TODAY ON THE SEVENTH CLOCK,

EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO THE 700

CLUB AMANDA KNOX IN FOUR GORDON

TODAY ISRAELI FORCES ARE

PUSHING AHEAD WITH THEIR

ATTACKS ON HAMAS IN THE CITY OF

RAFAH.

ISRAEL IS UNITED IN ITS MISSION

WHILE WASHINGTON IS DIVIDED

OVER PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DECISION

TO WITHHOLD KEY WEAPONS FROM

THE JEWISH STATE.

TODAY ISRAEL CELEBRATES ITS

MEMORIAL DAY WITH SOLDIERS

WOUNDED IN THE WAR GAZA

SPEAKING WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

TO KEEP FIGHTING VICTORY.

CHRIS MITCHELL BRINGS US THE

STORY FROM JERUSALEM.

ISRAEL PAUSED FOR 2 MINUTES

THIS MORNING AS THE NATION

COMMEMORATE ITS MEMORIAL DAY AT

THE OPENING CEREMONY, ISRAELI

PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN

NETANYAHU PROMISED TO CONTINUE

THE GAZA OPERATION AND DECLARED

WHAT WOUNDED SOLDIERS FROM THE

WAR HAVE TOLD HIM.

I'M PLEASED TO BE.

MCCLELAND WALID, ALL OF THEM

WITHOUT EXCEPTION EVEN THE

AMPUTEES.

THEY TOLD ME THE SPIRIT OF THE

PEOPLE LIST THEM UP KEEP GOING

UNTIL VICTORY AND THAT'S HOW WE

WILL DO IT.

THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE WITH

GOD'S HELP WILL CONTINUE TO

LIFT US UP IN THE CHALLENGES

THAT ARE STILL AHEAD OF US AND

THAT WE HAD IN OUR 76 YEARS OF

INDEPENDENCE.

MORE THAN 300,000 GAZANS

HAVE ALREADY FLED RAFAH.

SOME HAVE ESCAPED TO SAFE ZONES

ESTABLISHED BY THE ISRAEL

FORCES TO GET THEM OUT OF

HARM'S WAY.

ISRAELI FORCES HAVE PUSHED

DEEPER INTO THE CITY THE LAST

MAJOR OF HAMAS.

SO FAR THEY'RE USING TARGETED

WITHOUT LAUNCHING A MAJOR

INVASION.

THIS MAY PRESIDENT BIDEN'S

THREAT TO HALT AMERICAN WEAPONS

SHIPMENTS ISRAEL IF IT DOES

UNDERTAKE A MAJOR ASSAULT.

ISRAEL ALSO POUNDED NORTHERN

GAZA WHERE SOME HAMAS HAVE FLED

AND REGROUPED AFTER THE IDF

CLEARED THAT AREA AGO.

AT THE SAME TIME, HAMAS HAS

CONTINUED TO ROCKETS AT

SOUTHERN ISRAEL INCLUDING

ONE THAT STRUCK A PLAYGROUND IN

THE SOUTHERN ISRAELI CITY OF

BEERSHEBA.

ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON

POST, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

OFFERED TO SHARE INTELLIGENCE

ABOUT WHERE HAMAS LEADERS ARE

LOCATED IF ISRAEL HOLDS BACK ON

A MAJOR ATTACK ON RAFAH.

SOME ISRAELI ANALYSTS QUESTION

WHY U.S. WOULDN'T SHARE SUCH

VITAL INTELLIGENCE ANYWAY WITH

ITS STRONGEST ALLY IN THE

MIDDLE EAST AND SECRETARY OF

STATE BLINKEN DELIVERED SOME OF

THE STRONGEST U.S. CRITICISM

YET OF ISRAEL'S CONDUCT OF THE

WAR GOING INTO TO RAFAH TO DEAL

WITH THESE REMAINING

BATTALIONS, ESPECIALLY THE

ABSENCE OF A PLAN FOR CIVILIANS

RISKS DOING TERRIBLE HARM TO

CIVILIANS AND NOT THE PROBLEM A

PROBLEM THAT BOTH OF US WANT TO

SOLVE WHICH IS MAKING SURE

HAMAS AGAIN GOVERN GAZA.

BUT REPUBLICANS AND MANY

DEMOCRATS ARE PUSHING BACK HARD

AGAINST THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS

ON WITHHOLDING WEAPONS FOR

ISRAEL.

REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL

FROM TEXAS SAID AN INVASION OF

RAFAH IS TO COMPLETE ISRAEL'S

MISSION.

FOR US TO STEP IN SAY NO,

YOU CAN'T GO INTO RAFAH AND

FINISH THE JOB, I THINK IT'S

MOUNTAIN AN ARMS EMBARGO.

IT'S ALSO VERY SIMILAR FOR US

TO SAY IN WORLD WAR TWO HEY.

LIKE MY DAD'S GENERATION YOU

CAN INVADE ALL THE WAY TO

BERLIN BUT YOU CAN'T GO INTO

BERLIN TO FINISH THE JOB.

DESPITE THE WHITE HOUSE'S

ACTIONS ISRAEL IS PROMISING ON

THE EVE OF ITS 76 INDEPENDENCE

DAY TO PUSH AHEAD UNTIL HAMAS

IS FINALLY DEFEATED.

CHRIS CBN NEWS, JERUSALEM.

THANK YOU CHRIS.

THE WAR IN GAZA HAS DEALT A

MAJOR BLOW TO AN IMPORTANT

SECTOR OF THE ISRAELI ECONOMY.

JOHN JESSUP HAS THAT STORY AND

MORE FROM OUR CBN NEWS BUREAU

IN WASHINGTON JOHN.

THAT'S RIGHT, ANDREW.

THE BATTLE AGAINST HAMAS HAS

HIT ISRAEL'S ONCE THRIVING

INDUSTRY PRETTY HARD.

AS CBN'S CHUCK HOLTON REPORTS

FROM, JERUSALEM LOCAL

BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO

WEATHER THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM'S

OLD CITY NORMALLY BUSTLING WITH

TOURISTS NOW LIE EERILY QUIET.

THE NUMBER OF VISITORS COMING

HERE PLUMMETED BY MORE THAN 80%

DURING THE LAST MONTHS OF 2023.

I'M AT THE TOWER OF DAVID

OVERLOOKING THE OLD CITY OF

JERUSALEM AND I AM THE ONLY

PERSON IN THIS ENTIRE COMPLEX.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF THAT SOUND

YOU HEAR UP ABOVE ME.

THE FIGHTER JETS THAT ARE GOING

OVERHEAD THIS WAR HAS CRUSHED

TOURISM IN ISRAEL AND ALTHOUGH

IT MIGHT BE A ONCE IN A

LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO

BE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE

ENTIRE TOWER OF DAVID COMPLEX

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEIR

LIVING OFF OF THOSE THIS HAS

BEEN AN ABSOLUTE CATASTROPHE.

RECENTLY WHEN THE WAR

STARTED WE HAD REALLY TERRIBLE

BECAUSE BUSINESS CAME DOWN LIKE

I COULD SAY ALMOST 100%.

MANY SHOP OWNERS IN THE OLD

CITY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CLOSE

THEIR DOORS, UNABLE TO PAY RENT

AND WITHOUT THE STEADY STREAM

OF TOURISTS THEY'VE RELIED ON

FOR YEARS.

YOU EAT WHAT YOU SAVE NOW.

OKAY.

WE ARE PAYING RENT.

WE ARE PAYING OUR TAXES.

MUNICIPAL TAXES ELECTRICITY,

WATER.

EVERYTHING IS YOU HAVE TO PAY

BECAUSE ONCE YOU DON'T PAY I

MEAN IT WILL ADD UP AND THEN

YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.

INSTEAD OF HAVING SALES A

DAY NOW WE'RE HAVING ONE SALE

PROBABLY IN TWO WEEKS.

75 80% OF THE SHOPS ARE

CLOSED.

I HAVE A SHOP ONLINE.

YOU KNOW, MANY CHRISTIAN

TOURISTS CAME THROUGH HERE AND

YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A GOOD

REPUTATION AND THIS IS WHAT

HAVE SAVED ME.

OTHER SHOPS WHO HAVE NO

REPUTATION AND HAVE NO ONLINE

DID NOT MAKE IT.

THOSE WHO WANT VISIT ALSO

HAVE A TOUGH TIME GETTING HERE

DUE TO THE GAZA.

ONLY 45 OUT OF THE 250 AIRLINES

THAT ONCE OPERATED IN THE

COUNTRY ARE STILL FLYING.

EFFECTIVELY ISOLATING ISRAEL

FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.

THE PALESTINIAN ARAB MUSLIM

SHOPKEEPERS THAT ARE LEFT DOWN

HERE IN THE CITY ARE SUFFERING

RIGHT ALONGSIDE EVERYONE ELSE.

BUT THE REAL FRUSTRATING THING

IS THAT IN MONTHS OF COMING

DOWN HERE AND TALKING TO THESE

GUYS, I HAVE YET TO FIND

ONE SINGLE PALESTINIAN WHO WILL

CONDEMN WHAT HAPPENED ON

OCTOBER.

OH, MY HOPE IS THAT BOTH

SIDES WILL UNDERSTAND THAT

VIOLENCE WILL BRING VIOLENCE

AND PEACE WILL BRING AND TIME

TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER AND TO

START A NEW PAGE AFTER COVID

AND NOW THE WAR.

ISRAEL'S ONCE THRIVING TOURISM

INDUSTRY IS FACING A MULTIYEAR

CATASTROPHE.

THE SECTOR WHICH ONCE EMPLOYED

MORE THAN 200,000 ISRAELIS AND

ACCOUNTED FOR 3% OF THE

COUNTRY'S ECONOMY WILL LIKELY

TAKE YEARS TO RECOVER FROM.

I'M CHUCKLE.

FOR CBN NEWS.

THANKS CHUCK.

IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND

THE WORLD GOD'S HANDIWORK WAS

ON FULL DISPLAY IN THE SKIES

OVER THE WEEKEND AS THE AURORA

BOREALIS ALSO KNOWN AS THE

NORTHERN LIGHTS WAS FARTHER

SOUTH THAN IT HAS BEEN FOR

GENERATIONS LEADING TO WIDELY

SHARED PICTURES AND VIDEOS

BLANKETING SOCIAL MEDIA.

SYRIANS HEARD BRINGS US THAT

STORY.

IT WAS A CELESTIAL SHOW IN

TH

THOUGHT THEY WOULD NEVER

WITNESS FIRSTHAND.

MILLIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

WERE TREATED TO A GREEN AND

PURPLE GLOW IN THE NIGHT SKY

THIS PAST WEEKEND AS FAR SOUTH

AS TEXAS IN THE U.S. AS WELL AS

CHILE, NORTHERN CHINA AND

NORTHERN EUROPE.

IT IS A VERY EXCITING START

TO THE DAY AT LONG ISLAND

BECAUSE SOMETHING WONDERFUL

HAPPENED IN THE NIGHT.

WE SAW THE NORTHERN LIGHTS OVER

LAND.

IT WAS ALL THANKS TO.

A SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM ON

THE SURFACE OF THE SUN THAT

PRODUCED A RARE AND POWERFUL

SEQUENCE OF SOLAR FLARES

SEVERAL DAYS.

THE RAPID FIRE OF ALL THESE

CMES CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS

AIMED AT EARTH AND ARRIVING AT

EARTH IS WHAT DROVE THE

GEOMAGNETIC FIELD SUCH AN

AGITATED STATE.

BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS

PART OF THE SUN ACTUALLY LIFTS

OFF THE SURFACE, RIGHT?

SO THIS PLASMA THE CHARGED

PARTICLES, THE MAGNETIC FIELD

THAT MAKES UP THE SUN OF IT

ACTUALLY LIFTS OFF THE SUN AND

STREAMS AWAY INTO SPACE.

LIGHT SHOW ALSO CAUSED SOME

MINOR PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER

GRID.

HIGH FREQUENCY COMMUNICATIONS

AND SOME GPS SYSTEMS CAUSING

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND

ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION TO

ISSUE A RARE GEOMAGNETIC STORM

WARNING.

ELON MUSK SAID SATURDAY HIS

STARLINK SATELLITE INTERNET WAS

UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE BUT

HOLDING UP SO FAR AN EXTREME

GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN 2003 TOOK

OUT POWER IN SWEDEN AND DAMAGED

POWER TRANSFORMERS IN SOUTH

AFRICA.

THEY'RE NOT BUILT TO USE

CURRENT SO IT BECOMES A

PROBLEM.

BUT THIS EVENT WAS ABOUT

ENJOYING WONDER OF GOD'S

HANDIWORK.

THE AURORA BOREALIS, THE

NORTHERN LIGHTS SEEN BY MANY

FOR THE FIRST TIME IS THAT THE

NORTHERN LIGHTS NOW THAT'S

THAT'S A LIGHT.

OH IT'S KIND OF FUN OVER

THERE THOUGH, HUH?

DALE HURD, CBN NEWS.

SOME BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS THERE.

ANDREW, BACK TO YOU.

THANKS, JOHN.

I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO

THAT SWEET GRANDMA.

MY SON AND I WERE OUTSIDE

TAKING A LOOK AND SAW NOTHING

BUT STREET LIGHTS BUT CERTAINLY

THAT EVENT REMINDS US OF SOME

19 THAT THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE

HANDY WORK OF GOD.

AMAZING.

AMAZING NIGHT.

TERRY I WANTED TO SEE IF WE

COULD SEE ANYTHING HERE ON THE

EAST COAST BUT YOU TO THINK

ABOUT WHERE CAN I GO TO GET

AWAY FROM CITY LIGHTS AWAY FROM

JUST THE GENERAL I DIDN'T SEE?

STAY CONNECTED CBN NEWS ALL DAY

ACROSS OUR PLATFORMS.

ON OCTOBER 7TH HAMAS

TARGETED ISRAEL'S AGRICULTURE

TO GO AFTER THEIR FOOD SUPPLY.

SO A MAJOR ORGANIZATION IN THE

JEWISH STATE SHIFTED GEARS TO

HELP THE INDUSTRY COME BACK.

AND NOW ARE PLANNING TO MAKE

THE DESERT BLOOM AGAIN.

MIDDLE CORRESPONDENT JULIE

STAHL HAS THE STORY.

NOW CLOSE SITS LESS THAN A

HALF MILE FROM THE GAZA BORDER.

ON OCTOBER 7TH, HAMAS

TERRORISTS KILLED 15 HERE

INCLUDING THE HEAD OF SECURITY

KIDNAPED AND ALSO CHOSE ANOTHER

MAJOR TARGET.

WHY DID THEY BOTHER TO THIS

TRUCK TO THIS ONE AND A HALF

MILLION SHEKELS WORTH OF

TRACTOR WHY THEY BOTHERED TO

BURN ALL OF OUR IRRIGATION.

YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME

BECAUSE THE ISRAELI AND ISRAELI

IDF WILL COME.

AGRICULTURE IN THE NEGEV IS

STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT TO

ISRAEL'S FOOD SECURITY.

SOME 70% OF VEGETABLES AND 20%

OF FRUIT ARE GROWN HERE.

THAT'S WHY TERRORISTS TARGETED

THE AGRICULTURE ON OCTOBER

SEVENTH.

THEY ARE TRYING TO TO TAKE

THE CONNECTION FROM US TO OUR

LAND TO OUR EARTH.

AND IF YOU ARE NOT DOING

AGRICULTURE THEN WHY STAY HERE?

WHY LIVE HERE?

YOU CAN LIVE NEAR TEL AVIV,

FARIBA, HEAD OF AGRICULTURE AT

KIBBUTZ NOT CLOSE.

HAS LIVED HERE ALL OF HIS LIFE.

NOW HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO THE

NEXT FIVE YEARS.

I SEE ONLY POTENTIAL AND I

SEE ONLY WORK THAT THEY HAVE TO

DO IN ORDER TO EVERYTHING AND

TO PUT EVERYTHING BACK INTO

PLACE BETTER NOT ONLY BACK AS

IT WAS BETTER.

THAT'S MY MISSION.

MANY SAY THAT AGRICULTURE IS AT

A CRISIS HERE IN THE AREA WHERE

MANY SAY GOD FULFILLED HIS WORD

TO MAKE THE DESERT BLOOM.

ESTIMATES ADD UP TO $500

MILLION IN LOST INCOME AROUND

100,000 ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL

LAND AFFECTED AND LABOR FORCE

CRISIS FOR FARMERS WHO NEED

SOME 30,000 WORKERS BEFORE

OCTOBER SEVEN.

A WHOLE IS TO TACKLE GLOBAL

HUNGER WITH ISRAELI

AGRICULTURAL EXPERTISE.

SO ON OCTOBER THE SEVENTH WE

UNDERSTOOD THAT THE

AGRICULTURAL IS ALSO AT HOME

AND SO WE PIVOTED ALMOST

IMMEDIATELY.

THAT LED DANIEL ABRAHAM OF

ALL VOLCANIC INTERNATIONAL TO

INITIATE PROJECT REGROW ISRAEL

.

WE SPOKE TO OUR PARTNERS IN

THE FIELD ACROSS THE WESTERN

NEGEV THE FARMERS, THE REGIONAL

COUNCILS AND WE SAID TO THEM

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

AND THESE PEOPLE HAD UNDERGONE

MASSIVE TRAUMA AND THEY SAID TO

ME DANIEL, YOU HAVE TO

UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T

EVEN THINK THE NEXT HOUR LET

ALONE THE NEXT WEEK OR MONTHS

OR YEARS AHEAD.

THAT MEANS REGROW ISRAEL

WILL FOCUS ON HELPING THESE

COMMUNITIES THINK THROUGH THEIR

NEEDS.

PLAN TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE

AND RAISE MONEY FOR AREAS HIT

THE.

THE FOREIGN WORKERS THAT WERE

LIVING HERE THEY WERE TARGETED

IN THEIR BEDS WHILE THEY WERE

SLEEPING IN KIBBUTZ ALUMINUM.

22 THAI AND NEPALESE WORKERS

WERE AND TWO TAKEN HOSTAGE.

SINCE THEN ONE HAS BEEN

RELEASED.

ESTABLISHED 1966 KIBBUTZ

ALUMINUM'S MAIN INCOME IS

AGRICULTURE.

WITH HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF FRUIT

AND AVOCADO ORCHARDS PLUS A

LARGE DAIRY.

TERRORISTS SHOT HOLES IN THE

TANK RUINING IT BURNED

STOREHOUSES OF FOOD AND DELAYED

THE MILKING OF COWS FOR DAYS

LEADING TO A HUGE DROP IN

PRODUCTIVITY.

THEN THERE'S THE IRRIGATION

EQUIPMENT WE'RE FARMING IN THE

WESTERN NEGEV.

IT'S A SEMI-ARID AREA

FARMING ON THE EDGE OF THE

DESERT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE ISSUE

OF WATER IS A LEADER IN WATER

USE EFFICIENCY FOR AGRICULTURE.

SO THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS

AT THE HEART OF THE

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY.

THIS IS WHERE THE PIPES FOR THE

IRRIGATION ARE WRAPPED AROUND

THEIR RUBBER.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS

SET ON FIRE IN THIS

IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT FOR THE

POTATO CROP IS NOW DESTROYED.

AS NUMEROUS GREENHOUSES AND

CHICKEN COOPS AS ISRAEL'S

PEPPER GROWER.

ALUMINUM HAD TO LEAVE FIELDS OF

PEPPERS ON HARVESTED BACK AT

THE BORDER OF CARLOS MORAN'S AS

THEY REBUILT THEIR WATER

RESERVOIR DESTROYED BY HAMAS

AND PLANTED WHEAT.

WE ARE DOING AGRICULTURE

UNTIL THE LAST METER.

EVEN NOW WHEN WE ARE IN ZONE WE

ARE STANDING RIGHT NOW IN THE

WAR ZONE.

THIS IS WHY YOU SEE A TANK

RIGHT THERE ABRAHAM THE FARMERS

ARE HEROES IN ISRAEL'S STORY.

SOME OF HEROES IN OUR

SOCIETY THAT ARE GOING OUT

UNDER FIRE A VIEW TO THE FUTURE

WITH ALL OF THEIR TRACTORS

STOLEN AND BURNED SOWING WHEAT

IN THE FIELDS.

SHE HAS GREAT HOPE FOR THE

FUTURE.

AND THEN MY DREAM IS THAT ON

THIS AREA WHICH IS WHERE ISRAEL

MADE THE DESERT BLOOM WE WILL

BE ABLE TO MAKE BLOOM ONCE

AGAIN.

THEY WILL SEE THE FARMERS

GROWING BACK STRONGER WITH

AUTOMATION ACROSS THE DAIRY AND

THE GREENHOUSES, THE PACKING

HOUSES.

I WANT US TO SEE NEW

INNOVATIONS FOR CLIMATE

RESILIENT AGRICULTURE THAT THE

WORLD CAN COME HERE AND LEARN

FROM.

I TO SEE THE NEW GENERATION

COMING INTO FARMING IN ISRAEL.

JULIE STAHL CBN NEWS.

KIBBUTZ NIKOLAUS AND KIBBUTZ

ALLOW WHAT ISRAEL HAS

ACCOMPLISHED IN DESERT IS

MIRACULOUS AND WITH THE

BLESSING OF GOD WE PRAY THAT

TODAY WHEN STEVENSON WAS EIGHT

YEARS OLD HE WAS HANDED EIGHT

PAGES OF DOCUMENTS.

THEY OFFICIAL PAPERS THAT

CONTAINED THE IDENTITY OF HIS

REAL MOTHER.

FOR YEARS HE SAT ON THIS

INFORMATION.

HE GREW UP AND, HAD A FAMILY OF

HIS OWN.

AND THEN ONE DAY GOD TOLD HIM

IT'S TIME TO LOOK FOR YOUR MOM

.

I WAS RAISED IN A LOVING

CHRISTIAN HOME.

I KNEW I WAS LOVED.

I NEVER QUESTIONED THAT.

BUT ONE DAY WHEN I WAS EIGHT

YEARS OLD AT SCHOOL I HAD THESE

FRIENDS OF MINE LOOK AT ME AND

SAY YOU'RE WEIRD AND DIFFERENT.

GROWING UP, STEVEN VAN

HOLLEN NEVER FELT OUT OF PLACE

WITHIN HIS FAMILY UNTIL ONE DAY

AT SCHOOL KIDS POINTED OUT HE

LOOKED DIFFERENT.

I COME HOME THAT DAY I SIT

ON THE EDGE OF THE BED WITH MY

MOM AND I FIND OUT IN THAT

MOMENT THAT I WAS ACTUALLY A

FOSTER CHILD AT SEVEN DAYS OLD

AND OFFICIALLY ADOPTED BY MY

FAMILY TWO YEARS OLD.

THAT'S FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE

I EVER REMEMBER FEELING BROKEN

AND ASKING GOD WHY?

WHY WOULD A MOTHER NOT WANT

HER SON?

THAT CUT REALLY DEEP FOR ME AS

AN EIGHT YEAR OLD WAS I REALLY

LOVED WAS I WANTED STRUGGLING

MY IDENTITY AND WHERE I FIT.

WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD I

HAD BEEN GIVEN THIS

INFORMATION.

IT WAS EIGHT PAGES OF TOP RIDER

PAPERWORK FROM 1982.

IT HAD MY BIRTH MOM'S NAME

IN IT AND THEN IT HAD BROKEN

INFORMATION.

BUT THAT'S ALL I HAD.

I KIND OF KNEW A LITTLE BIT OF

WHERE MY ROOTS WERE FROM BUT

THAT IDENTITY AND WORTH WAS

FOUND IN TRYING TO FIND AND

EVERYTHING BUT LORD AND IT

WASN'T UNTIL A NIGHT AT A

CHURCH SERVICE THAT WE WERE

HAVING A REVIVAL.

BUT I JUST KNEW IN THAT

MOMENT THIS JESUS I'D ABOUT MY

WHOLE LIFE I NEEDED A

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM SO I CAME

RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

SERVICE TO AN ALTAR AND FELL ON

MY KNEES AND, ACCEPTED JESUS AS

THAT BROKEN LITTLE EIGHT YEAR

OLD BOY.

EVEN I HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH

HIM.

IT WAS THE SPORTS AND TRYING

DATING LIFE AND ALL OF THOSE

THINGS BUT NOTHING SEEMED TO

FILL THAT VOID.

STEPHEN THEN EXCELLED AT

SPORTS DURING HIS COLLEGE WHERE

HE MAJORED IN YOUTH MINISTRY

AND MET HIS WIFE A YOUTH

PASTORING IN FLORIDA.

AT THIS TIME AND MY WIFE AND

I ARE DECIDE WE WANT TO TRY TO

HAVE CHILDREN AND SHE GETS WE

HAVE A MISCARRIAGE AND IT

LITERALLY JUST BREAKS OUR HEART

AND WE'RE BOTH ASKING WHY GOD.

SO WE GET THROUGH THAT LOSS

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE ISABELLA

SUCCESSFUL AND THEN WE HAVE OUR

THIRD PREGNANCY AND THEN WE

LOSE ANOTHER BABY AND IT MESSED

ME UP.

IT BROKE MY HEART JUST AS A

DAD AND A HUSBAND EXCITED TO BE

DAD AND YOU KNOW HAVING TO GO

NOT THROUGH ONE LOSS BUT TWO

AND THIS IS WHERE GOD FOUND ME.

LITERALLY THIS BROKEN DAD AND

HUSBAND JUST SEEKING HIM OUT

REALLY CRYING OUT GOD I WAS

DEPRESSED AND GOD MET ME RIGHT

IN THAT MOMENT AND HE SAID IT'S

TIME TO LOOK FOR YOUR MOM

PORING THROUGH THOSE PAGES AND

SEARCHING THE INTERNET.

HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE HIS BIRTH

UNCLE.

TWO MONTHS LATER HE TRAVELED

TO MEET HIM.

HE TOLD ME THERE WERE SIX

SIBLINGS.

MY MOM WAS ONE OF SIX AND

ALL OF THEM EXCEPT FOR HIM WERE

MENTALLY HANDICAPPED.

SO MY MOM ONLY FUNCTIONED AS AN

11 YEAR OLD CHILD.

SO AT 18 WHEN SHE AGED OUT OF

THE SYSTEM THEIR PARENTS HAD

ACTUALLY DIED.

SHE WAS ALONE, HAD NO FAMILY,

NO RESOURCES.

SO SHE BECAME A WARD OF THE

STATE OF GEORGIA AND SHE WAS

PLACED INTO FACILITY.

AND WHAT MY UNCLE TOLD ME

STANDING IN HIS LIVING ROOM DAY

AT 27 WAS YOUR MOM WAS ACTUALLY

RAPED BY FIVE MEN AND YOU WERE

CONCEIVED IN THAT WAY AND YOU

TALK ABOUT TWO GROWN MEN

WEEPING AND CRYING.

I TO HEAR THAT KIND OF NEWS ALL

THOSE YEARS WONDERING WHY WHY

WOULD MY MOM NOT WANT ME?

WE KNEW THAT SHE MADE IT

SOMEHOW TO CHATTANOOGA,

TENNESSEE AND MADE IT TO THIS

LITTLE TOWN WHERE I GREW OR

JUST HAPPENED TO BE A FAMILY

THAT HAD FOUR KIDS OF THEIR OWN

AND HAD A MISCARRIAGE YEARS

PRIOR AND GOT TO OPEN THEIR

HOME TO ACTUALLY BRING ONE MORE

CHILD IN.

THEY WERE FOSTER PARENTING

BECAUSE OF A LOSS THEY HAD AND

BROKENNESS THAT THEY HAD AND

GOD WAS ABOUT TO RESTORE THAT

THROUGH ME.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS WOMAN?

SHE HAS NO MONEY, NO JOB, NO

FAMILY NO RESOURCES.

SO THE ONLY OPTION THAT THEY

WERE GIVING HER WAS YOU HAVE TO

ABORT.

BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD

LITERALLY RAN AWAY FROM THIS

FACILITY TO SAVE HER BABY EVEN

AS ONLY AN 11 YEAR OLD MENTAL

MIND.

TO ME IT'S A MIRACLE.

MY UNCLE GOT QUIET.

HE LOOKED AT ME DEEP IN EYES

AND HE SAID YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOUR MOM'S ALIVE.

SHE'S FIVE HOUR SOUTH OF WHERE

WE SIT RIGHT NOW.

AND HE SAID DO YOU TO MEET

HER?

SO WE JUMPED IN A CAR, DRIVE 5

HOURS SOUTH AND I GET TO MEET

THE LADY I CALL MY HERO MAMA.

GLENDA IS KIND OF THE BOY.

WHEN YOU WERE 18 AND YOU MISS

THAT LITTLE BOY THE FAMILY THAT

YOU GAVE HIM TO TO TAKE CARE OF

THEIR THEIR LAST NAME WAS

IRELAND.

SO HIS NAME IS DAMON AND

WILLIAM.

OH, RIGHT.

AND THERE'S ONE THING THAT I

DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT I NEEDED

THAT SHE SAID TO ME WAS I LOVE

YOU, SON.

I WOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN YOU UP

IF I COULD TO KEEP YOU.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I NEEDED

THAT CLOSURE IN MY HEART.

BUT JUST TO HEAR HER SAY

THAT ALL THOSE QUESTIONS OF WHY

IN MY LIFE

THAT SHE LOVED ME, SHE CARED

ABOUT ME, SHE WANTED ME THEY

GOT TO SPEND 11 YEARS

RECONNECTING BEFORE HIS PASSING

IN 2020.

STEPHEN THEN IS NOW A NATIONAL

SPEAKER AND HAS HELPED RAISE

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR

PREGNANCY CARE CENTERS ACROSS

THE COUNTRY.

IT JUST AMAZES ME THAT TODAY

A DAD OF THREE BEAUTIFUL

DAUGHTERS THAT WOULDN'T BE HERE

IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT CHOICE TO

CHOOSE LIFE AND IT'S SO AMAZING

THAT I GET I LITERALLY HAVE

BEEN IN 39 STATES AND I GET TO

STAND ON STAGES AND RAISE

SUPPORT AND AWARENESS FOR THESE

BEAUTIFUL ORGANIZATIONS THAT

ARE FIGHTING FOR LIFE AFFIRMING

LIFE EVERY DAY WHERE I GET TO

SHARE OUR STORY.

I GET TO CHAMPION AND HONOR MY

MOTHER BECAUSE SHE TRULY IS THE

HERO OF THE STORY WHEN IT COMES

TO LIFE.

I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T

FOR HER.

AND IT'S AN HONOR TO GET TO

CARRY THAT TORCH AND TO TO KEEP

HER NAME ALIVE.

MAMA, I LOVE YOU AND I THANK

YOU FOR LIFE.

OH, LIFE IS SUCH A PRECIOUS,

PRECIOUS.

YOU KNOW, I REALLY HAVE TO SAY

BEING AN ADOPTIVE MYSELF I KNOW

A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE AND BIRTH

MOMS I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE MOM

WHO GIVES HER CHILD EASILY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A HEARTBREAK

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON.

SO TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE

ADOPTED THAT FEEL THAT ISSUE,

YOU KNOW, GOD HAS STRATEGICALLY

YOU WHERE YOU ARE AND YOUR MOM

DID NOT EVER GIVE YOU UP JUST

READILY BECAUSE SHE HAD NOTHING

BETTER TO DO THAT DAY.

YOU KNOW, WE A LOT OF

INCREDIBLE TESTIMONIES ON THIS

PROGRAM AND THAT ONE IS

CERTAINLY UNIQUE AND HERE IS

STEPHEN THEN VERY UNUSUAL NAME

STEVENSON FELT REJECTED AND

ABANDONED BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE

WAS AND THEN WHEN HE FINDS OUT

THIS INFORMATION THE ONE HE HAD

SO MUCH RESENTMENT TOWARD GROWS

TO ADMIRE AND LOVE A BEAUTIFUL

STORY OF RECONCILIATION REALLY

REALLY IT IS I MEAN I THINK

IT'S YOU KNOW GOD IS FATHER AND

HE IS ABLE TO TAKE THAT

BROKENNESS THAT EXISTS IN SOME

OF OUR LIVES AND REALLY FULFILL

THAT YOU ARE WHERE YOU'RE

SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER THE HAND

OF A GOD WHO IS WHERE YOU CAME

FROM.

AND NOW HE HAS THIS AMAZING

OF HIS PEOPLE.

FIND OUT HOW TO GET BIBLICAL

ANSWERS TO TODAY'S QUESTIONS.

WELCOME BACK TO WASHINGTON FOR

THE CBN NEWS BREAK.

BORN TOGETHER NOW GRADUATING

TOGETHER FROM COLLEGE THERE ARE

QUINTUPLETS GRADUATING FROM

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY IN

NEW JERSEY TODAY PAYING FOR

COLLEGE FOR FIVE KIDS AT ONCE

ISN'T EASY.

FORTUNATELY FOR THEIR PARENTS,

ALL FIVE SIBLINGS FROM THE

BUFFALO FAMILY QUALIFY FOR

SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE SCHOOL

HELPED THEM OUT ESSENTIALLY

OFFERING THEM A FREE EDUCATION

.

EACH ONE MAJORED IN A DIFFERENT

SUBJECT.

THE THREE BOYS AND TWO GIRLS

WERE BORN JUST MINUTES APART OF

EACH OTHER ON THE 4TH OF JULY.

THEY'RE NOW 21 AND HAVE

REMAINED CLOSE THROUGHOUT THEIR

LIVES INCLUDING THEIR TIME IN

COLLEGE.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM AND ALL

COLLEGE GRADUATES.

WELL, CBN INTERNATIONAL HAS

LAUNCHED A NEW VIDEO SERIES IN

THE DUTCH LANGUAGE.

IT'S BUILT AROUND THE THEME

CHRIST MAKING THINGS NEW.

THE ORIGINAL CONTENT IS FOCUSED

ON REACHING THE NETHERLANDS IN

ITS OWN LANGUAGE.

THE SERIES IS DUTCH EVEN DOWN

TO THE BACKGROUND.

SUPERBOOK ALREADY BECOME

POPULAR IN THE NETHERLANDS.

THIS IS PART OF A LARGER EFFORT

TO ALSO REACH THE COUNTRY'S

ADULTS.

WELL YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE

THE WORLD BY GOING TO CBN DCOMS

INTERNATIONAL.

ANDREW AND TERRY, WE'LL BE BACK

RIGHT AFTER THIS.

FELT HIS PRESENCE.

TOMORROW ON THE 700 CLOCK TASHA

LAYTON WENT TO HOLLYWOOD FOR

AMERICAN IDOL.

THEN LATER SHE TOURED THE WORLD

WITH KATY PERRY AS A ARTIST.

SHE SHOT UP THE BILLBOARD

CHARTS WITH MEGA-HITS SUCH HOW

FAR AND LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

YET IT WASN'T ALWAYS STRAIGHT

RIDE TO THE TOP.

SHE SAT DOWN WITH EPHREM GRAHAM

TO ABOUT THE DETOURS, THE DARK

TIMES AND GOD'S PERFECT TIMING.

THROUGH IT ALL I CAN GO OH

GOD DEEP BREAKTHROUGH YOU YOU

WERE SAYING THAT YOU FELT

LOOKING BACK THOUGHT SOME PARTS

OF YOUR LIFE WERE DETOURS.

WHAT WOULD YOU YOU THOUGHT WAS

A DETOUR?

IS IT TOUR WITH KATY PERRY?

IS IT AMERICAN IDOL?

WHAT DID YOU THINK WE DID?

MOST DEFINITELY AMERICAN IDOL.

I WASN'T SURE WHY I WAS DOING

THAT SHOW BUT I THINK LOOKING

BACK I CAN SEE HOW GOD USED

THAT SHOW TO SERVE ME SORT OF

GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW I COULD

BE MINISTERING OUTSIDE THE

CHURCH.

AND SO WHEN I LEFT THE SHOW

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I THINK

I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING MUSIC

OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH?

AND I TOLD MY PASTOR AND HE

SAID YOU KNOW, WE'VE KNOWN THAT

FOR YEARS, TASHA.

WE'VE JUST BEEN TRYING YOU

KNOW, WAITING FOR YOU TO FIGURE

IT OUT.

GOD, CAN YOU YOU SHARED DARK

TIMES IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU

WERE ACTUALLY CONTEMPLATING

SUICIDE.

YEAH.

WHAT HAPPENED?

I HAD BEEN REALLY WOUNDED IN

THE CHURCH AND SO I WENT

SEARCHING.

AND AT THE OF THAT ROAD OF

SEARCHING I FOUND MYSELF TO BE

MORE DEPRESSED MORE ISOLATED

THAN I EVER HAD FELT BEFORE.

AND I TRIED TO TAKE MY LIFE.

AND IT WAS AT THAT LOWEST LOW

THOUGH THA

WAS THE ONE OUT OF ALL THOSE

THINGS I SEARCHED OUT THAT HAD

ANY POWER TO TRANSFORM OR ANY

POWER TO GIVE TRUE PEACE.

I CAN HEAR MY FATHER SING

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.

IT'S GONNA BE OKAY.

THAT'S THAT'S SORT OF THE THE

MANTRA THAT I LOVE TO HEAR FROM

YOU.

MY MOM IS JUST JUST BLAST

THAT AND THAT'S WHAT WAS THAT

SONG I WROTE THAT ABOUT MY

SUICIDE ATTEMPT.

AND SO WHEN WE FINISHED I'LL

TELL YOU A FUNNY STORY ABOUT IT

BECAUSE I THINK I SHARE SO MANY

DARK MOMENTS AND I HAVE SO MANY

PEOPLE SHARE THEIR DARK MOMENTS

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SONG.

WHEN WE FINISHED THE DEMO I WAS

SO PREGNANT BUT YOU KNOW I

RECORDED THE DEMO VOCAL THERE

SCRATCH VOCAL ABOUT SECONDS

AFTER WE WROTE THE SONG AND

THEN WHEN I WENT BACK RECORD MY

FINAL VOCAL I WAS SO SO

PREGNANT THAT I COULDN'T SING.

AND SO THE VOCAL THAT YOU

HEAR ON THE RADIO ABOUT 30

SECONDS AFTER WE WROTE IT BUT I

HONESTLY THAT THERE'S SOMETHING

REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THAT

BECAUSE THE EMOTIONS SO RAW IN

THE ROOM WHEN WE WROTE IT AND I

BELIEVE THAT IT REALLY CAPTURES

IT'S GOOD.

OKAY OKAY I'M GONNA BE OKAY.

YOU KNOW I'M A LATE, LATE

BLOOMER IF YOU WILL.

I DIDN'T EVEN START MUSIC UNTIL

I WAS IN MY THIRTIES AND I

DIDN'T START HAVING KIDS SO.

I WAS 35.

LORD, I'M SO TIRED BUT I DO

THINK THAT YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALL

GOD'S TIMING BECAUSE I HAVE

SOMETHING TO SAY NOW I'VE LIVED

SOME LIFE, I'VE HAD SOME

HARDSHIPS MY PRIORITIES ARE MY

FAMILY, MY HUSBAND AND MY KIDS

AND I THINK THAT HAS BROUGHT A

WONDERFUL FOUNDATION TO WHAT I

DO IN A WAY THAT I'M REALLY,

REALLY GRATEFUL FOR BECAUSE MY

IDENTITY IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN

WHAT I DO OR MY VOICE OR MUSIC

OR ANYTHING LIKE I'M SO FIRM IN

WHO I BELIEVE MADE ME TO BE AND

MY GOAL IS TO JUST BRING THAT

FREEDOM AND COURAGE TO EVERYONE

WHO WILL LISTEN TO KNOW WHO YOU

ARE IN CHRIST AND STEP OUT

KNOWING THAT HIS TIMING IS

PERFECT FORSAKING NEVER ABANDON

THE FIRST SAY AGAIN I AM SAFE

IN YOUR ALWAYS AND FOREVER THE

FACT THAT I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL

FAMILY I'M GETTING TO DO I

PRAYED TO GET TO DO WHEN I WAS

A YOUNG GIRL AND SEEING

PEOPLE'S LIVES CHANGED EVERY

NIGHT MADE A TRADE THAT FOR ANY

MAN I MEAN THAT THAT GETS ME UP

IN THE MORNING BECAUSE I AM

BROKEN SO BROKEN FOR YOU WILL

THERE COME A DAY YOU'RE GONNA

MEET AGAIN?

SO WHAT'S.

WELL, I'M ON TOUR RIGHT NOW

AND SO WE'RE BRINGING AN RV SO

THAT WE CAN BRING OUR KIDS ON

TOUR AND.

SO WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING ALL

THE THINGS ABOUT RV LIFE AND

YOU KNOW WHAT HOSES GO TO WHAT

YOU DON'T WANT MESS THOSE UP.

I MEAN WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT

BUT IT'S FUN AND.

WE'VE HAD MEMORIES AND THERE IS

NO GREATER PRIVILEGE BE ABLE TO

DO IT WITH YOUR FAMILY TOGETHER

AND I DON'T HAVE ANY MOM GUILT

.

I DON'T LEAVE THEM AT HOME,

YOU KNOW?

SO THAT'S AWESOME.

THAT'S HOW MY TASHA'S LATEST

BOOK IS CALLED LOOK WHAT DONE

AND HER ALBUM IS HOW FAR AND

BOTH AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE.

GREAT STORY.

GREAT LIFE.

YEAH HOPE I MEAN SHE WAS YOU

KNOW YOU HEARD HER SAY SHE WAS

SUICIDAL AND THEN FINDING JUST

GREAT HOPE IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

WHAT A TURNAROUND AND DIDN'T

KNOW SHE STARTED HER MUSIC

CAREER AND HER THIRD.

NO, ME NEITHER.

ME NEITHER.

SHE STARTED SHE SAID IT'S NOT

TOO LATE FOR ME TO START IN

STRONG.

YOU KNOW YOU LAUGH AT THAT.

NO, SORRY.

I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL BAND

SINGER THE WHOLE BIT.

REALLY?

COME ON.

I MEAN, I'M LIKE YOU.

I MEAN, YOU WERE A PROFESSIONAL

MUSICIAN SINGER.

YOU WERE THE REAL DEAL THAT WAS

A LONG TIME LITTLE BIT

IMPOSTER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT STORY.

WELL, SOME DAYS MARIAM HAD

TO BEG FOOD JUST SO HER KIDS

WOULDN'T GO HUNGRY.

AND THEN HER HOME WAS DESTROYED

.

SHE LOST EVERYTHING SHE HAD SO

SHE AND HER FAMILY HAD TO SLEEP

OUT IN THE COLD.

MARIAM IS A WIDOW WHO WORKS

VERY HARD TO PROVIDE FOR HER

CHILDREN.

I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY

SCHOOL FEES BUT I FEED THEM.

I CUT AND SELL FIREWOOD BUT IT

ONLY BRINGS IN A LITTLE MONEY

WHEN I CAN.

I HELP PEOPLE ON THEIR FARMS

WHEN I HAVE TO.

I BEG FOR FOOD SO MY CHILDREN

WILL NOT GO HUNGRY.

JUST WHEN SHE LIFE COULDN'T

GET ANY MORE DIFFICULT THINGS

GOT EVEN WORSE.

I WOKE UP TO THE SOUND OF MY

SON SHOUTING MAMA MAMA WHAT I

SAID COMING INTO OUR ROOM.

I GOT UP IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY

BABY AND WE RAN OUT OF THE

HOUSE.

THEIR VILLAGE WAS HIT BY A

SEVERE FLOOD.

AFTER THE WATER RECEDED.

MARIAM AND HER CHILDREN

RETURNED AND FOUND THEIR HOME

DESTROYED.

I LOST EVERYTHING.

MY CHILDREN AND I SLEEP IN THE

COLD.

WE'VE PUT SOME ON THE BEST

FLOOR AND SLEEP THERE.

I CATCH A COLD BECAUSE WE

HAVE NO EXTRA CLOTHES TO

PROTECT US.

MOSQUITOES BITES ME A LOT

TOO BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT

EXPOSURE TO MOSQUITOES.

HER CHILDREN CAUGHT MALARIA.

MY HEAD EGGS AND I GET A

FEVER WHEN I AM SICK.

MARIAM HAD NO MONEY TO TAKE HER

CHILDREN TO THE HOSPITAL AND.

SHE WAS LOSING HOPE THAT

THINGS WOULD EVER GET BETTER.

I FELT LIKE GIVING.

I DIDN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH

TO LEAVE ANYMORE.

AFTER THE FLOOD HE WENT FOR

DAYS WITHOUT FOOD.

I HAD NOWHERE TO TURN.

WHEN OPERATION BLESSING

HEARD ABOUT THE FLOODING IN

MARIAM'S VILLAGE WE WENT WITH

FOOD AND OTHER RELIEF SUPPLIES

TO HELP STRUGGLING FAMILIES

LIKE HERS.

MARIAM AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER

FAMILIES GOT FOOD, MATTRESSES,

MOSQUITO NETS, CLOTHES AND

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TO HELP

THEM REBUILD HOMES.

I WAS OVERJOYED WHEN

OPERATION BLESSING VISITED FOOD

AND OTHER THINGS WE NEEDED TO

SURVIVE.

THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD AND

THE NEW CLOTHES.

I LOVE IT ALL.

OPERATION BLESSING'S MEDICAL

TEAM ALSO PROVIDED MEDICAL CARE

TO MARRY HIM AND HER CHILDREN

WERE NO LONGER SICK BECAUSE

OPERATION BLESSING'S DOCTORS

TREATED MY FAMILY FOR FREE.

IN ADDITION TO HELPING MARIAM

REBUILD HER HOME, WE GAVE HER

TWO GOATS TO HELP HER START A

LIVESTOCK BUSINESS.

NOW MARIAM CAN GIVE HER

CHILDREN HOT MEALS IN A SAFE

AND HAPPY HOME FREE FROM

MOSQUITOES AND COLD.

YOU CHANGED LIFE COMPLETELY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

I PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE

TO BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE

.

OH, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

LOOK AT ALL CBN PARTNERS MAKE

POSSIBLE THAT POOR WIDOW WAS

BARELY GETTING BY AND THEN THE

FLOOD CAME AND YOU KNOW THEY'RE

,GETTING MALARIA AND BITTEN BY

MOSQUITOES SLEEPING ON THE

FLOOR.

BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE BY

PASSING BY HER IN THE STREET OR

I WAS AND WE SAW HER WE WOULD

KNEEL NEXT TO HER.

RIGHT.

AND SAY WHAT DO YOU NEED.

WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY NEED?

YOU'D HAVE COMPASSION AND WANT

TO HELP.

YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT

THROUGH THE HANDS AND FEET OF

OPERATION BLESSING.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.

BUT WHAT WE CAN ALL GET DONE

WHEN WE PARTNER TOGETHER SO.

CBN PARTNERS THANK YOU FOR

WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND NOT ONLY

DID YOU REBUILD THE HOUSE, GIVE

HER A BUSINESS TO START FOOD

FOR THE FAMILY SHELTER IT'S

INCREDIBLE WHAT A LIFE CHANGE

IF YOU'RE NOT A CBN PARTNER I

CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME

ON BOARD WITH WHAT DOING AROUND

THE WORLD.

YOU CAN GIVE US A CALL

1-800-700-7000 AND WHEN YOU

JOIN THE 700 CLUB I'D LOVE YOU

TO CONSIDER DOING IT THROUGH

PLEDGE EXPRESS.

THAT MEANS DON'T HAVE TO WRITE

ANY CHECKS.

THE BANK WILL DO ALL THE WORK

FOR YOU AND WHEN YOU DO WE SEND

YOU A TEACHING EVERY MONTH

CALLED POWER FOR LIFE AND THESE

ARE TEACHINGS WE EXPERIENCE

HERE AT CBN AND I KNOW THEY

WILL REALLY BLESS WALK WITH GOD

SO JOIN US THROUGH PLEDGE

EXPRESS 1-800-700-7000.

TELL US YOUR STORY AT TALK.

BLESS AND BE BLESSED.

JOE'S HEART WAS BEATING SLOWER

AND SLOWER AND HIS BREATHING

BECAME MORE AND MORE SHALLOW.

HE KNEW WAS DYING.

HE ALSO KNEW EXACTLY WHERE HE

WAS HEADED NEXT.

I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T BREATHE.

I FELT AS IF I WAS SUFFOCATING.

I REMEMBER WAKING UP AND TAKING

A DEEP BREATH AND REALIZING

THAT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.

JOSEPH BARNARD WILL NEVER

FORGET THE DAY HE ALMOST DIED A

FENTANYL OVERDOSE.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW I GOT

THERE.

I KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

JOE GREW UP IN RURAL OHIO TO

A STABLE TRADITIONAL FAMILY AND

WAS RAISED IN CHURCH.

BUT WHEN HIS GRANDMOTHER DIED

OF CANCER WHEN HE WAS 13 HE

BECAME ANGRY AT GOD.

IT TOOK REALLY BIG TOLL ON ME.

WE WERE REALLY CLOSE AND I

DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SUCH A

MORE OR LESS PERFECT WOMAN WAS

TAKING SO EARLY.

MY LIFE COMPLETELY CHANGED, MY

THOUGHTS CHANGED MY EVERYDAY

LIFE CHANGED.

I STOPPED WANTING TO GO TO

CHURCH I STOPPED WANTING TO DO

THINGS WITH OUR FAMILY.

THE EVENT SENT HIM ON A

COURSE THAT SPIRALED DOWN FOR

YEARS.

I TRIED SMOKING MARIJUANA WHEN

I WOULD RIDE TO SCHOOL WITH MY

FRIENDS THEY WOULD BE EATING

PILLS AND IT WAS THE PERCOCET

AND THE OXYCONTIN ERA.

THEY WERE REALLY BIG AND GOT

INTRODUCED TO HEROIN WHICH WAS

A CHEAPER METHOD BUT THE SAME

EFFECTS.

I JUST KNEW FROM THAT POINT

THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO

BE DOING.

THE DEATH OF SEVERAL TO DRUG

OVERDOSES AND TWO ARRESTS WERE

NOT ENOUGH TO PRY HIM AWAY FROM

HIS ADDICTIONS.

ONCE THE FENTANYL CAME

AROUND AND STARTED KILLING

PEOPLE I MEAN IT SEEMED LIKE

ONCE A WEEK SOMEBODY WAS DYING.

I WASN'T SCARED TO DIE EVEN

THOUGH I KNEW THAT IF I DIED I

WOULD GO TO.

I KNEW THAT JOE ENTERED A REHAB

PROGRAM AFTER ONE INCARCERATION

AND WAS EVEN ABLE TO STAY SOBER

FOR FIVE YEARS UNTIL HE RAN

INTO AN OLD FRIEND.

I JUST SAW SOMEBODY WALKING

DOWN THE STREET WHERE THAT I

USED TO USE WITH AND WAS ALL

THAT TIME.

IN OCTOBER 2019 JOE BOUGHT WHAT

HE THOUGHT WAS HEROIN BUT WAS

ACTUALLY PURE FENTANYL.

I WAS WITH ONE OF MY FRIENDS

AND HAD HE NOT BEEN I WOULDN'T

BE SITTING HERE TODAY.

HIS FRIEND HIM TO THE E.R.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT VERIFIED

JOE BELIEVES HIS HEART STOPPED

ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL.

IT TOOK HOSPITAL STAFF EIGHT

BOTTLES OF NARCAN TO GET THE

DRUGS OUT OF HIS SYSTEM.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS MY ULTIMATE

WAKEUP CALL WAS I HAD A SECOND

CHANCE AT LIFE AND I THAT I

WOULD STOP USING THAT DAY.

SHORTLY AFTER THAT HE MET

DEIDRE WHO WAS A FORMER ADDICT

AND NOW BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN.

HE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF THAT

PARTY MENTALITY KIND OF BUT HE

WAS STILL SWEET AND YOU KNOW,

SENSITIVE.

AROUND THAT TIME JOE

ATTENDED A SERVICE WITH MOTHER.

EVERY SUNDAY SHE WOULD CALL

ME AND ASK ME TO GO TO CHURCH

WITH HER AND SO I CAME TO

CHURCH WITH HER.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE SOMEBODY

CAME AND JUST SAT DOWN BESIDE

ME AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD

NEVER LET ME GO.

WHEN I HEARD THE WORD VOICE I

SAT UP AND LOOKED AROUND AND

WAS NOBODY EVEN CLOSE TO ME.

I WAS SITTING BY MYSELF SO I

KNEW THAT IT WAS GOD TALKING TO

ME FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I HAD HEARD GOD'S VOICE

BECAUSE THE WHOLE TIME I AWAY

FROM CHURCH THAT WAS THE ONLY

THING THAT I ASKED WAS YOU

KNOW, I WOULD PRAY AND ASK GOD

TO JUST SHOW ME THAT YOU'RE

REAL OR LET ME HEAR YOUR VOICE

OR LET ME KNOW THAT YOU'RE

HERE.

AND HE DID AFTER THIS

EXPERIENCE HE WAS ABLE TO STAY

CLEAN AND SOBER THIS TIME FOR

GOOD.

SINCE THEN MY LIFE HAS

CHANGED A LOT.

I'M A LOT HAPPIER WHEN WE'RE

BOTH WORKING.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.

WE HAVE A CHURCH FAMILY AND I

JUST RECENTLY WENT BACK TO MY

OLD JOB.

THEY WERE SHOCKED FROM THE

PERSON THAT I USED TO BE TO THE

PERSON THAT I AM TODAY.

JOE AND DEIDRE ARE NOW

MARRIED AND RAISING THEIR BABY

JOE JR.

THEY SERVE IN THEIR LOCAL

CHURCH AND HOPE TO ONE DAY

SPEARHEAD A DRUG RECOVERY

PROGRAM THERE.

YOU CAN COME OUT OF

ADDICTION.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE STUCK

THERE FOR THE REST OF YOUR

LIFE.

HE'S A GOOD HUSBAND AND

GREAT FATHER AND HE HOLDS HIS

VALUES TRUE TO WHO HE IS AND I

LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM.

IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.

SEE TODAY COMPARED TO WHO HE

WAS, JESUS THAT VOID IN MY

HEART AND, MY SOUL THAT NOTHING

ELSE CAN COMPARE IT.

NOTHING CAN QUENCH THE WINE

EXCEPT FOR GOD.

HEY, MAN, DID YOU HEAR

JOSEPH SAY THAT PEOPLE COULDN'T

BELIEVE WHO HE WAS AND WHO HE

IS TODAY?

THAT'S NOT RELIGION FRIENDS.

THAT IS JESUS THE POWER OF THE

GOOD NEWS OF THE CROSS OF.

THIS ISN'T A SURPRISE.

YOU KNOW SCRIPTURE SAYS PAUL

SAID IT IN CHRIST WE ARE NEW

CREATIONS THE OLD HAS PASSED

AWAY AND THE NEW HAS COME.

JESUS CAN RESCUE OUR SOUL

CHANGE OUR HEART AND BREAK THE

BONDS OF ADDICTION.

INTERESTINGLY BECAUSE JOSEPH

PUT HIMSELF IN A POSITION TO

ALLOW GOD TO IN HIS LIFE.

YOU HEARD HIM SAY THAT I WENT

TO CHURCH AND I USED TO ASK GOD

TO SPEAK TO ME AND WHEN HE WAS

TELLING THAT STORY HE KIND OF

ALMOST LAUGHED AND SAID AND GOD

DID BUT GOD WILL RESPOND JESUS

SAID IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

THOSE WHO COME TO ME WILL NEVER

DRIVE AWAY.

SOMETIMES JUST FEEL SO ASHAMED

AND DIRTY AND YOU KNOW OUR

IDENTITY IS THAT WE'RE AN

ADDICT OR A SINNER AND WE JUST

FEEL LIKE GOD WANTS NOTHING TO

DO WITH US.

BUT THE CROSS OF CHRIST IS SO

POWERFUL AND JESUS SO DESIRES

US TO COME TO HIM AND SAY

HERE'S WHO I AM, I'M A MESS.

I CAN'T DO THIS ON MY OWN.

MY SOUL NEEDS RESCUE HERE AM A

LORD THAT'S WHAT JESUS DESIRES

US TO DO.

THOSE WHO COME TO HIM HE WILL

NEVER DRIVE AWAY.

I'D LIKE SOME OF YOU TO TAKE AN

IMPORTANT STEP TODAY THIS IS A

WONDERFUL DAY WHERE THE BONDS

OF ADDICTION CAN BE BROKEN.

YOU CAN FIND HOPE AND SALVATION

IN JESUS AND RESCUE YOUR SOUL

IF YOU WANT WHAT JOSEPH HAS

PRAY WITH ME NOW FATHER GOD, I

COME BEFORE YOU IN THE NAME OF

JESUS AND THIS NAME IS

POWERFUL.

I SEE IT.

I'VE HEARD AND I WANT TO GIVE

YOU ROOM IN MY HEART TO WORK ME

AND CHANGE MY HEART AND JESUS I

LAY MY LIFE DOWN AND I KNEEL AT

THE CROSS AND I SURRENDER AND I

SAY JESUS GUIDE MY STEPS I

BELIEVE YOU'RE THE OF GOD WITH

THE POWER TO SAVE MY SOUL AND

RESCUE ME FROM ADDICTION PLEASE

LIGHT MY PATH AND HELP ME TO

LIVE FOR YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY

OF MY LIFE I SURRENDER LORD I

SURRENDER FINALLY IT'S IN JESUS

NAME I PRAY AMEN.

AMEN.

NOW LISTEN, IF YOU'VE PRAYED

WITH ME WE TO CELEBRATE WITH

YOU SO GIVE US A CALL

1-800-700-7000 AND WE'RE GOING

TO SEND YOU A TEACHING THAT'S

GOING TO YOU GROW IN YOUR

FAITH.

IT'S CALLED A NEW DAY.

THERE'S GREAT STEPS IN THERE TO

UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS DAY BY DAY

BY DAY WILL YOU GROW TO BECOME

THE PERSON GOD WANTS YOU TO BE

AND THAT YOU CAN BE.

SO GIVE US A CALL

1-800-700-7000 WE WANT TO

CELEBRATE WITH YOU AND WE LEAVE

YOU TODAY WITH THESE WORDS FROM

ISAIAH YOU WILL GO OUT IN JOY

BE LED FORTH IN PEACE.

AMEN.

WE PRAY THAT OVER YOU TODAY.

BYE BYE.