For years, Walt and Annie struggled with infertility, but in a single moment they realized that God was writing a beautiful story for them that was over 20 years in the making. 

“When Gunnar was born, we were so thankful for him. We lost a child stillborn about two and a half years before he came along, so he was a beautiful gift to the family and a complete joy. And in church, he would actually lead worship. He was really...just the best child you could ever ask for,” says Charlotte Mays. Along with her husband, Steve, they committed to Godly parenting of their son Gunnar. During his teens, they noticed a change.

Charlotte continues, “He was starting to pull away from us. His attitude was changing. He really wasn't wanting to go to church.”

Steve also recalls, “First of all, I thought, you know, just a teenage thing, you know. But then it turned into more.”

“I remember growing up in church," says Gunnar. “I mean, growing up at an early age and just being surrounded by love. I loved going to Wednesday Night Youth Group. I started going to our local creek. It was called Turkey Creek in our hometown. And met up with a lot of other teenagers there and made some new friends. They really opened up a lot of doors to me, to drugs, and alcohol, sexual relations.”

“He was just becoming different and distant,” says Charlotte. Steve comments, “It wasn't Gunnar anymore. I didn't know who he was.”

“I started smoking weed," says Gunnar. “That was the first time I started smoking weed. Remember, I was 15, the first time I ever did. I enjoyed sneaking out and going to parties.”

“We knew that, you know, this was not, you know, going well. And we couldn't seem to bring him back,” says Charlotte. “It was very gut-wrenching as a mother to watch him because I loved him. And I was so, you know, he was my baby. He was the baby of the family.”

The Mays sought help for Gunnar through prayer, counselors, and pastors. Nothing seemed to help.

“In the very beginning of the journey, when we saw things were getting worse and not better, the Lord spoke to me and said, 'Live in the victory. Don't wait until you have the victory to rejoice, but rejoice now, knowing the victory is yours.' There would be times when I'd just say, 'Lord, I trust you,'” says Charlotte.

Steve recalls, “Charlotte come to me and said the Lord had told her that Gunnar was going to go to jail and that we were to leave him in jail. And I guess my first thought was, 'How long?'"

“I was introduced to another drug that was called, 'Spice.' It was a synthetic marijuana. It really pulled me out of my mind," says Gunnar. “It really made me, put me under some sort of spell or something just that made me not myself at all. And I didn't have any money and I didn't have a job. So, the only thing I could do was to steal.”

At age 18, Gunnar was arrested for stealing pocket change out of cars. He was held with a signature bond.

“He called me from jail and he said, 'Mom, I'm in jail and I need you to come and get me out. It's just a signature bond,'" says Charlotte.

“I was scared. I didn't want to be there. And I called mom and dad and let them know,” says Gunnar. Charlotte continues, “And I told him, I said, 'Son, don't you remember, I told you that God said you were going to go to jail and we couldn't get you out until He told us we could?'"

“I remember being extremely mad," says Gunnar. “I remember being like I was cussing them out, talking to them like I've never talked to them before.”

“I had to really hold back my emotions and stay steadfast in what God told us to do,” says Charlotte.

“I knew what type of people that were in there with him and what he was having to go through, the anxiety he was feeling. And I felt it all myself,” says Steve.

“When we went to see him the first time, he's madder than a hornet,” says Charlotte. So I thought, 'Well, Lord, You're not ready yet. He's not ready.'"

“I tried to manipulate them by saying, "I'm in this place. It's scary. I don't want to be here. This is jail. This is jail. You guys can't just leave me in here,” says Gunnar.

“I leaned into the Lord with all my heart,” says Charlotte. “And I did not give up on Him, not once throughout the journey. I kept my focus on Him. And on my darkest days, I would just spend time before the Lord in prayer and I would just constantly say, 'I trust you, Lord.'"

Steve and Charlotte continued praying for Gunnar, and after leaving him in jail for three weeks God answered. Charlotte states, “I could see a change in him, and we asked him what happened, and he said, 'well I prayed.'"

“You could see a countenance on his face. He was different. You could see it. You could hear it in his voice. And it was refreshing,” says Steve.

“I believe in week three and week four in jail, I was really starting to sober up. I started remembering who I was and the things that I believed,” says Gunnar. “And I remembered how good my life is outside of drugs and alcohol and how thankful I was to have the parents that I have and to know the things that I know. And the truth was that I did know the Lord. I did know His goodness. I did know His grace. I just had lost sight of it at that time.”

After thirty six days in jail, Gunnar was released to attend a Christian rehab center. Today, he serves in multiple ministries at his church and is grateful for his parents' obedience to God.

“I'm so thankful for them leaving me in jail. I'm so thankful they had to exercise faithfulness and self-control. I know that my parents would give God all the glory just as I would,” says Gunnar.

Steve smiles and says, “It's such a wonderful thing to have my son back. You know, God has restored him.”

“It's really refined me in my spiritual walk in so many ways. And I've been able to use it to bring glory to Him,” says Charlotte. “And that's been precious to help other parents with prodigals to know that there is hope. But you've got a part to play. You've got a part to play in the battle. And so you do your part. God will be sure to do His.”

Charlotte's ministry, Jesus Sent Me Ministries, can be visited by clicking this link: jesussentmeministries.org.
 

Three-year-old Ya could hardly wait to play with her little sister, Qin. Yet soon after she was born, the Wei’s found out that there was a growth on Qin’s heart.

Mr. Wei recalls, “A doctor at the hospital said it was very serious. She couldn’t get a good supply of blood, and her other organs couldn’t develop.” 

The news was too much for Qin’s mother, and she abandoned the family. Mr. Wei became a single father, while Ya tried to help. “She looked after her like a mother,” Mr. Wei explains.

Mr. Wei worked hard farming and borrowed from friends and relatives so he could try to get Qin heart surgery. Then he found a bump on her stomach.

“It looked like a bee sting, but it turned into a big pustule and burst,” he weeps. “My little girl was curled up and wouldn’t respond to me.”

It was an abscess, caused by the malformation around Qin’s heart. 

Mr. Wei expounds, “The doctor said it was like a time bomb that could explode at any time and cause problems in other organs. He suggested I take Qin home to live her last days.”

Mr. Wei prayed. “I remembered the Lord and asked Him to help my daughter get surgery so she could live,” he says.

Soon, a doctor told Mr. Wei about Operation Blessing. Mr. Wei contacted us, and you helped make heart surgery possible for Quin. 

“Her eyes are bright now. She's energetic and getting stronger,” Mr. Wei thankfully exclaims. He concludes, “The time bomb in her body is gone. Now Qin and her sister can play together. I have witnessed a miracle. Operation Blessing saved my daughter’s life.”

Merry Na, a 14-year-old girl from Myanmar, comes from a large family of eight. Despite the challenges that come with such a big family, Merry Na has found hope and transformation through her weekly attendance at Sunday school and her engagement with Superbook lessons. One lesson that had a particular impact on her was "Peter and Cornelius."

Before learning about Peter and Cornelius, Merry Na struggled with prayer and giving to others. She often found it difficult to pray consistently and felt unable to share what little she had. However, the story of Cornelius changed her perspective. Cornelius was a God-fearing man who loved to give and always prayed and praised God. His generosity and devotion to God were rewarded with blessings. Merry Na was deeply moved by Cornelius's life and decided to emulate his example.

Through the Superbook lesson, Merry Na learned that Cornelius was not stingy and that his love for giving and his constant prayers were key aspects of his faith. Inspired by this, Merry Na decided to live a life of prayer every day and to give to others, even when she felt she had little to offer. "I decided to live as a person who trusts in God," she says with determination.

Superbook has played a significant role in Merry Na's spiritual growth. The engaging and relatable stories of the Bible brought to life through Superbook have helped her connect with the Word of God and experience Jesus's love. These lessons have transformed her behavior, making her more generous and prayerful.

Merry Na's story is a powerful testament to the global impact of CBN Animation's Superbook. It shows how the stories of the Bible can bring hope, transformation, and faith to children and families, regardless of their cultural or regional background. Superbook has the potential to reach even more children like Merry Na, offering them a chance to connect with the Word of God and experience his love.

We invite you to join this mission. Whether by donating to CBN Animation’s Superbook ministry through the link below, sharing Merry Na's inspiring story, or accessing Superbook resources for your own family, your support can help send this ministry to countless others. Together, we can bring the light of God's Word to children around the world, transforming lives and fostering faith.

Give to Superbook