The 700 Club - June 6, 2011

When you see your kid dying, it does something to you. A revolutionary solution to a global problem. We don't need a single person to be dying from malaria. Meet the scientist. I don't give up. I don't give up. And hear his secret, on today's 700 Club. Here is a product that literally, literally, can save lives around the world. Well, welcome to The 700 Club. The long awaited race for the presidency is officially underway. This weekend, Republican candidates all gathered at what was called a Faith and Freedom Coalition. It's the survivor, or successor, to the Christian Coalition. And these candidates were giving them their all to try to win over evangelicals and Tea Party activists. David Brody reports on what the candidates had to say on the stage and behind the scenes. The battle lines are clearly drawn for 2012, and Republican candidates know they must pay attention to social issues in order to win the support of evangelical voters. We're united in our belief in the sanctity of human life. We're united in our belief in the importance and the significance of marriage between one man and one woman. While this conservative crowd wants to hear candidates affirm their pro-life and traditional marriage credentials, they also wants someone to fight big government. We've got a federal government that's out of control, and we have a president who offers us more fluffy rhetoric. CBN News was granted backstage access. Among our interviews, soon-to-be presidential candidate John Huntsman. The former Utah governor will have to explain his support for civil unions. He started by talking about the importance of social issues. Social issues are the gel, is the gel that binds us as people. That's the gel that keeps generation after generation together. While our CBN cameras caught up with candidates like Tim Pawlenty and Ron Paul inside the venue, we had to catch a ride with a busy Michele Bachmann, who had congressional matters to attend to. Political prognosticators think she might be able to win in socially conservative Iowa, but not the general election. (Interviewing): When you hear all of those reports, what do you think? Well, those kinds of things were said about Ronald Reagan, weren't they, in ‘76 and in ‘80 and he shocked the world then. And I think that the American people right now are looking for new and different. They want new and different. They want a principled reformer, and that's one advantage that I have. There have been some cries within the GOP that this current field of candidates is weak. Those worriers are calling for the young, smart, and powerful House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to run. He is the mastermind behind the cost-cutting GOP budget plan. There are a lot of people that want you to run for president, would you consider it? The key is consider. I'm really not doing that. The reason is I really do believe I can make a big difference where I am right now. But you're leaving your options open. I'm not really leaving my options open. I'm not trying to give you loose talk. If you are running for president, you've got to be running for president. You've got to be lining it all up. You've got to be going to Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina. I'm not doing any of those things. Neither is Donald Trump who told me he might ride to the rescue if he doesn't like what he sees from this Republican field. (Interviewing): Is the door open a crack, potentially, for the future? The door would be open if the Republicans do a terrible job as they have been doing in choosing the wrong person. The door would absolutely be open. Whatever Trump ends up doing, one thing is for sure: Republicans are starting to believe that President Obama is beatable. (Interviewing): Do you think he's beatable or very beatable? I think he's very beatable. Most Americans don't believe that they're better off today than they were three years ago, right? Activists here at the Faith and Freedom Coalition have seen a long line of candidates and potential candidates address their key issues. And they want to keep the focus on those issues as we go into 2012. David Brody, CBN News, Washington. Can't you hardly wait until the next few months unroll? Terry, aren't you excited? Oh, with bated breath. They'll be having debates. Unfortunately, I think it's rolling already. And millions of dollars worth of television commercials. The air will be full of charges and countercharges. I do really believe that the president is terribly weak. This economy thing is bad. It's getting worse. Housing is down. The unemployment is at a shocking high level, and it's not getting any better. And when you consider those that are not really officially unemployed, it's much higher than that. And you remember Carvel and that election of Clinton and George Bush. "It's the economy, stupid," over and over again. It's going to be the economy. It's going to be jobs. It's going to be the economy. Is your life any better than it was before? And the president right now doesn't have any answer to it. Well, and I think as has been said in the news the last couple of days that this bump in the road that he calls the economy is not a bump in the road if you're a person who is out of work right now, or a young person who can't find a job. What is it; one in four young people can't find summer jobs? That's tough. Well, there's something else that we're having, the downgrade on our securities. Moody says if things continue, they might downgrade the federal debt. Standard and Poors has already issued a warning from triple A to triple A negative or whatever. And we're looking at something serious. But in addition, what I said is going to happen, what others have said, the Chinese are starting to dump treasuries. We've got that story later on. Lee Webb has the rest of our top stories from the CBN Newsroom. Take a look. Turning overseas right now, Pat, Greece is starting a new round of government spending cuts. It's hoping to get an international bailout to replace the one that failed a year ago. Greece's government has gotten too big and too expensive, and the country cannot afford it any longer. The program includes budget cuts and plans to privatize some government firms. All of the measures would be used to raise money to pay down Greece's debt. But many Greeks aren't happy with the measures. They've taken to the streets as you can see here in protest. Greece's unemployment rate is high, and workers aren't happy with the cuts in their salaries and pensions. As Pat mentioned, China is reducing its investments in US Treasury securities. The Asian nation has been cutting back on them since October. At the same time, China has been buying more gold. In fact, China's government is encouraging its people to invest in gold and silver, and they're listening. They purchased record amounts of gold in the first quarter of this year, Pat. Well, why are they doing that? Well, the Chinese are not dumb. They are smart. And they're doing what a smart country would do. They want their citizens to own an asset that will be growing in value and not declining. We knew they were going to start dumping out our treasuries. It's not a rout. It's measured, because if they dump too fast it will hurt them. But nevertheless, they've dropped the holdings of short term treasuries, I think as much 95-96 percent of the total holdings in short term treasuries has gone down. They've just gotten rid of them. So they're holding long term, but that's beginning to decline as well. They don't want to be tied into our failing economy. And they want to go for gold. Imagine encouraging their citizens to buy gold. Wow. Lee. Pat, a federal appeals court allowed a high school valedictorian to pray at her graduation in Texas Saturday. Angela Hildebrand thanked God and prayed for her fellow graduates at Medina Valley High School in Castroville. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott applauded the court's ruling. What this court decision does is perfectly consistent with the United States Constitution in recognizing these students' first amendment rights. Many people supported the students' right to pray. Some did not. Some people might not believe in God, but others do. And they might be strong about it. So I think it should be allowed. If she's proud to say, "God helped me through this," I don't see why not. Why shouldn't she be able to say that? You have to draw the line somewhere between religion and the rules, how people feel. We allow so much other garbage to go on, but we're not going to let a girl pray? What's that all about? Early last week, a federal judge had tried to block prayer because of a complaint from an agnostic family whose son was graduating at that ceremony. He didn't attend the ceremony after the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision Friday, Pat. Well, Lee, the Supreme Court has made very clear in past rulings that the fact that the speech you give may offend some of the listeners in no wise is going to keep you from speaking it. Many people say things that are offensive. I'm sure we do here. And if not here, someplace else. But the fact that somebody in your audience is offended is just tough luck. That's part of free speech. You can say something contrary. But the thought that one atheist in a school is going to say, "I'm offended, therefore you shut down all your affirmation of God." You are not allowed, according to that judge's ruling, to say anything about faith, about God, about blessings, about your own testimony, none of that. Well, that is clearly a violation of the first amendment. It's also a violation of clear Supreme Court rulings. And you wonder where that judge came from. But that's what happens when you put liberal judges on the bench. Lee. It's confirmed now. Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh is in Saudi Arabia after being wounded in a rocket attack last Friday. He underwent surgery and is expected to recover. His wounding, though, highlights a violent power struggle underway in Yemen. Al Qaeda is taking advantage of the chaos, hoping to turn the country into a new safe haven. Yemen is home to US born Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. He's al Qaeda's top recruiter, and he's credited with training the Christmas Day underwear bomber, and this man, the Fort Hood shooter, along with others, to carry out attacks on Americans. Pat. Well, Yemen again sits astride a very strategic waterway. And if the radicals get control of Yemen, it's going to inhibit shipping that may cut as many as three million barrels of oil a day away from western sources. So we're talking about a very important country. And if Saleh is wounded and out of the country, you know those people are not going to allow that to stay very long. The radicals will take control. And it's not going to be some fun thing for students seeking democracy. It's going to be radicals seeking to take over the country. Lee. Syrian demonstrators have set up camp on Israel's northern border and may stay there several days. The move follows their border clashes with Israeli troops Sunday. Here is Chris Mitchell. Hundreds of Syrian demonstrators confronted Israeli troops and tried to infiltrate Israel's border on Sunday. After several attempts to warn the demonstrators, Israeli soldiers fired at the feet of those in the crowd. Syrian television claims the soldiers killed 20 and wounded more than 200, but Israel disputes those figures. A security source told CBN News it's in Syria's interest to inflate the figures since the government has killed more than 1,000 of its own citizens over several weeks of demonstrations inside Syria. A number of Middle East analysts suspect Syria is using the border demonstrations as a provocation. This could not be happening without the acquiescence of the Syrian regime, which has apparently taken a decision to increase tension on the frontier in order to divert attention from the very real problems they face at home. Many of the demonstrators were bussed to the border. And a Syrian opposition group said protestors were paid 1,000 dollars to come to the border and promised 10,000 dollars to the family of anyone killed. The protestors on the Syrian border and others in the West Bank are calling their demonstrations "Naksa," an Arabic word that means "setback," a reference to the war Syria and others fought with Israel in 1967. They claim Israel illegally took land. But at the time, the Arab nations of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and others pledged to drive the Jews into the sea and annihilate the less than 20-year-old Jewish state. But instead of destroying Israel, Israel defied the odds, defeated all its enemies, captured the West Bank, the Sinai, the Golan Heights, and the old city of Jerusalem in a conflict that became known as the Six Day War. Chris Mitchell, CBN News, Jerusalem. Pat, of course the big unanswered question is who are these Syrian protestors? It would be difficult to believe they're the same protestors who are trying to run Assad out of office. Well, that's right. Well, Hafez al-Assad was a vicious dictator. The city of Hama was the scene of the brutal killing of 20,000 people. They were members of the Muslim Brotherhood. And Assad wasn't going to brook that. They belonged to the Alawite clan. It's a small clan. And they're not majority Sunnis, and so they don't really have the same religious ties as the majority of the people in Syria. And they have held power in brutal repression. But remember, this was a French colony when the Middle East was divvied up by the major powers. And Syria as a nation hasn't existed all that long. And I believe it's time the United States stop playing footsie with Assad's son, who is now in power, and say, "We've had enough of this, and we're going to put on sanctions and we're going to revoke your privileges, and we're going to squeeze you until such time as there is a regime change." In my opinion, they're much worse than Ghadafi, but we'll see. Ghadafi is bad in Libya, but how about Assad? Let's do it all if we're going to do it. There could be freedom in Syria. There is a real possibility, because Syria hasn't been under that type of dictatorship but so long. And so the people would be yearning for freedom in Syria. Lee. Pat, German health officials believe they have found the source of a terrifying E. coli outbreak in Europe. Dale Hurd is in Europe covering the story for us. Officials the outbreak appears to have been caused by vegetable sprouts grown on an organic farm in northern Germany. The toll has climbed to at least 22 dead and more than 2,200 sick. It's the deadliest known E. coli outbreak in modern history. What's unusual in this situation is that the percentage of people who actually have severe complications is higher than we expect. The outbreak highlighted the disunity under the surface in the European Union, with the Germans initially blaming the Spanish for the problem. Spanish farmers have complained that the accusations from Germany have had a devastating effect on their business. Spain's environment minister says . . . . . . . . "We demand responsibility from Germany for these unfair damages wrongfully caused to our products. We will look for Spain to be rightfully compensated, because the damages caused were considerable." The German farm where the vegetable sprouts were grown has been shut down and all its produce recalled. But experts say more cases of the illness are likely for at least another week. Dale Hurd, CBN News, in Oslo. Pat, I can't say I blame the Spanish for being angry. Of course, they should be angry. But just think, sprouts. How healthy can you get? And whoever heard of E. coli in sprouts? Well. Now we know. Yes, now we know. Exactly, But sprouts are so nice. And healthy for you, under normal circumstances. In salads. You say, "Oh, boy, I'm going to graze through the sprouts bar." It makes you realize how much you need to wash vegetables before you eat them. Big time. My wife's parents lived in Lebanon for a while. He ran a paint company over there, her father. And they had potassium permanganate. Every vegetable, every leaf, they had to wash in this chemical, because they would get intestinal parasites. And the things were just terrible. You just cannot eat vegetables in those communities. But Germany? No way. Terry. Well, up next, a scientific discovery that aims to stomp out malaria. That bacteria in that mosquito was the gift from God to man to control mosquitoes. Hear about this medical miracle, when we come back. Got a question for Pat? Send us yours now on CBN.com. We'll Bring It Online with your questions from our live chat room, later on today's 700 Club. Hi there, neighbor. Pat Boone here for my good friends at Swiss America, the company that makes retirement dreams come true with gold. A lot of folks are shifting a portion of their retirement funds into a new precious metals IRA with Swiss America. And since 2004, these IRAs are up in value over 150 percent. I've been a very satisfied client of Swiss America for many years now, because they believe in honesty, fair prices, and superior service. It's time to put your financial future on a gold standard right now. I own gold because it's a hedge of protection for my family. Even my grandkids can see that our paper money is becoming less valuable every day. So call or visit Swiss America now. Ask for the Pat Boone free DVD and gold IRA kit. Get the best education you can on gold, the best asset to own during these uncertain times. Call or visit online now. Tomorrow . . . . . . . . it's one of the deadliest creatures in America . . . . And when it hit, it hit with a vengeance. . . . . and it nearly killed this woman. Doctor: Several times the family was called in thinking that she wouldn't make it through. Plus . . . . He wanted me to look like a Barbie doll. I had a breast augmentation. I was having plastic surgeries. But that's not all her husband wanted. True confessions from a former stripper, on tomorrow's 700 Club. Well, summer is here. And with the warm weather comes a catch. It's also mosquito season. Mosquitoes breed in water and stagnant water. And here in America, mosquitoes are an annoyance. In other parts of the world, their bites can lead to deadly diseases like malaria. There are 300 million people in the world suffering from malaria. It's a terrible, terrible scourge. Well, Efrem Graham introduces us to a scientist with an invention that is saving lives one family at a time. He says God gave it to him. From carriage rides to Spanish moss hanging from the trees, Savannah's southern charm inspires the music of Thomas Kollars. A classically trained musician, Kollars is also the lead scientist at Mev Labs. You can see they're already becoming adults, and this was only after a day. He started the company with a mission to fight deadly mosquito-borne illnesses in developing countries. It became his passion after watching a five-year-old die in Thailand. Mom was holding his hand. The boy was in coma from dengue fever. His little sister was crying. And, sorry, it was a little bit—I don't care how many times I tell the story, when you see a kid dying, it does something to you. It led to 12 years of testing ways to reduce the mosquito population, which would ultimately mean fewer cases of malaria. (Savannah, GA): And it's no accident that Dr. Kollars chose the picturesque Savannah, Georgia area as home base for his business, because beyond all this beauty, this is also the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Well, this is the CDC, Centers for Disease Control, mosquito light trap. Even the backyard of Mev Labs is a test kitchen. I don't give up. I don't give up. Persistence led Dr. Kollars to a bio pesticide called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, or BTI. An Israeli scientist first discovered it in the 1940s to kill larvae before they hatched. That bacteria in that mosquito was a gift from God to man to control mosquitoes. Kollars then discovered how to get BTI to kill actual mosquitoes while also killing larvae in infested waters. And after what he calls "a miracle meeting on an airplane" . . . . We're in the warehouse. . . . . Kollars joined forces with William "Rocky" Parker, the CEO of MIT Holdings, a Savannah-based company now helping to package his discovery into a bright plastic flower that attracts mosquitoes to the bait that kills them. The completed product is called "The ProVector."  We want to take this thing worldwide. We want to go global. We want to be able to help every single person out there. We don't need a single person to be dying from malaria. There are about 250 mosquitoes inside this cage. That's the amount you'd find in a home in Kisumu, Kenya, in just five minutes. And those females are out for blood, so they can produce eggs. Here right now on my arm, these are a painful annoyance. But in that village in Kenya, it could be deadly. A child dies there from malaria every 70 seconds. Trust me, malaria is bad. It's no fun. Malaria nearly killed Emmanuel Clottey. He was just eight years old. Even as I talk about it now, and I recall my own illness with malaria, I can still feel the heat on my body. I'm having it right now. In the Kibera slum of Nairobi, more than 70 percent of residents have been affected by malaria. Clottey and Dr. Kollars traveled there to set up a Community ProVector Project and to teach mothers how to use it. Over time, the mosquito population will go down. This is now one of more than 100 ProVector Community Projects in more than 30 countries. Researchers, like the World Health Organization, are studying the results. We now actually are getting ready to take this product into Nigeria. It's now Walt Byrd's mission to take the ProVector to the world. He's MIT Holdings' missions' director. God instilled that in me, that passion, that vision to help get the ProVector out. So here we are not, ready to get it out. Back at Mev Labs, Dr. Kollars plays his favorite tune, and it means even more today: "God Bless the Child." I'm so blessed that God let me know what I am supposed to be doing. He said, "Because of what you have done, because of your invention, tens of thousands of children will hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ." And while the work has not been easy, it has been worth it. Efrem Graham, CBN News, Savannah, Georgia. It's a wonderful thing. I hate to rain on somebody's parade, but so help me, the thing that would kill mosquitoes is called DDT. It was the most effective pesticide. They could spray it with clouds and kill most of the mosquitoes. And unfortunately the United States under the administration of Richard Nixon decided they wanted to urge the United Nations to put a ban on DDT because of Rachel Carson and "Silent Spring" and some of that stuff that was out in the public press. And so we're looking at, as I said, 300 million or more people have malaria every year. And it is a deadly thing. It kills many, many people. It leaves people just devastated. And it's recurring. It's a horrible, horrible curse. And the vector is a mosquito. So if we can kill mosquitoes. But let's hope that project works. God bless them. Everything that can be done to eliminate mosquitoes is a good thing. All right. Amen. Well, coming up, she found her way through tragedy, then lost 100 pounds on The Biggest Loser. Contestant Abby Rike tells us about her incredible journey. Don't go away. We'll be right back. What makes the miracles of Jesus even more miraculous? Standing where they happened, in Israel. Come explore Jerusalem where Jesus opened blind eyes. Visit the hills of Galilee where Jesus fed the multitude. Stoll through Capernaum where Jesus lived, and taught, and healed. To learn more about standing where it all happened in Israel, visit www.goisrael.com. Come visit Israel. Dear Bowflex, I dropped 8 dress sizes, 36 pounds, and all I have to do was walk. This is the Bowflex Treadclimber machine, the easiest way to walk and burn up to twice the calories in less time. By combining the motion of a treadmill, a stepper, and an elliptical, you get the calorie-burning benefits of all three workouts at once. I lost 30 pounds in four months. If I could do it, anyone can do it. Call now for your free DVD and information kit. You'll see how the Treadclimber burns up to twice the calories of a treadmill. Plus you'll learn how you can own a Treadclimber machine today with special financing for 18 months. Within the first couple of weeks, I started to lose inches. I lost 50 pounds in three months using the Treadclimber. Call or go online to buytc.com for your free info kit. We'll also send you the Bowflex Insiders Guide with the personal fitness assessment, to help you jumpstart your Bowflex body today, absolutely free. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Bowflex. Sincerely, J.D. Weber. To see this week's most viewed stories, go to CBN.com. Fans of The Biggest Loser will remember the story of Abby Rike. She joined season eight of the show after enduring an unspeakable personal tragedy. And while she didn't win the competition, she says it helped give her a new perspective on life. Two wonderful children, a loving husband. Abby Rike was living her dream. But in October 2006 her husband, Rick, daughter, Macie, and infant son, Caleb, were in a car crash. No one survived. For three years, Abby used food for comfort. Soon, she ballooned to 247 pounds. Then in 2009, Abby decided she needed to change her life. That change came when she auditioned for season eight of NBC's The Biggest Loser. Please welcome to The 700 Club, Biggest Loser contestant and author of the new book, Working It Out, Abby Rike. Abby, it's great to have you with us. Welcome. It's great to be here. Let me ask you, your book is so inspiring and you're so candid about so many things. Help us, for those who haven't read the book, back up and tell us about what happened to you in 2006, October 13 I believe it was? On October 13, 2006, my husband, my five-year-old daughter, and my two and a half-week-old son, they were hit head on in a collision. And there were no survivors. Unbelievable. I think that's every person's nightmare, not just every parent's nightmare, but every person's nightmare. The emotions that that should have and could have brought up in you didn't really hit you for a while immediately, did they? I think it was one of those things, had someone told me what was going to happen, I would have said, "Oh, I could have never gotten up from that. I could have never survived that," because I truly believed that, because the only thing that really mattered to me was my family. And I think that's what makes it so real, sharing the journey and sharing about it, is because I'm no different than anyone else. God really is that big when we allow Him to be. How did you finally cope with the tragedy? Initially I'm sure it was a shock just to accept that this was reality. How did you finally cope with it? I think it was one of those things that for so long I tried to handle it in my own strength. I went back to teaching. I was still on maternity leave. I went back and finished out the school year, coached our debate kids. You stayed busy. I did. I just stayed busy. Then I got my masters degree. And so I just thought, "I'll just stay as busy as possible." And then it was one of those things where you can't do it on your own strength. And it wasn't until I say on February 13, 2009, that's when I finally said, "I can't do it in my own strength anymore." What had happened to you over those three years? You stayed busy. You were in many ways running from the pain of all of that. I didn't know what to do with myself, because all the roles that I cherished were no longer. Were gone, yes. Because Rick and I, we liked each other. We were a crazy couple. And so everything that I loved, everything that I ever wanted to be, I felt like they made the person, I liked myself. It's almost like your identity gets wiped out, in a sense. Yes. And so there came that point that, this is where I am now. At this very moment, I'm 37. I'm single. And while life will never be as good as it was October 12, 2006, I never dreamt that it would be this good. And so I think that it is such a testimony that you can know joy despite hideous circumstance. When did the weight become an issue for you? I had been overweight my whole life. I had always been a heavy girl, but it never impacted. I wasn't one of those people that thought, "I don't like myself," or anything like that. It wasn't until that, it was about at the two year mark after the wreck, or two and a half year mark, I literally was not taking care of myself at all. It became existence. And so I was eating so poorly. And so I'd put on probably 15 or 20 more pounds, which put me at about the 250 pound mark. And I'm five foot four. But for the first time, my weight really weighed me down. And I thought, I can't feel like this. This is miserable. I need a new me. So what made you decide to sign up for The Biggest Loser? I have such admiration. I watch people do that, and I think, "Wow, that takes courage." What made you decide to do it? Everything led me to be on this crazy television show, and I never wanted to be on TV. I didn't want to be on TV. I say that I was so desperate to feel better, I was willing to stand on national television in a sports bra and spandex pants. You go, girl. But it's hard. Oh, my goodness. I watch what you go through. Tell me about being on the ranch and what that experience was like. It's beyond anything you can comprehend, because as an overweight person, you've never worked out to the extent that you do on the ranch. But it's one of those things that you get to redefine the truths about yourself. So people that are overweight sitting at home, you can redefine what you're able and capable of doing. And that was huge for me. Were there times along with the way where you just wanted to pack your bags and run? Oh, up until—the irony of it is, whenever I went home on week seven, I was finally ready to stay. I was finally okay with it. And that was the week that I ended up going home. Tell me about the role that your faith played in that. When you talk about finding yourself and finding out about what makes you tick. For those of us that are believers, our faith is very wrapped up in that. How did your faith play a role in your life? I don't know how—I would have never functioned without my faith. And so I think at that two and a half year point, I finally decided, "This is hopeless. This is a hopeless life right now." But there is a lot of beauty when you get to that place, because if it seems possible in your own mind, it doesn't really require faith. That's true. That's true. And I finally had to say, "I can't do it. As strong as I think I try to pretend to be, I'm failing miserably." And when I truly, finally said, "I can't do it," God became everything. He had always been that. It's just that I got to know Him in a way more authentic way. In the book, you devote the last few pages to letters from your husband and to your husband that you all exchanged before he died. Talk a little bit about that. We just had the most wonderful, incredible marriage and relationship and courtship. And there was this fear whenever I began, when I was approached about doing the book, to be exposed all over again. But I thought, "No one is going to believe that our relationship was that good. People are going to think, oh, the mind just softens and whatever." And so it was so important that I think you need to know how great my life was, so that you can understand, yes, the loss was that devastating, but look at the beauty that God made from something so hideous. Because people hurt. It doesn't come wrapped up in the package that mine did, but there are people struggling and hurting. And I think that's the kind of universality of my story is that you can feel like it is rock bottom and horrible, but you can know joy again. There is sunlight. There is sunlight down the road. There is, as hopeless as it may seem at times. Well, Abby, your story is remarkable, and you share it with great candor and sensitivity. It's called Working It Out. That's the name of her book, a journey of love, loss, and hope. And you want to read this. We have more with Abby Rike in a web only feature called In the Green Room. And you can watch that by going to CBN.com. Get a hold of her book. It's available nationwide. Abby, thank you so much for being with us. It's great to have you here. God bless you. Thank you. Great story. Thank you. Encouraging. Pat. Inspiring. God bless her. Still ahead, it's time to Bring It On. Cynthia says, "Is it a sin to file bankruptcy?" Your questions from our live chat room are coming up, so don't go away. What makes the miracles of Jesus even more miraculous? Standing where they happened, in Israel. Come visit Capernaum where Jesus restored a paralytic's helpless legs. Sail the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked on the water. Stroll through the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus healed a servant's ear. To learn more about standing where it all happened in Israel, visit www.goisrael.com. Come visit Israel. My name is Roger Stump, and I'm a cancer survivor. The surgeon said it's inoperable. "It's already in your liver." My wife, Brenda, sat there and cried; and I'm thinking, "I can't die right now. I'm only 52 years old." I was so distraught. I've heard Cancer Treatment Centers of America have experience with pancreatic cancers. It was like night and day. The hospital just breeds an environment of hope. You get a CT scan, and the next morning the results were read to you. We'd go up there; I just knew it was going to be a good result. You could just see the joy on Dr. Granik's face. Call now and we'll show you how the most compassionate people anywhere put you at the center of everything we do. Together, we'll explore real treatment options you may not even know exist. Cancer Treatment Centers of America. It is such a different place, because they give you hope. I would strongly urge you to call them and get a second opinion. Please call today. Welcome back to The 700 Club. Planned Parenthood is fighting a new Indiana law in court. That law cuts 1.4 million dollars in public funding to the group, because it provides abortions. Today's hearing comes just days after a federal Medicaid administrator blasted the new state law. In a letter to Indiana lawmakers, he said the state could lose millions in federal dollars, because it violates federal Medicaid laws. A CBN WorldReach project makes The 700 Club available to Russian speaking people here in the US. Impact satellite channel is broadcasting The 700 Club with Russian dubbed in. Russian speaking viewers will be able to watch the program daily. According to the US census, more than three million Russians live here in the US. Many of them have a difficult time speaking and understanding English. Russian speakers across Europe will also be able to view the program via satellite. You can find out more about CBN WorldReach by logging on to CBN.com/WorldReach. Pat and Terry will be back after this. Coming up later, our chat room is open, and we want to hear from you. We'll Bring It Online with your questions, so don't go away. When you look in the mirror, can you imagine erasing years of aging? That's what I used to look like. 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If the phone number is blinking, the phone lines are open. Call now to receive your key and an invitation to your local DirectBuy Club where members can save thousands or more paying low, direct-from-the-source prices on big ticket items like kitchen cabinets, home furnishings, flooring, bathroom fixtures and so much more. Call now and get your key to winning a 50,000-dollar home makeover. Someone is going to win the 50,000-dollar home makeover. Why not you? Many of you have gone online and submitted your questions for Pat for today. So Pat, let's start with Mark. He asks, "Why are so many Christians in financial hardship?" The Bible says, "I have been young and I'm now old, and I've never the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread." God looks after the righteous. Why are they in trouble? I think you're not excused from the laws of economics just because you're a Christian. And if you do not handle your finances properly, if you don't budget, if you spend more than you take in, some of these people, I've had some of these ministers and others saying, "Well, we're putting our TV program on the air on faith." Well, faith meant they were going to run on our air, and if they couldn't pay, we had to . . . . Pay the bill for them. . . . . pick up the bill. That's right. So that was their faith. Baloney. It was improvident. So if a lot of Christians are improvident, I'm sorry. They live like the world. You've said often, also, that knowledge is power. Exactly. And we've offered many times articles from here that people could read or there are things that they could watch. Oh, there are so many ways. Absolutely. Absolutely. Wise investing. Okay. Okay, this is Cynthia, who says, "I've been trying to pay off my credit cards, but I'm having a hard time paying my other bills. Will I be doing a bad thing if I file for bankruptcy?" The idea is, is bankruptcy a sin or something? The answer is no, because in the Old Testament there was a Year of Jubilee, and also there was a periodic time that the debts were cancelled. The borrower is the servant of the lender. It's a type of bondage. And the Lord wants people to be free. So after a time, you say, "Well, I can't pay," and so you're released from your debts. And I don't think there's any sin. But the banks got together and put some restrictions, this last time around. And it's a lot harder to get excused from certain kinds of debt that it used to be you had a clean slate. Now, it's more difficult. And if you go into chapter 11, which can be very expensive—chapter 7 just takes everything you've got and wipes it out. But, no, it's not a sin. It may be a sin to take all your money, give it to your wife or put it in a house and move to Florida and then declare bankruptcy. If you're playing games and trying to defraud your creditors, that's a different matter. There are some ramifications from it, though, that you should know about before you file bankruptcy that will affect your credit rating and the ability to . . . . Yes. It will, six or seven years. You've got a problem. So that is a problem. But if you don't borrow money, then it's not a problem. But nevertheless, if you're burdened down with debt, you've got to come free. And there's nothing wrong with it. But please, as Terry said, remember the ramifications. All right. Okay, this is Bryant, who asks, "Is there a difference between telling a little white lie to cheer someone up and telling an out and out lie?" Somebody came to Billy Sunday, and he said, "Reverend Sunday, how can I stop exaggerating?" And Sunday looked at him and said, "Call it lying, and that's how you stop." But I know what they're saying. Sometimes there is something that you might say to someone that would be hurtful if you—for no reason, for no good reason. Do you know what I mean? The Bible says speaking the truth in love. But if you look at somebody and say, "You look awful." That's not speaking in love. Just keep your mouth shut. Even if they do look awful. You can always find something good to say about somebody. But little white lies, no. Don't do that. Don't do that. Okay, this is Heather, who says, "I keep having a bad dream where my little sister gets hurt. Does God speak to us through dreams and could this be a warning?" It could. But I am very leery of these so-called disaster dreams. I don't think that comes from God. I really don't think so. I don't think so. I believe God gives us exhortation, edification, and comfort. He doesn't give us disaster messages. And so I don't think that's of the Lord. And if something like that comes, again, I want to repeat, the Bible says a curse causeless cannot lie. So if there is a curse been placed upon you and it has no cause, it can't remain. So why would God curse you? Why does God want to destroy you? Why would you want to have this disaster? Why would your little brother die? God is not going to put that kind of thing on you, and He is not going to scare you either. Okay, this is Patricia, who says, "I'm a nurse, and as part of my job, I have to work on Sundays. Am I violating the Ten Commandments by working on the Sabbath?" Well, I think doing humanitarian work; ministers of the Gospel preach sermons on Sunday. Sunday school teachers teach on Sunday. And if you're a nurse, you're engaged in humanitarian work. And those people are going to be sick and dying whether it's Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. And somebody has got to be there. And so no, you're not violating anything. That isn't work. That's ministry. I agree. This is Walt, who says, "I'm being mocked, blamed, and belittled by my boss at work. I know Jesus said that I should forgive those who do harm to me. How do I handle the situation?" Resign. I really don't think you have to undergo torture of that nature. I think if you have an abusive boss . . . . You're not going to change him. You're not going to change him. And if you go to him, he'll get mad at you. But you could try that. You could just say, "Look, Mr. Smith, I want you to know that I can't take what you've been doing to me." Maybe he's not aware of it. Maybe it's just the way he lives. It could be his personality. Yes. Some people do that. It never hurts to speak. But otherwise, go get another job. All right. Don't tell him until you get the new job though. Yes. Thank you, Terry. Terry, you're so wise. All right. What? Rick asks, "If you're plagued with a disease, does it mean that God is punishing you for a sin in your life?" Remember the blind man that came to Jesus, and they said, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" And He said, "Neither, but that the glory of God might be revealed in him." I don't think that sin necessarily is the cause of disease. It can be. If you have guilt, if you have hatred, if you have animosity, if you have pent up rage in your heart, it will destroy your body. There's no question about it. So these psychosomatic diseases are real. So you say, "I have a chronic," I don't know what's wrong with you and I don't know why it is, but not necessarily will sin be the cause of it, but it can, depending on what's in your life. Well, that's all the time we have for questions today, but we thank you for taking the time to go online and share your thoughts with us. Well, up next, a meth addict tries to break his habit by killing himself. There were many times when I would be driving down the freeway, and I just wanted to run right off a cliff. Find out how he finally kicks his habit and lives. Here at CBN, we see amazing things happen when we stand together. That's why we want to say thank you to the thousands of you . . . . . . . . who recently pledged to join the 700 Club. Your monthly gift makes it possible to bring crucial help to those who need it most. You help heal the sick, feed the hungry . . . . . . . . and preach the Gospel across America and throughout the world. You've brought health and hope to people in desperate need. And changed their lives forever. Young Tsun Tsun was beaten by his abusive father since he was a small boy. When their house was destroyed in an earthquake, Tsun Tsun left his home and built a mud hut to live in. That's when you rescued Tsun Tsun building him a new house and providing him with meals and an education. You changed his life and gave him hope for the future. So please watch for this mailing and send in your pledge. This year millions will know . . . . The love and saving power of Jesus Christ. And that only happens, because you were there. Tomorrow . . . . . . . . it's one of the deadliest creatures in America . . . . And when it hit, it hit with a vengeance. . . . . and it nearly killed this woman. Doctor: Several times the family was called in thinking that she wouldn't make it through. Plus . . . . He wanted me to look like a Barbie doll. I had a breast augmentation. I was having plastic surgeries. But that's not all her husband wanted. True confessions from a former stripper, on tomorrow's 700 Club. By the time Raymond Sinohui was in his mid-20's, he was homeless. He spent most of his time living in cars and moving around from state to state trying to feed his drug addiction. Raymond knew that drugs were going to kill him. The only question in his mind: would he beat them to it? Popularity was a big thing for me. As a young boy, I was very active in sports. I was an honor roll student. But when I became a teenager, I began to rebel. I thought that in order to be popular, I had to do some things that I thought were cool. I started skipping school and before I knew it, I was a full blown meth addict at the age of 14 years old. It all started with a little marijuana and alcohol. Raymond Sinohui used his lunch money and allowance to buy drugs. Before long, the drugs took control of his life. I began to steal from my own family to support my addiction. My parents had no knowledge that I wasn't even going to school, because I got up in the morning, I got dressed, and I left the house. But rather than going to school, I went to hang out with those friends, and that's when I really started to get heavily involved with the drugs. I didn't want them to see me in the condition that I was in. Eventually Raymond dropped out of high school and left home. He moved from city to city, living on the streets and working odd jobs to support his drug habit. I was empty and depressed and lonely and sad. And if I didn't have the drugs, I would sleep for a week straight until I mustered up the energy to be able to get up, get some drugs, and begin to get on with life. I was at the point to where if this is all that life had to offer, I didn't want any more of it. There were many times when I would be driving down the freeway and I just wanted to run right off a cliff. He attempted suicide three times over a nine month period. A friend offered him a place to stay, if he agreed to go to church. I was willing to try anything to overcome this addiction that was killing me. When I walked into the church, I felt a spirit of peace within my heart, that even though I was on drugs, and even though I had done all sorts of bad things, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God was real. But I didn't understand how a man named Jesus Christ could change me. He left the church the way he entered, still addicted to meth, but now battling paranoia. Raymond turned to his parents for help. Even though I had asked for help many times in the past, this time they had truly believed me. And I said, "Mom, Dad, I'm dying, and I need help." And so what happened is I stayed over at their house in my old room that I used to stay in when I was a kid. His parents thought he was asleep, but Raymond was using all the drugs he had. What I was doing is I was overdosing, because I wanted to end my life. I had dropped to my knees and I asked God to please help me. I said, "God, if you are real please help me because I'm dying." And it was at that moment that I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, and I will never forget it. The Spirit of God came into that room that night, and I heard the voice of God say, "Son, you could either continue doing what you're doing, die on these streets, or you can surrender to Me, and I will change and transform your life." When I woke up in the morning, I immediately threw a duffle bag of clothes together, and I said, "Mom, I need to go get some help." Raymond entered Teen Challenge, a Christian drug rehabilitation program. I was very lonely and I was depressed. I was empty inside. And even though you can rid yourself from drugs and alcohol, if you don't fill that emptiness with the goodness of the Lord, life is still meaningless. But when Jesus Christ came into my heart, He gave me a peace in the midst of everything that was going on that helped me to know that there is a life out there better than the one that I was living. Today, Raymond works with Teen Challenge to encourage those who are as lost and hopeless as he once was. There's no greater feeling than knowing that God can use my life to help others. Being a spiritual leader to these men kind of reminds me of where I was a few short years ago. When I wake up in the morning, I thank God that He has set me free. I wouldn't trade one of the best days I thought I had in the world as a drug addict for one of the worst days I have now as a Christian. I was once lost and addicted to drugs for many years and God has changed my life. And if He can do it for me, He can do it for you. Peace. Peace. I came into that church, and I felt peace. The Bible says the wicked are like the troubled sea. The waves are tossing back and forth. There is no rest; there is no peace for the wicked. There is no peace. There is no peace in drugs. There is no peace in sensuality. There is no peace in grasping after money. There is no peace. You can't have peace of mind if you're at war with God. And the Father who loves you said, "Son, I love you. I loved you so much that I died for you. I gave My life on the cross for you, that you might live forever. I've given Myself for you. Will you please accept what I've done? Will you believe what I've done?" Do you want peace right now? Would you like peace of mind and soul? Would you like to know that your battle is over and that the great God of all the universe is now accepting you as His child? You can be His daughter or His son? And you say, "But you don't understand what I've done." What have you done? Have you killed somebody? He'll forgive it. Have you stolen from somebody? He'll forgive it. Have you lied to somebody? He'll forgive it. Have you cursed Him? He will forgive it. Have you been involved in homosexuality? He will forgive it. Have you been promiscuous? He'll forgive it. Have you had an abortion? He'll forgive it. Are you hooked on drugs and alcohol? He'll clean you up and forgive it, because He loves you, and He sees beyond these sins to what you are and what you can be. And right now, He says, "Now is the day of salvation. Now is the accepted time." Now, I'm going to pray with you at this moment, and if you'll pray with me, Jesus Christ will come into your heart, and He will transform you and give you peace. Bow your head right now. That's right. Right now, wherever you are. Don't go anywhere. Bow your head. Say these words, and mean them, "Jesus. Jesus," Say it. "Jesus, you know me, You know the kind of life I've lived. You know that I have been a slave to many things that are wrong. And you know I have no peace. But right now, I believe that you died for me that I might have peace with God. And so, Lord Jesus, at this moment, I open my heart to you, and I ask you to come in. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Live your life in me, and I will live for you and I will serve you all the days of my life. Thank you, Lord, that you've heard my prayer. And thank you that you've come into my heart." And Father, for those who prayed, let the power of God touch them, in Jesus' name. Amen. I want to give you something if you prayed with me. We're running out of time. But I'll give this to you if you just call in. The telephone will be available all day long. It's a toll free number: 1-800—759-0700. "A New Day." I've got a CD in here that will tell you what to do next. Please call. A humble Shepherd . . . . Who am I to lead your people out of Egypt? . . . . and an evil King . . . . Speak up, insect! . . . . battle over the future of a nation . . . . Tell your people I will never let them go! . . . . in the latest Superbook episode. "You must lead my people, Israel, out of Egypt." Let my people go. Come explore with Chris . . . . Didn't see that coming! . . . . Joy . . . . I'm not good in these kinds of situations. . . . . and Gizmo . . . . Maybe I should try my magic card shuffle. As they discover how God does amazing things through ordinary people. For your gift of $25 or more, you'll receive Superbook's newest DVD Let My People Go, the original Superbook Exodus episode and trading cards. Your gift will help create future Superbook episodes and bring God's Word to the next generation. Cool! Alright! It's super power for super kids.