However, after his life changing encounter with God in 2002, Jody says he didn't really change on the surface, but he changed inside. Everything is God's, and Jody's job is to be a good steward.įor most of his career, Jody didn't think he was where he should be. The heart of the evil one was seen in the terrorists. God's mercy was shown through the rescuers and people that tried to help. For example, in the event of September 11, one can see the heart of God. He says nothing happens that God doesn't allow or bless. Although throughout his career Jody always had an awareness that God was in news events, the insights he shares are hindsight revelations of these events. Jody says Finding God in the Evening News was written as a reflective look at God's hand in the news and world events. Looking back, Jody sees what he went throught as the cross he had to bear to gain his crown in Christ. Jody realized, "It's not what I know, it's what Jesus did – it's all about Him." He almost lost his sons in the latest divorce. He lost 35 pounds and decided to choose Jesus because he was afraid. After his wife kicked him out, Jody lived in a Budget Inn hotel. During this time, Jody says his sin was fun and short sighted, dirty, and empty. She eventually kicked Jody out of the house.
Jody and his third wife argued about money. She had called his second wife, and they had compared stories. After less than a year of marriage, she told Jody she didn't know who he was. Jody says God wrecked him by exposing his lies to his third wife in 2002. His third failed marriage turned him around. Jody figured, "If I tried harder, why can't I stop lying, cheating?" He was just going through the motions of faith.
He actually thought he was getting away with it and thought that the sin was fun. He went to a Christian college, and throughout his adult life, he went to church regularly and had biblical knowledge, but he still lied, cheated, and did whatever he could get away with to please his own desires. In other words, he wasn't sold out to Christ. Jody says his faith was a mile wide and an inch deep. Growing up, he always knew Bible stories and the plan of salvation and was baptized at the age of 10. He was adopted and brought up in a Christian home. Jody was a surface Christian for most of his life. Both of these events led Jody to a paradigm shift in his relationship with God. A few days before the Metro Church bus incident, Jody's third wife had kicked him out of their home. Jody was also going through his own personal tragedy. He had learned a system of belief, but he didn't know God personally. Before that moment, he scarcely knew there was a God.
Jody was awed at the church members' grateful hearts and concern for others in the midst of the tragedy. He had never seen anyone pray with the hope that those in the media would benefit spiritually. Jody recalls that he had seen grieving people turn to God in prayer in many situations before, but this time was different. And, Lord, if Your grace and power is revealed to even one person here because of what's happened today, then we give thanks."
Then he prayed, "Father, we thank You for the many members of the media here today, and that they may have their questions answered. He thanked God for being merciful, prayed for the injured and those that had died, thanked God for those who came to pray, and prayed for the emergency crews still working at the accident scene. One of the men from the church went to the microphone to address reporters and asked for a moment of prayer. While at Metro Church, Jody noticed the usual set-up for news conferences – nothing out of the ordinary. There was a prayer vigil turned news conference at Metro Church. The driver's side of the vehicle sustained major damage the debris of the wrecked bus was strewn all over the highway, killing five and injuring 30.Īt the time, Jody had feared that his oldest son was on the bus that crashed, since his son was also on a church bus traveling somewhere that morning and Jody did not know what bus was in the accident. One of the buses swerved off the road and hit a concrete bridge support pillar. A group of church buses was on its way to a youth retreat in Louisiana from Metro Church of Garland, Texas. The most significant news event for Jody occurred June 24, 2002. Through the years, he has personally witnessed many news events. Jody Dean is a 30-year veteran in broadcast journalism.