Living out your faith in the television business could present a challenge to some people. The pressure, the money, the popularity can pressure some people to suppress or hide their faith and conform to what society sees as normal or at least not talk about it so much. For Today Show host and broadcast journalist, Craig Melvin, working for one of the largest media companies in the world, it presents an opportunity to share stories of redemption, of hope.
Melvin shared on the 700 Club recently that he began noticing how many stories of faith and hope are not being told.
“I love stories of redemption and forgiveness.”
Though in mainstream media, Melvin is working on telling more of these stories including a story about Kwame Malik Kilpatrick who at one point was the mayor of Detroit, went to federal prison, came to the Lord, and is now a preacher.
“I love stories like that, they speak to me and I think they speak to a lot of folks. We’re making a more concerted effort to get stories like that.”
Melvin shared how his faith has been strengthened through difficult times and he has turned to God when his brother died, his niece died, and his dad struggled with alcoholism.
So when he had the opportunity to interview TD Jakes on air at the start of the pandemic, he asked the Bishop to pray on MSNBC for 30 seconds. The prayer went viral as people were locked up and couldn’t even attend church, at least for a couple of weeks.
“We just didn’t know a whole lot about the virus, or where it was headed. A lot of people were scared including me. I am just one of those guys who when I don’t know something, I turn to God. At that moment, I felt like a lot of folks didn’t know a lot and felt we could use a moment with God. I hadn’t talked to our producer or production management about it, I was moved by the Spirit,” he shared with the 700 Club.
Bishop Jakes humbly prayed for help and strength for first responders and broadcast professionals for peace and help.
“We grew up with the faith. I am not one of these people who only turn to God at their worst. I like to thank him every morning. I pray a prayer of gratitude to start the day.”
Melvin also realized God’s nearness in the valleys not just in the high times.
“You know for me in those dark moments, they were quite dark. You find that sometimes there is no one else to talk to, no one else to pour your heart out to, to ask for guidance.”
“I had no choice but to lean on my faith, to lean not on my own understanding.”
It’s going back to those stories of redemption, I am always drawn to those.
“I found myself growing angrier at my dad the older I got…. I had to get to a point where I forgave him and I did.”
After a drunk driving accident, intervention, and inpatient rehab, he came out a changed man.
“It’s a testament that it’s never too late to turn your life around. It’s never too late to decide you want to live a different life. It’s never too late to get that monkey off your back and break that addiction. It’s a testament.”
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