Bob’s mother abandons her three children to live with Bob’s father, who is an alcoholic gambler. Bob and his younger brother are born and grow up with fighting and fear. Two of his mother’s children return home, and his older half-brother teaches him to steal. Both boys are required to leave school at sixteen to work. The family goes to mass every week, but live sinful lives. Bob works at a machine shop with a believer who gives him a Bible and answers questions about salvation. First part ends with Bob’s salvation.

Bob’s mother rails against his decision for Christ, mocking him and making him leave home. He serves in the navy, returns home to work in the machine shop, but decides to go into ministry. He marries Jean, witnesses to his family, but they are unreceptive. His older brother, abandoned at birth, finds the family, but Bob’s mother rejects him. This brother and Bob’s younger brother die as well as Bob’s father, who prays the sinner’s prayer before death. Retired now, Bob contrasts his life with his older brother, now in prison, and his mother, still unyielding at 94.

Tom’s parents have problems: his dad drinks and rarely comes home; his mother, a manic-depressive, slides into mental illness as his father becomes unfaithful. Tom and siblings live with an aunt when his mother is hospitalized. The aunt and uncle provide guidance and discipline, taking the siblings to church. Tom falls in love but graduates and becomes a merchant sailor on the Great Lakes, planning to marry. His girlfriend drops him, leaving him depressed. The first part ends with Tom in the Navy and his aunt telling him to get a relationship with Christ.

After Tom joins the Navy and his girlfriend drops him, he is depressed. A buddy tries to talk to him about Jesus, but he rejects the overtures. Then he foolishly goes AWOL for a day and is sentenced to work fifteen hours every day for three months, except for chapel. In chapel a man shares the gospel and Tom prays for salvation. He witnesses to his family and all but his father profess faith. He marries, has five children and still serves the Lord faithfully.

Alex grows up in a God-fearing family, but he rebels. He’s expelled from Christian school, and he and his friends drink, fight and use drugs. He wrecks a car and is suicidal. They plan to go to a school in Florida, but an acquaintance steals their money. He meets Donna and they live together before marriage. His wife is unable to have a baby, and Alex begins listening to radio preachers as a comfort. Driving home he gives his life to Christ and learns that his wife is pregnant. Now in ministry.

Leroy is a sharecropper’s son who is drafted in the army where he learns to drink and smoke. Injuries to his left eye when he is a boy and later during a barroom brawl leave him blind in that eye. He comes home, marries but continues drinking. A black woman witnesses to him over the years. His dad listens to Christian radio, and Leroy goes to hear the man preach and gives his life to Christ. Serves as a pastor for more than forty years.

After his parents divorce, Ray’s father neglects his sons, and Ray becomes bitter. His grandfather is a good role model, and an older neighbor also witnesses about Christ through her kindness. Ray flounders in school but graduates. He joins the Navy and develops an addiction to alcohol. Some sailors invite him to Bible study, but only when his grandpa dies does Ray turn to the Lord. He marries, graduates from Bible college and goes into ministry; but struggles to forgive his father. He begins praying for his dad, who is the first in the family to profess faith. Now retired.

Life had become desolate for Martin Garland. Then a conversation on an airplane headed home set this weary executive on an entirely new course. Perhaps what Martin learned is exactly what you need as well. Find out when you listen to this dramatic true story on “UNSHACKLED!”

Carlene grows up in a happy family until she is molested by her father, bringing fear and shame. She prays for God to intervene, and her mother discovers them. Her father stops molesting her, but is physically abusive. She goes to college and marries Sean, but pushes him away. She finally confesses the abuse but tries to forgive. Learning that her sisters and others have also been molested, she begins to confront her father about the past. Through prayer, counseling and Bible study, she is able to help others who’ve suffered incest.

Airplanes, warships, fast cars and other hazards nearly cost Jim Wendorf his life as a young officer in the Navy, and are part of the story of how this respected Wisconsin lawyer came to see he was not ‘just lucky’ or leading a charmed life – but that God had a purpose for keeping him alive through all these hazards. That purpose has been richly realized once he faced his life squarely and realized he wasn’t going to make it to heaven or escape hell just on will-power or luck. Jim Wendorf came to the place – by God’s grace – he recognized God’s hand in his seeming miraculous preservation from sudden and violent death – to carry on a ministry of sharing the Gospel – the good news that Jesus had died for him and for all who would trust Him.