*

[APPLAUSE]

Gordon: WELL, WELCOME

TO "700 CLUB INTERACTIVE."

JEAN ELLIOT THORNTON WAS

LIKE MOST TEENAGERS, UNTIL

HIS LOVE FOR HIP-HOP MUSIC

BECAME MORE THAN JUST A

HOBBY.

FIRST HE STARTED RAPPING

WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER,

AND BEFORE LONG THEY MADE IT

INTO IN MUSIC INDUSTRY AS

ONE OF HIP-HOP'S MOST

POPULAR GROUPS CALLED "THE

HIPS."

AND HE WORKED WITH JUSTIN

TIMBERLAKE AND KANYE WEST.

BUT HE SOON DISCOVERED THAT

FAME AND FORTUNE WEREN'T

ENOUGH.

WATCH THIS.

IT IS NOT ME THAT WROTE

THIS BOOK.

IF I COULD HAVE MY WAY, I

WOULD NEVER HAVE WRITTEN A

BOOK OF THIS MAGNITUDE,

EXPOSING SO MANY INTIMATE

DETAILS AND PERSONAL DETAILS

ABOUT MYSELF.

MY CHILDHOOD WAS A VERY GOOD

CHILDHOOD.

I COME FROM A TWO-PARENT

HOME.

MY FATHER HAILED FROM

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, AND

MY MOTHER COMES FROM

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

AND THEY MET IN NEW YORK.

WE LIVED IN A CLOSE

PROXIMITY TO A HOUSING

PROJECT BY THE NAME OF

BRIDAL CREEK.

I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS I

GUESS MANY WOULD DEEM

UNSAVORY.

WE WOULD GO OUT THERE AND,

YOU KNOW, MAKE MONEY, AND

MADE IT QUICK.

I KNOW THAT IT WAS A TRAP

BECAUSE YOU GET ADDICTED TO

THAT.

WITHOUT HAVING TO WORK SO

HARD.

MY MOM, ONE TIME HER AND MY

FATHER CAME TO BRIDAL CREEK,

LOOKING FOR ME, WONDERING

WHAT I WAS DOING.

SHE HAD A HUNCH, AND SHE

ACTED ON THAT HUNCH.

THEY WENT OUT TO BRIDAL

CREEK AND THEY CAUGHT ME,

AND MY FATHER DIDN'T PLAY

THAT KIND OF STUFF.

I WAS DEFINITELY

REPRIMANDED, BUT THAT

COULDN'T LAST TOO LONG.

THAT STARTER IN JUNIOR HIGH

AND HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT ONLY

BECAME MORE ADVANCED AS I

GOT OLDER.

THE CLIPS CAME TO BE

SUCCESSFUL, JUST LIKE ANY

OTHER YOUNG KID, JUST HAVING

A LOVE FOR HIP-HOP, IN THE

SCHOOL, AT THE LUNCH ROOM,

BANGING ON THE TABLES, FREE

-STYLING AND RHYMING

RHYMES.

WE LINKED UP WITH CHAD HUGO

BEING FROM THE SAME AREA, IN

VIRGINIA BEACH.

THEY ARE VERY TALENTED WITH

MAKING MUSIC.

THEY BECAME KNOWN AS THE NEPTUNES.

FROM THERE WE STARTED MAKING

DEMOS.

WE WOULD GO OVER TO CHAD'S

HOUSE, IN HIS ATTIC, AND HIS

PARENTS WERE LET US MAKE ALL

OF THE NOISE WE WANTED TO

MAKE.

MY BROTHER WOULD COME ALONG

AND WATCH HU US RHYME, AND

THEN HE STARTED TO RHYME,

AND WE DECIDED WE DEFINITELY

SHOULD BECOME A GROUP.

I DEFINITELY BELIEVED IN GOD

GROWING UP.

MY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS

HAD US IN CHURCH.

AND I KNOW IF ANYBODY WERE

TO ASK, DO YOU BELIEVE IN

GOD, I WOULD ALWAYS SAY YES,

BUT I STILL DID WHAT I

WANTED TO DO.

THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, I

WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO

GOD.

I REMEMBER EVEN BEFORE THE

RECORD DEAL, I USED TO SAY,

I JUST WANT A BIG HOUSE AND

A CAR AND I'LL BE FINE.

AND I REALLY THOUGHT,

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I

REALLY WANTED.

BUT ONCE I BECAME SUCCESSFUL

IN THE ENTERTAINMENT

INDUSTRY, I FOUND THAT I

ALWAYS WANTED MORE AND

MORE.

AFTER A WHILE, I STARTED TO

NOTICE THAT I WAS IN A STATE

OF DEPRESSION.

I WOULD FEEL LOW.

I WOULD FEEL JUST NOT

SATISFIED.

AND I HAD ASKED MY FRIEND,

HOW CAN EVERYBODY LIVE THE

WAY WE'RE LIVING AND NOT

FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE I KNEW

THAT I WAS DOING THINGS THAT

I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN

DOING.

YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS

GIRLS, WHETHER IT WAS,

YOU KNOW, MARIJUANA, WHETHER

IT WAS DRINKING, AND I WAS

JUST LOOKING AT PEOPLE

AROUND ME, AND THEY JUST

SEEMED TO WEAR THIS SUIT SO

WELL.

AND I WANTED TO WEAR THE

SUIT LIKE THEY WORE IT.

I WANTED TO BE HAPPY.

I WANTED TO DO WHAT I WANTED

TO DO AND JUST BE CONTENT

WITH IT.

BUT I COULD NEVER PROPERLY

WEAR THAT SUIT.

AND MY FRIEND TOLD ME, HE

SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO

ASKS QUESTIONS LIKE THAT.

HE SAID YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE

WHO HAS A CONSCIENCE.

AND HE SAID AS LONG AS YOU

HAVE THAT CONSCIENCE, YOU'RE

GOING TO BE FINE.

HE SAID, BUT THE SECOND YOU

DON'T HAVE THAT CONSCIENCE

ANYMORE, THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW

YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.

AND I CAN REMEMBER ONE DAY,

I WAS, LIKE, I WANT TO BE

HAPPY.

I WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY

ELSE.

I WANT TO BE LAUGHING AND

JOKING AND FEEL FINE WITHOUT

WORRYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

THIS BEING WRONG OR THAT

BEING WRONG.

I JUST WANT TO LIVE.

AND I HAD MADE UP MY MIND.

I HAD MADE UP MY MIND AT

THAT POINTE POINT IN TIME

THAT I AM JUFG GOIN -- JUST

GOING TO LIVE AND BE LIKE

EVERYBODY ELSE.

IT WAS THAT MOMENT, AND WITH

GOD'S ACCURACY, TOLD ME, OH,

NO, YOU'RE NOT.

AND JUST LIKE THE GOOD

SHEPHERD THAT HE SAYS THAT

HE IS, YOU KNOW, I WITNESSED

THIS FOR MYSELF.

HE LEFT THE 99 TO COME

RETREE. RETRIEVE THE ONE.

Gordon: FOR THE REST OF

THE HIP-HOP STORY, HERE IS

JEAGENE THORNTON.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

Gordon: QUITE A STORY.

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU AFTER

THIS ENCOUNTER?

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE

ENCOUNTER, WHEN I HAD

DECIDED I WAS JUST GOING TO

FIT IN AND JUST LIVE MY

LIFE, GOD INTERVENED.

AND FROM MY READING IN THE

BIBLE, WHAT I SEE WHAT I

WENT THROUGH WAS THE

PHENOMENON KNOWN AS THE

FURNACE OF AFFLICTION, WHERE

GOD JUST BOXES YOU IN AND

FORCES YOU TO LOOK AT

YOURSELF, LOOK AT THE WAY

YOU'VE BEEN LIVING, AND IT

IS EITHER GOING TO MAKE YOU

OR BREAK YOU.

AND HE JUST PUR FIDIFIED

ME.

Gordon: HE IS ALWAYS

WITH YOU IN THE FURNACE.

HE IS WITH YOU EVERY STEP

OF THE WAY.

Gordon: AND YOU COME

OUT NOT EVEN SMELLING LIKE

SMOKE.

NO SMOKE SMELL OVER

HERE.

Gordon: HE CAN RESTORE

EVERYTHING.

DEFINITELY.

Gordon: HOW HARD WAS IT

FOR YOU TO CHANGE.

HERE YOU ARE, BIG TIME, AND

YOU'RE BIG TIME IN A

BUSINESS THAT IS KIND OF

KNOWN FOR LIFESTYLE ISSUES.

AND HOW HARD WAS IT FOR YOU

TO SAY I'M GOING TO BE A

RADICAL CHRISTIAN NOW?

WELL, A LOT OF PEOPLE

TELL ME THAT IT WAS VERY

COURAGEOUS TO TAKE THE

STANCE THAT I TOOK, BUT THAT

WASN'T IN AND OF MYSELF.

WHEN GOD PUTS HIS HAND ON

YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WOO

MADE ME AS BOLD AS I AM.

I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS

BY MYSELF.

LIKE YOU SAID, I'M IN THE

HIP-HOP INDUSTRY, AND I HAVE

FANS AND FOLLOWERS WHO KNOW

ME FOR BEING A CERTAIN WAY.

AND TO PRETTY MUCH GO

AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT I

ONCE THOUGHT OR ONCE

BELIEVED, YOU KNOW, IS

DEFINITELY A RADICAL MOVE.

BUT WITH THE SPIRIT BEING

INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, HE HAS

GIVEN ME THE STRENGTH TO

STAND IN DO WHAT I REALLY

FEEL NEEDS TO BE DONE.

Gordon: DID YOU LOSE

ANY FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY?

YOU KNOW, NOT -- I DIDN'T

LOSE ANY FRIENDS THAT I DEEM

WORTHY OF STICKING AROUND.

I DIDN'T TAKE ANY

SIGNIFICANT LOWS.

EVEN COMING UP WITH THE

PEOPLE AROUND ME, I HAVE

ALWAYS BEEN THE LEADER.

SO ANYONE THAT GOD REMOVED

FROM, YOU KNOW, MY PRESENCE,

IT WAS ONLY A BEN SIT AND

ASSET, AND I STILL HAVE A

LOT OF CLOSE PEOPLE AND A

LOT OF GOOD SUPPORT BACKING

ME, SO...

Gordon: I LOOKED AT

YOUR BOOK, "RETCHED,

PITIFUL, POOR, BLIND, AND

NAKED, NAKED," AND I WILL

SAY IT IS COURAGEOUS TO DO

WHAT YOU DID HERE.

THANK YOU.

Gordon: YOU WENT INTO

DETAIL ABOUT WHAT YOU WENT

THROUGH AND THE STRUGGLES

YOU HAD.

WHY THE BOOK?

WELL, A STORY OF THIS

MAGNITUDE, I KNEW THAT IT

WASN'T JUST FOR MY PERSONAL

BENEFIT.

I KNEW THAT GOD JUST WASN'T

SPEAKING SOLELY TO ME.

HE HAD PUT ME IN A POSITION,

GIVEN ME A PLATFORM TO

REACH, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS

OF PEOPLE.

AND WHEN ALL OF THE SEQUENCE

OF EVENTS -- THEY WERE JUST

SO PHENOMENAL, I KNEW THAT I

HAD TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE BACK

AND REACH THOSE SAME PEOPLE

THAT FOLLOWED ME FROM THE

BEGINNING OF MY CAREER.

MY GOAL ISN'T TO TRY AND

DEMAND OR TELL ANYONE HOW TO

LIVE, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST

SHARING MY STORY.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE,

WHETHER YOUNG OR OLD, CAN

GET A LOT FROM THAT.

I JUST PUT MYSELF OUT

THERE.

AND IF YOU IDENTIFY WITH ME,

GREAT.

AND JUST LOOKING AT ALL OF

THE COMMENTS ON MY WEBSITE

AND ALL OF THE HIP-HOP

BLOGS, A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL

THE WAY THAT I DO AND ARE

STARTING TO RE-EVALUATE

THINGS.

Gordon: I'VE HEARD IT

SAID OUR CULTURE TODAY IS

CORROSIVE TO CHRISTIAN

VALUES.

IF YOU TRY TO BE CHRISTIAN,

PARTICULARLY AS A TEENAGER

TODAY, YOU'VE GOT A HARD

ROAD BECAUSE THERE IS SO

MUCH WITHIN THE CULTURE THAT

IS TRYING TO ERODE BELIEF

OR, FRANKLY, GET YOU TO JUST

DO THE WRONG THINGS.

RIGHT.

Gordon: WHAT WOULD YOU

TELL A TEENAGER THAT IS

HAVING THIS SAME CONSCIENCE

YOU HAD?

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

I WOULD TELL ANYONE --

AND AS I DO, I SPEAK AT

COLLEGES ALL AROUND THE

NATION, AND SPEAK, YOU KNOW,

WITH CHILDREN THAT ARE IN

THE INNER CITY THAT ARE

AT-RISK YOUTH.

AND I TELL THEM THAT MY

FOUNDATION IS GOD.

MY FOUNDATION IS THE LORD

JESUS CHRIST.

AND IT'S A FIRM FOUNDATION.

AND IF YOU INSPIRE TO BE A

RAPPER AND ENTERTAINER, YOU

KNOW, ATHLETE, ANYTHING THAT

MAKES A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT

OF THINGS WILL COME YOUR

WAY.

AND YOU CAN GET SWAYED TO

THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT.

IT CAN BECOME LIKE A

WORLD-WIND, ESPECIALLY IF

YOU DON'T HAVE A

FOUNDATION.

I TELL THEM TO BE ROOTED IN

A GOOD FOUNDATION, MORALS,

PRINCIPLES, KNOW WHO YOU

ARE.

DON'T LET THE OUTSIDE WORLD

DICTATE WHO YOU ARE.

AND FOR ME, MY FOUNDATION IS

JESUS.

Gordon: I LOVE THE

ILLUSTRATION YOU HAVE IN

THAT VIDEO.

YOU SAID OTHER PEOPLE AROUND

YOU SEEM TO BE COMFORTABLE

IN THAT SUIT.

RIGHT.

I WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE

THAT.

Gordon: AND YOU WANTED

TO FIT IN AND WEAR THAT

COMFORTABLY WELL.

RIGHT.

Gordon: WHY?

WHAT WAS ATTRACTIVE ABOUT

IT?

I JUST KNEW THAT I WAS

HAVING ISSUES.

I WAS HAVING ISSUES BECAUSE

OF THE THINGS I WAS INTO.

IT JUST DIDN'T SIT WELL WITH

ME.

IT WAS SOMETHING BECKONING

IN MY SPIRIT, TELLING ME

THAT, YEAH, YOU MAY HAVE

FUN, BUT THIS ISN'T RIGHT.

AND THEN AFTER WHATEVER FUN

I HAD, IT WOULD LEAD ME INTO

A DEEPER DEPRESSION, AND I

WOULD RESORT TO THESE THINGS

TO TAKE AWAY THE PAIN.

IT WOULD ONLY LAST

TEMPORARILY AND LEAVE ME

WITH A FILLING OF NOT BEING

FULFILLED.

AND I JUST KEPT GETTING

LOWER AND LOWER AND LOWER.

SO I KNEW, YOU KNOW, THAT IT

WASN'T RIGHT.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT

HIP-HOP -- I LOVE HIP-HOP

MUSIC.

I LOVE HIP-HOP.

HIP-HOP IS MY CULTURE'S WAY

OF ACHIEVING THE AMERICAN

DREAM, TO HAVE THE THINGS

THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS.

BUT AS WITH ANY INSTITUTION

OR ANY ESTABLISHMENT,

ANYTHING THAT IS WITHOUT

GOD, IT WILL EVENTUALLY TURN

CORRUPT.

AND THAT GOES FOR ANYTHING

AND EVERYTHING.

SO I'M NOT CONDEMNING THAT.

I'M VERY PROUD OF TH THE

CATALOG, BUT I'M MORE PROUD

OF THE PLATFORM I HAVE NOW,

TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT I

KNOW.

Gordon: WHAT'S NEXT FOR

YOU?

I'M DEFINITELY DOING

MUSIC.

GOD HAS GIVEN ME A GIFT.

IT IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF

MUSIC, OF COURSE, NEEDLESS

TO SAY.

IT'S STILL GOING TO BE

GOOD.

IT IS STILL GOING TO BE VERY

INSPIRING, AND I JUST CANT

CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE IT.

Gordon: THE BOOK IS

"RETCHED, PITIFUL, POOR,

BLIND AND NAKED."

GENE, THANK YOU FOR BEING

WITH US.

GOD BLESS YOU.

Gordon: STILL AHEAD,

OUR YOUNG GIRL BULLIES HER

FRIENDS AND EVEN HER

MOTHER.

FIND OUT HOW SHE HAD A

CHANGE OF HEART RIGHT AFTER

THIS.

Gordon: WE HEAR A LOT

ABOUT BULLYING HERE, AND IT

IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT IN

OTHER COUNTRIES.

WE WANT TO SHOW YOU A

SUCCESS STORY IN CAMBODIA.

HERE IS HOW ONE BULLY BECAME

A MODEL CHILD JUST BY

WATCHING TV.

Reporter: ALL OF THE

KIDS LOVE TO PLAY A GAME

CALLED JACK STONES.

THAT'S UNTIL 11-YEAR-OLD

SHEA LOSES HER TEMPER.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, EVERYONE

SUFFERS.

I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE

OTHER KIDS, EVEN WHEN THEY

WERE NICE TO ME, THEY ALWAYS

MADE ME MAD.

SO I FOUGHT WITH THEM.

Reporter: SHEA'S MOTHER

ALSO STRUGGLED WITH THE

LITTLE GIRL AT HOME.

SHE WAS A DIFFICULT

CHILD.

IF I ASKED HER TO HELP ME,

SHE WOULD DO THE EXACT

OPPOSITE.

I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

Reporter: THEN ONE DAY

SHEA'S MOTHER ENCOURAGED HER

DAUGHTER TO WATCH A PROGRAM

ON TELEVISION, CBN'S SUPER

KIDS CLUB.

SUPER KIDS CLUB BEGAN TO

TEACH ME IT'S IMPORTANT TO

LISTEN TO MY PARENTS AND BE

KIND TO MY FRIENDS.

Reporter: AFTER

WATCHING ONLY A FEW TIMES,

SHEA PRAYED WITH THE HOST

AND ASKED JESUS TO COME AND

LIVE IN HER HEART.

WHEN I PRAYED, I FELT

DIFFERENT.

I THEN STARTED PRAYING FOR

MY FAMILY EVERY DAY.

Reporter: SHEA WENT TO

CHURCH IN HER VILLAGE, AND

SOON HER FAMILY STARTED

COMING WITH HER.

I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT THE

CHANGES I'VE SEEN IN MY

DAUGHTER.

SHE IS GENTLE NOW AND KIND.

AND I DON'T NEED TO ASK HER

TO HELP AROUND THE HOUSE.

SHE JUST DOES IT ON HER

OWN.

I HAVE MANY GOOD FRIENDS

NOW AND WE HAVE LOTS OF

FUN.

I DON'T GET ANGRY WITH THEM

ANYMORE BECAUSE I HAVE JESUS

IN MY HEART.

Reporter: NOW EVERY

WEEKEND, SHEA AND HER NEW

FRIENDS ENJOY WATCHING CBN'S

SUPER KIDS CLUB TOGETHER.

GOD CHANGED ME, AND I

WANT ALL OF MY FRIENDS TO

KNOW JESUS, TOO.

THANK YOU, CBN, FOR SUPER

KIDS CLUB.

Gordon: WE'RE CHANGING

HEARTS ALL AROUND THE WORLD,

AND IT IS ALL MADE POSSIBLE

BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU CARE

ENOUGH TO GIVE.

IF YOU WANT TO GIVE TO THE

NEW "SUPERBOOK," THE NEW

REIMAGINED "SUPERBOOK," WE'D

LOVE TO HAVE YOU DO IT.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL

1-888-777-1999.

WE HAVE A SPECIAL OFFER FOR

YOU.

CAN YOU JOIN THE "SUPERBOOK"

D.V.D. CLUB, WHICH MEANS YOU

GET THE EPISODES AS THEY'RE

RELEASED.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE

PRODUCTION OF SEASON ONE.

WE'RE LAUNCHING OUT THIS

SPRING WITH SEASON TWO AS

WELL.

WE NEED HELP WITH THE

PRODUCTION COSTS.

IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, YOU

CAN JOIN THE "SUPERBOOK"

CLUB.

IT MEANS EVERY FOUR TO SIX

WEEKS WHEN A NEW EPISODE IS

DONE, WE'LL CHARGE YOU $25,

AND WE'LL SEND YOU THE

EPISODE SO YOU'LL BE THE

FIRST TO GET IT.

THIS LATEST ONE IS THE

CHRISTMAS STORY.

SO CALL US, 1-888-777-1999.

WHEN YOU JOIN THE CLUB,

WE'LL NOT JUST SEND YOU THE

ONE D.V.D., WE'LL SEND YOU

TWO MORE IN THESE SMALLER

CASES SO YOU CAN GIVE THEM

AWAY TO THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE,

TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SO

THEY CAN ENJOY THE

"SUPERBOOK" SERIES AS WELL

AND FIND OUT THE REAL

MEANING OF CHRISTMAS, THE

FIRST CHRISTMAS, WHEN JESUS

WAS BORN.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO JOIN

THE CLUB, AND YOU DON'T WANT

TO GET OBLIGATED FOR MONTHLY

D.V.D.s, THAT'S FINEMENT

FOR A GIFT OF $25, WE'LL

SEND YOU THIS ONE.

IF YOU WANT TO HELP WITH THE

PRODUCTION COSTS ON A

ONE-TIME BASIS, FOR $25,

WE'LL SEND YOU THE FIRST

CHRISTMAS.

YOU CALL UT OR LOG ON TO

CBN.COM.

AND THERE IS A DESIGNATED

WHERE YOU CAN DESIGNATE YOUR

BOOK TO "SUPERBOOK."

YOU CAN ALSO GET CAUGHT UP

ON THE STORY OF DAVID AND

THE STORY OF EXODUS, IF YOU

WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP ON THE

SERIES.

COMING UP, A MAN IS HIT BY

10 MILLION VOLTS OF

LIGHTNING AND SURVIVES.

HIS STORY IS NEXT.

Gordon: JEFF FARLEY HAS

A CAP THAT WAS ALWAYS HIS

FAVORITE.

BUT NOW THAT CAP HAS A HUGE

HOLE IN THE BACK WHERE HE

WAS HIT BY 10 MILLION VOLTS

OF LIGHTNING.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

I WAS HITTING THE BALL REAL

WELL.

Reporter: IT WASN'T

OFTEN THAT JOE FARLEY WENT

GOLFING WHEN FAMILY CAME TO

VISIT.

HE AND HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW,

DANIEL, WERE ON A FAIRWAY IN

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

THEY WERE ENJOYING A GREAT

REALM WHEN THEY NOTICED A

THUNDERSTORM BREWING IN THE

DISTANCE.

THEY QUICKLY MADE THEIR WAY

TOWARDS COVER.

I WAS OUT FOUR OR FIVE

STEPS WHEN THIS BOLT OF

LIGHTNING CAME DOWN.

AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, I

WAS ON THE GROUND.

I COULD FEEL IT GOING

THROUGH ME, LIKE YOU GOT

SHOCKED BY 110.

Reporter: THE LIGHTNING

STRUCK JOE DIRECTLY ON THE

HEAD, AND NOW HE LAID

UNCONSCIOUS ON THE GROUND.

DANIEL RUSHED OVER TO HIM.

HE DIDN'T HAVE A PULSE.

HE WASN'T BREATHING AND IT

DIDN'T WORK.

YOU COULD SMELL THE BURNED

FLESH, WHICH WAS A TERRIBLE

SMELL.

ALL OF A SUDDEN HE CAME

AROUND.

HE WAS ALIVE, BUT HE WASN'T

CONSCIOUS.

Reporter: THEY CALLED

9-1-1, AND WITHIN MINUTES,

THE AMBULANCE RUSHED THEM TO

THE HOSPITAL, WHILE DANIEL

ARRANGED FOR JOE'S WIFE TO

MEET THEM THERE.

I THINK I WAS IN SHOCK.

ALL RIGHT, JOE HAS BEEN

STRUCK WITH LIGHTNING.

I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL, AND

AT THE TIME WHEN I FIRST SAW

HIM, THEY WERE PUTTING

STAPLES IN HIS HEAD.

Reporter: DANIEL LEFT

THE HOSPITAL WITHOUT

INJURIES, WHILE JOE

UNDERWENT SURGERY.

WITH JOE HAVING BEING

REPORTED AS DEAD IN THE

FIELD, AND THAT BEING

SUBSTANTIATED BY MULTIPLE

BY-STANDERS, THOSE PATIENTS,

YOU EXPECT THEM TO HAVE

SOMETHING WITHIN THE RANGE

OF WEEKS AND MONTHS OF

DISCOVERY.

HE WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING A

10 OUT OF 10 IN BOTH ARMS.

SPECIFICALLY THAT IT FELT

LIKE A THOUSAND NEEDLES WERE

PRESSING IN HIS ARMS

CONSTANTLY, AND HE HAD SOME

WEAKNESS IN THE UPPER

EXTREMITIES.

I'LL NEVER FIGURE THE

PAIN.

FORGET THE PAIN.

I SAID TAKE MY ARMS OFF.

Reporter: JOE IS A

CHRISTIAN AND HAD FAMILY AND

FRIENDS PRAYING FOR HIS FULL

RECOVERY.

AS SOON AS PEOPLE FOUND

OUT THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED,

EVERYBODY WAS PRAYING.

AND I CAN ONLY SAY THERE WAS

A PEACE THAT CAME OVER ME.

Reporter: OLIVI ALONE

IN HIS ROOM THAT NIGHT, JOE

NEVER CONSIDERED HOW UNUSUAL

HIS RECOVERY WOULD BE, UNTIL

HE WAS STARTLED AWAKE.

AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING I

WOKE UP, LIKE YOU AND I JUST

SITTING HERE, JUST AS BRIGHT

AS CAN BE.

AND ALL I HEARD WAS, GET OUT

OF BED.

YOU'VE BEEN HEALED.

I HEARD THE VOICE, AND THE

VOICE -- THIS IS HARD TO

BELIEVE -- VIBRATED RIGHT

THROUGH MY BODY.

IT WASN'T LIKE ANY VOICE

THAT I HAD EVER HEARD

BEFORE.

IT WAS A POWERFUL VOICE,

THOUGH.

IT SCARED ME SO MUCH THAT I

HAD NO QUESTIONS.

I JUST DID IT.

I TOOK THE MORPHINE OFF ME.

WHICH THEY TRIED HOURS

BEFORE AND COULDN'T.

TOOK THE I.V.s OUT OF ME,

TOOK THE OXYGEN OFF ME, AND

TOOK THE BLANKET OFF AND

RUSHED TO MY FEET.

Reporter: A DOCTOR

RUSHED IN AND FOUND HIM BY

HIS BED.

I GRABBED HIM BY THE

SHIRT COLLAR AND I SAID ARE

YOU A DOCTOR?

AND HE SAID YES, AND I SAID

WE'RE GOING FOR A WALK.

IF I FALL, YOU PICK ME UP.

AND WE WALKED AROUND THE

TRAUMA CENTER.

THERE WASN'T NO PAIN OR

ANYTHING.

Reporter: AT 6:00 A.M.,

ANOTHER DOCTOR CAME IN TO

CHECK ON JOE.

I LOOKED AT HER, HOPPED

ON MY FEET, AND I SAID,

LET'S GO FOR A WALK.

> AND HER FACE WENT BLANK,

TOTALLY BLANK.

AND SHE GOES, DID YOU SLEEP

LAST NIGHT?

AND I SAID, YEAH, I SLEPT

LIKE A BABY UNTIL 3:00 IN

THE MORNING.

AND THEN JESUS TOLD ME TO

GET OUT OF BED, THAT I WAS

HEALED.

I GO, WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE

ROOM, I WANT YOU TO BRING

EVERY MACHINE THAT YOU HAVE

INTO THAT ROOM, AND YOU

CHECK ME OUT.

I SAID BECAUSE I THINK I CAN

GO HOME.

Reporter: DOCTORS

PERFORMED A SERIES OF

COMPREHENSIVE TESTS AND THEY

WERE SURPRISED AT THE

RESULTS.

SOMEONE WHO COMES IN,

HAVING BEEN DEAD IN THE

FIELD AND GOING HOME 48

HOURS LATER IS DRAMATIC.

WE WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED

HE DID NOT HAVE A STRUCTURE

NATURE OR DAMAGE TO THE

BRAIN.

IN GENERAL, IT LOOKED LIKE

HE WAS GETTING HIS DAILY

STRENGTH BACK.

Reporter: ONLY TWO DAYS

AFTER BEING STRUCK BY

10 MILLION VOLTS OF

LIGHTNING, THE STAPLES WERE

REMOVED FROM HIS HEAD, AND

JOE WAS RELEASED TO GO

HOME.

ONE DAY THEY'RE SAYING

REHAB TO TRY TO WRITE AND

EAT, AND HE COULDN'T WALK.

AND THEN THE NEXT DAY HE'S

WALKING AND GOING HOME.

A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I

GOT THE MIRROR OUT SO I

COULD SEE THE BACK OF MY

HEAD.

AND I NOTICED THERE IS NO

SCARS OR NO TISSUE -- THERE

WAS NOTHING THERE.

Reporter: EXACTLY ONE

MONTH AFTER THE ACCIDENT,

JOE RETURNED TO WORK.

HE STILL HAS THE HAT HE WAS

WEARING WHEN HE WAS STRUCK.

IT WAS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE

HAT ANYWAY, BUT NOW IT HAS A

HOLE IN IT.

I'M A SKEPTICAL PERSON, AND

I'VE GOT TO SEE THINGS AND

TOUCH THINGS.

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, IT

WAS JESUS.

IT WAS JESUS.

I GOT HIT BY LIGHTNING THAT

SHOULD HAVE BLOWN ME APART.

I SHOULD BE FERTILIZER OUT

ON THE GOLF COURSE RIGHT

NOW.

I REALLY BELIEVE IT WAS

JUST THE PRAYERS OF

EVERYONE.

EVERYBODY GOES, OH, IT

WAS A MIRACLE.

NO.

IT'S WAY, WAY ABOVE THAT.

IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF GOD'S

GRACE THAT I'M SITTING

HERE.

THAT'S THE ONLY REASON.

Gordon: GOD IS AMAZING,

ISN'T HE?

JUST AN INCREDIBLE STORY.

AND IT JUST REMINDS ME OF

WHAT I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE,

YOU'RE NEVER TOO DEAD FOR A

RESURRECTION.

GOD CAN ALWAYS WORK A

MIRACLE, ALWAYS.

AND HE LOVES TO SHOW UP.

HE LOVES TO MANIFEST

HIMSELF, AND MANIFEST

HIMSELF AS OUR HEALER.

THAT'S ONE OF HIS TITLES,

THE LORD, OUR HEALER.

AND WHEN WE LOOK TO HIM, HE

IS THE AUTHOR AND THE

FINISHER OF OUR FAITH.

I'LL TRY TO GET A PHONE CALL

IN.

THIS IS AMIR FROM SWEDEN.

HI, AMIR.

Caller: HELLO.

Gordon: HOW CAN WE PRAY

FOR YOU?

Caller: YOU KNOW, I

CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I'M

SPEAKING WITH YOU.

IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME.

Gordon: IT'S AN HONOR

FOR ME TO TALK TO YOU.

Caller: THAT I CALLED

FROM, I THINK 10,000

KILOMETRES FAR AWAY, FROM

THE UNITED STATES.

SO THANK GOD FOR THAT.

I AM A REFUGEE, AND I LEFT

MY COUNTRY FOUR YEARS AGO.

I COME FROM IRAN.

I'M IRANIAN, AND I ACCEPTED

JESUS CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR.

I MISS MY FAMILY VERY MUCH.

MY PARENTS, THEY LIVE IN

IRAN, AND MY SISTER, SHE

LIVES BELARUS.

AND SO MY PRAYER TO GOD IS

HE UNITES ME AGAIN WITH MY

FAMILY.

AND HE PROTECTS THEM.

AND TO LEAD MY SISTER IN HER

FUTURE LIFE.

I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR

PRAYING.

Gordon: LET'S PRAY

RIGHT NOW.

LORD, WE JUST LIFT AMIR TO

YOU AND WE JUST ASK FOR

FELLOWSHIP FOR HIM.

YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO

BE A STRANGER IN A STRANGE

LAND.

SO WE JUST ASK FOR

FELLOWSHIP FOR AMIR, AND

THAT FRIENDS WHO WOULD LOVE

HIM AND LOVE HIM PURELY AND

FROM THEIR HEART WOULD COME

AND BE WITH HIM AND PROVIDE

COMFORT FOR HIM WHILE HE IS

AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY.

AND FOR HIS SISTER, WE JUST

PRAY FOR PROTECTION AND

GUIDANCE, AND THAT YOU WOULD

LEAD HER IN THE WAY.

FOR HIS PARENTS, WE JUST ASK

FOR YOUR SAFETY TO SURROUND

THEM, THAT THERE WOULD BE A

HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND

THEM.

AND, LORD, WE ARE BOLD

ENOUGH TO ASK FOR IRAN.

AND WE ASK FOR HER

SALVATION.

THAT THE PEOPLE OF IRAN

WOULD COME TO KNOW YOU.

AND KNOW YOU AS THEIR

SAVIOR.

AS THEIR KING.

THAT YOUR PEACE WOULD COME

TO IRAN.

WE ASK FOR FREEDOM FOR HER

PEOPLE.

WE ASK FOR FREEDOM OF

CONSCIENCE AND FREEDOM OF

SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF

ASSEMBLY, THAT THEY COULD

COME AND WINNER YOU.

DO IT, LORD.

AND, LORD, I PRAY FOR ALL OF

THE REFUGEES FROM THAT

NATION, THAT THEY WOULD

UNITE TOGETHER IN PRAYER.

AND FIND THAT IN PRAYER AND

IN COMMUNION WITH YOU, THAT

THEIR HEARTS WILL BE

SATISFIED.

AND, LORD, WE JUST ASK FOR

YOU TO MOVE.

AND WE ASK FOR THE PRINCE OF

THE POWER OF IRAN TO BE

THROWN DOWN AND TO BE

REPLACED WITH YOUR

GUARDIAN.

DO IT, LORD, RELEASE THEM,

FOR WE ASK IT IN JESUS'

NAME.

AMEN.

AAMIR, THANKS FOR CALLING

IN.

Caller: THANK YOU SO

MUCH.

IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME THAT

YOU PRAYED FOR ME.

Gordon: GRACE AND PEACE

BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU.

Caller: THANK YOU SO

MUCH.

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.

BYE-BYE.

Gordon: THAT'S ALL THE

TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS

PROGRAM.

WE LEAVE YOU WITH THESE

WORDS FROM PSALM 32: "FOR

YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE.

YOU PROTECT ME FROM

TROUBLE.

YOU SURROUND ME WITH SONGS

OF VICTORY."

GOD BLESS YOU.