home andit would be very destructive.

- [Narrator] As the years wentby the arguments escalated.

One after dinner and drinks,the violence became physical.

- What happened in the car was

because of the language that I was using

Michelle reached over andjust started punching on me.

- There was such chaos

and craziness happening in our car.

When he actually reached overand punched me in the face,

of course, I was just, I was hysterical.

- [Narrator] Police arrestedTommy and he was taken to jail.

Once released, he reunited with Michelle.

A month later, she foundout she was expecting

and gave up prescription drugs.

Five months into her pregnancyshe caught Tommy cheating,

filed for a separation and movedfrom California to Arizona.

Without Tommy by her side,

Michelle gave birth to a stillborn baby,

distraught and desperatefor a better life.

Michelle cried out to God.

- I've been through areso much in my life before.

And I considered myselfto be such a strong person

that nothing that everhappened to me would break me.

But I was really broken.

I got ahold of some teachingsabout the love of God.

Like, who am I?

Like I'm not just a wife or a mother,

like who is Michelle?

Who am I?

And I started really like chasing

intensely after the love of God.

It was like I was resting and relaxing

and just his presence.

So it wasn't a show anymore.

It wasn't about going to church

and doing the Christian thing.

It was about being a Christianalone in my room with him.

- [Narrator] Now divorced

as Michelle allowed God to heal her heart.

Tommy was finally dealing with his anger.

- When I started looking at it,

and I really broke down 1 Corinthians 13

and so many other scriptures about love

that this was what I haddesperately been searching for

my entire life because he was so patient

and because he was so kind,

it was that I knew that hewas for me and he had my back

and that he wasn't mad at me

and he wasn't disappointed in me.

He just saw me as his son

and he loved me so much.

And he had such, such a greatjourney for me ahead of me.

And there was a true repentancethat came in that moment

or in that timeframe.

- The love of God filledme with compassion,

understanding that myhusband was very broken.

That it wasn't that hewas an awful horrible man.

It was that he was justas broken as I was broken

just in different waysand it looked different.

And I just knew that no matter what

I was gonna beatfrustration of my marriage.

- [Narrator] Michellereached out to Tommy,

committed to showing himthe love God had shown her.

As God healed them both

they longed to bereconciled with each other.

When Tommy asked Michelle tomarry him again, she said, yes.

Tommy and Michelle vowed

to never engage in physical abuse again.

Today they find freedomand healing and wholeness

as they share theirtestimony around the world.

Together, they lead a ministry

and they're pastors of His Place Church

in Long Beach, California.

- My marriage is the most amazing thing

I've ever experienced in my life.

I'm married to a big teddy bear

who just loves God

and who loves me and loves himself.

- 'cause you know, you can't give away

something you don't have.

And for the first time I really have loved

and so I'm able to give itto her and everybody else.

I see Jesus in our marriage today

as the center of our marriage

'cause then when wewake up in the morning,

our goal is to be Jesus to each other.

It's to love like he loved.

- Today, I just can't imaginelife being any better.

- That's the goal is forChrist to live in us,

not just for us to know about him,

not just to make a commitment of words,

but to open up our hearts and our lives

for him to live within us,

to operate through us, to change us.

And then as other see what he's done

for them to desire to be changed as well.

You know, we can't controlthe things that happen to us

when we're children.

And as Tommy said,

I wondered why my wholelife I was so angry.

Well, when things happento us in our childhood,

we have to go back and inviteJesus into those places

and let him heal them, sowe can be whole now today.

It's so easy to say we are believers.

It's easy to say that we trust Christ.

It's another thing to give it all to him.

That's why we call it surrender.

It's a laying down of who we are

and a grabbing hold of who he is

so that his spirit can fill us.

The Bible says the steadfastlove of the Lord never changes.

His mercies never come to an end.

They are new every morning.

That's your inheritance ifyou are a Christ follower.

How do you begin that process?

You just come to him andsay, God, I have so blown it.

I've blown it in the past.

I've made promises to you Ihaven't kept, I've blown it.

Now I'm coming to you today saying

I wanna be done with me andI wanna be filled with you.

Please forgive me, fill me withyour power and your presence

and teach me your way soI can live differently.

Holy spirit, come into myheart, my mind, my spirit.

I give everything that I am to you.

And then get into the word of God

and watch him begin to change you.

Don't settle for anything less.

This is God's promise to you.

If you have a special need in your life

and you'd like to pray with someone

I want you to know ourphone lines are always open.

The number is toll free, itdoesn't cost anything to call.

It's 1-800-700-7000.

There's a friend on theother end of that line

who's prayed that prayergiven their lives to Christ

and would love to pray with you today.

We leave you with thesewords from 1 Corinthians.

Love bears all things,believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.