EWTN Press Release: "Trustful Surrender to God"

What If You Were Given A Fatal Diagnosis?
EWTN Presents ‘Trustful Surrender to God' -
One Man’s Story

Irondale, AL – Jeff Van Brunt is a husband and father of four whose identity was very much bound up in his athletic prowess. He particularly enjoyed competitive men’s soccer. So when he noticed that his feet and hands seemed to be giving out on him when he was on the field, he made a doctor’s appointment to find out why. What he didn’t expect was that, at the age of 33, he would be diagnosed with ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This incurable disease affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Jeff was given two to five years to live. That was two years ago.

In a one-hour special to air 5 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 24 and 11 p.m. ET, Saturday, Nov. 30 on EWTN, Catholics Come Home” Founder Tom Peterson interviews Jeff to find out what he has learned since the diagnosis. The result is a powerful guide for how to live life knowing that our time on earth is finite. Death may come sooner or later; it may be expected or unexpected; the cause will vary, but as Jeff’s pastor reminded him, “No one gets out of this life alive.”

Jeff says something amazing happened when he received his diagnosis. He received an infusion of grace which allowed him to clearly see where the devil is after him and his loved ones. “One of those things I always need to remember – it’s a battle for each of our souls.”

Unlike some sick people, Jeff did not lose faith after receiving his diagnosis, but a priest helped him to see that he was asking the wrong questions. Jeff originally wanted to understand why he was sick and he wondered if God still healed. He learned that the question he should be asking is” “What are you doing for the greater glory of God in the time you have left?” As Jeff says, “That’s not just a question for sick people.”

Jeff says that he now sees that the sins all of us deal with “are just distractions – tripping you up and slowing you down from what you are supposed to do.” He says these distractions “weigh you down to prevent you from being who you are supposed to be for the honor and glory of God.”

This is just a taste of this amazing interview.

Please don’t miss it. You’ll not only want to tell your family and friends about it, you’ll want to record it for future viewings. No bells and whistles. No flashy background. Just the Truth. Something we all need to hear. 

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 32^nd year, is available in over 225 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.