February 2024 Frontlines

YOUR GLOBAL IMPACT

LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AROUND THE WORLD!

MEXICO

• In September 2023, more than 2,500 people indicated a profession of faith in Christ through television and social media.

SOUTH AFRICA

• Thirteen-year-old Cole enjoys learning about the Bible through his Superbook club. The program manager said, “He found a certain place of belonging and peace. … He started showing so much interest in the very first lesson—always asking questions, always ready for an activity, and slowly but surely getting in a mindset and habit of praying.”

MYANMAR

• Pyar endured severe stomach pain and had to undergo surgery. She came out of the procedure in better condition, thanks to a successful operation. The Superbook episode featuring Job taught her about being faithful to God. She sensed that Jesus had been by her side throughout her experience.

YOU ARE EXTENDING AID TO VICTIMS OF WAR

CBN partners show love and compassion to the people of Israel

Watch

David, the leader of a kibbutz near Gaza, was walking his dog on October 7 when a caravan of 15 trucks, filled with heavily armed Hamas militants, was headed his way. “They’d come to kill and slaughter. I’ve been in fighting; I’ve been in combat. This was not that. This was complete madness,” he recalled.

David spent the entire day fighting terrorists, protecting his neighborhood, and putting out fires. Miraculously, he and his family survived. But their kibbutz

needed help!

Through the generous support of our dedicated partners, CBN Israel rushed emergency relief, food, and water to these grateful families.

As the war rages on, your gifts continue to provide critical aid by evacuating many to safety, supplying nourishing meals, and offering trauma counseling. Thank you for also bringing relief and encouragement to single mothers, immigrant families, elderly Holocaust survivors, and others in dire need.

FINDING LOVE AFTER DESPAIR

Thank you for giving Khadijah a miracle

Watch

Khadijah feared the unknown. Although child brides are common in Nigeria, the 13-year-old never expected her spouse to become abusive.

This innocent teenager was encouraged to remain strong. Her parents assured her that her husband would eventually change. But as time went on, the wounds on Khadijah’s body and soul deepened. She shared,

“I endured the pain until it was just too much to bear.”

Then hope lifted Khadijah’s melancholy when an inner voice prompted her to leave the house. She later found herself at the home of a caring Christian woman who introduced her to a pastor. Together, they led Khadijah to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Despite the peace in her soul, Khadijah felt in danger of retaliation from her husband. Through the gracious support of friends like you, a crisis center associated with CBN’s Orphan’s Promise made her feel right at home. She said gratefully, “Before coming here, I felt so lost. You opened your arms to me and helped me heal.”

Khadijah, now 18 and a mother, safely resides in a loving community—thanks to your bountiful blessings! Full of purpose, she has a desire to help others. She said, “I want to become a lawyer so I can help young girls and give them a future.” Khadijah is also grateful for the opportunities to learn English, develop her sewing skills, and grow closer to the Lord.

A thankful Khadijah rejoiced, “My world has changed completely! … May

“I have been looking for an app like this for years—an app that teaches children about Jesus and the Bible in a fun, interactive way! And the best part is, they are not charging an arm and a leg to share God’s Word with the next generation.” –Therese

CBN.com/

Restoring Hope

CBN partners share God’s love with the hurting

When the future looks bleak, your love is a gleaming light in the darkness.

First Corinthians 13:8 (nkjv) says, Love never fails—and your love has succeeded in transforming the future for men, women, and children worldwide.

Riquelme’s home in Peru was little more than a rotting storage shed riddled with holes. Storms constantly threatened to destroy his family’s poor shelter.

There were also no sanitation facilities. “Sometimes, my son asks

me if we are ever going to have a bathroom,” this single father shared. “I can’t afford to build one; I can barely earn enough for their food.”

Then CBN’s Operation Blessing found them—and friends like you changed everything. Riquelme’s family received a new three-bedroom house, complete with a living area, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom.

“All I ever wanted was for my children to be happy and safe in their house,” said a tearful Riquelme. “This is a blessing for me and my six kids. I am grateful!”

Riquelme loves making tamales so, with your help, we also equipped him with what he needed to start a food business, including a cart to sell tamales outdoors and a supply of key ingredients.

Now, this hardworking dad can provide for his family, and he no longer worries about the future.

Five years ago, all hope seemed lost when Soniya’s parents were killed in an accident. She and her two siblings went to live with their uncle’s family in India. Then she began losing her sight.

Soniya’s vision began to blur significantly in her left eye as she developed a cataract. Schoolwork became difficult for Soniya, and it

wasn’t long before her vision became so bad in both eyes that she dropped out of school entirely.

“Two years ago, I realized that I was unable to see anything clearly. Then, gradually, my vision faded away, and I became partially blind,” she explained. “There was no hope left in my life.”

Fortunately, friends like you intervened, and Soniya encountered God’s love through CBN’s Operation Blessing. Partnering with healthcare facilities in India, you helped provide free surgery for Soniya.

A simple act of kindness from compassionate people like you

This is a blessing for me and my six kids. I am grateful!

has rewritten this story with hope. Because of our generous partners, Soniya was rescued from blindness. Now that she can see again, Soniya is able to resume her studies and confidently pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.

Zuun came to the United States in 2009 as a refugee from Myanmar. The 12-year-old lives with her mom and sisters in St. Louis. When Zuun was born, she was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis, an inflammation of the intestines that eventually leads to the death of intestinal tissues. Zuun’s family was worried that she would not survive.

Parts of Zuun’s small and large intestines had to be surgically removed, making it hard for her to absorb enough nutrients. As a result, Zuun had difficulty concentrating and

was struggling to keep up in school. Zuun then connected with a tutor at a ministry supported by CBN’s Orphan’s Promise.

As a result of the tutoring, Zuun began to improve dramatically. She says her favorite part about tutoring is: “I learn more, I learn faster—and I have fun!”

Refugee parents are often not able to help their children with homework because of the language barrier. Because of the compassion and generosity of loving friends like you, Zuun received the support she desperately needed to secure her education and her future.

Thanks to your wonderful kindness, countless families around the world are experiencing hope and the love of our heavenly Father.

DEEP IN DEBT

Emmaus and Hannah were thousands of dollars in debt. Yet, they remained committed to dedicating their businesses and finances to the Lord. Find out their secret to success!

THE LIE THAT HE BELIEVED

Niko did everything he could to keep away from his abusive stepfather— including jail time. When he was later sent to a camp for troubled boys, he found more than he expected.

SAVED FROM DEATH

The intensity of her devastating auto accident should’ve taken Brandi’s life. As doctors examined her body, discover what they had to say.

It’s American Heart Month!

Nourish your heart the Mediterranean way Watch

Taking care of your heart is serious business, and this month of valentines and red roses is when we also shine a spotlight on heart health.

“We know that cardiovascular disease is a leading killer of Americans, and that hasn’t changed over many years,” says Dr. Luke Laffin, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic. And he adds that over the past five years, the statistics have not gotten any better. “People are heavier; they’re not exercising as much.” And the pandemic did not help.

So, how can you ensure better heart health—beginning today? Dr. Laffin emphasizes the best way to start is to modify your diet. And he specifically suggests the Mediterranean way of eating, which uses olive oil, a healthy fat, as a main staple ingredient.

“Extra virgin olive oil has an antiinflammatory component called oleic acid,” he explains, “and we know that some cardiovascular risk is driven by overall, or systemic, inflammation in the body. So, that can be helpful.”

In addition, the Mediterranean way includes getting protein primarily through beans, fish, and poultry, leaving out red meat, pork, and shellfish, which are high in cholesterol. And getting enough fruit and vegetables is paramount—as is leaving alone sugar and processed food such as chips, pastries, crackers, and lunch meat.

Dr. Laffin stresses that the Mediterranean diet “has the best data for actually reducing strokes and heart attacks.”

So, with that knowledge, what’s stopping you from starting your journey to better heart health today? Please visit My.ClevelandClinic.org for more information.

Be sure to consult your physician before making any dietary changes.

THE heart OF YOUR LEGACY

We’d like to invite you to join our Lasting Legacy Society! Through a simple beneficiary designation to CBN in your will or estate plan, you partner with our mission to provide hope and help to suffering families, transforming lives. A planned gift to CBN can provide help to desperate parents so they’ll be able to feed their hungry children, emergency relief to those devastated by disaster, medical care and clean water to communities facing disease and drought, and much more.

If you’ve included CBN in your will, trust, or other beneficiary designation, please let us know. We’d love to officially add you to our Lasting Legacy Society. And more importantly, we want to make sure you’re thanked today and your legacy is honored tomorrow.

Who wrote the Bible?

The short answer is in the Bible, in a letter from the Apostle Peter: Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

Inspired by God, holy men wrote down these wonderful words. As Peter wrote that, he also described his own experience. He had been on the Mount of Transfiguration and had seen Moses and Elijah with Jesus as He was transfigured—the law and the prophets fulfilled in the Son of God.

Peter also wrote, And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19).

We have a more sure word than just experience, because God inspired these holy men who were proven as prophets. And that is the source of the Bible.

Scripture is quoted from the NKJV.

Do you have a question for Gordon?

Log on to CBN.com/AskAQuestion and follow the instructions.

Learn more at CBNLegacy.org or call us at 800-333-2373.

Call 800-700-7000 or go to CBN.com/Prayer anytime day or night.

By Gordon Robertson President and CEO

SET FREE BY L ove

The Bible sets a very high standard for love by saying, It keeps no record of being wronged. … Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:5, 7).

We want to have love that doesn’t keep any record of past hurts, that always hopes, and that can look past a person’s behavior to see someone made in the image of God. Unfortunately, people go through problems that can cause anger and bitterness. Some try to medicate the pain with alcohol or drugs, but underneath it all is a person who is heartbroken.

The only true cure is to come to God, ask for His help, and completely surrender your life to Him. Then we have the wonderful promise in Romans 8:28, And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

God doesn’t ever take away your will; you always have the freedom to choose. When you hold onto unforgiveness, you separate yourself from God. That’s why you need to surrender to Him on an ongoing basis.

Jesus tells us in Luke 6:37, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”

When you set others free, you are also set free—free from anger and bitterness, and free to fulfill your purpose in Christ, which is to love God and love one another.

That wonderful freedom is there for you today. Simply turn to Jesus, who took the punishment for every sin by dying on the cross because of His great love for you. Ask Him to help you forgive like He forgives. He will set you free and give you a new heart of love. God bless you!

From a teaching on The 700 Club. Scripture is quoted from the NLT.