Against All Odds: Chuck Norris found God's plan bigger than his own

Gibbs Frazeur

Actor Chuck Norris signed copies of his book, Against All Odds, for more than 500 fans during the Christian Booksellers Association International Convention in Atlanta this summer. At right, book contributor Ken Abraham also signs a copy of the book.

ATLANTA (BP) - A six-time world karate champion, Chuck Norris starred as the hero in more than 23 films and wrote and produced his popular television series, Walker, Texas Ranger. But success couldn't rescue the Norris family one crisis-filled night.

Norris, a member of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas felt absolutely helpless when his wife, Gena, went into pre-term labor with their unborn twins. But Norris also knew he could rely on God. He recounts the events of that night in his new autobiography, Against All Odds: My Story with Ken Abraham, published by Broadman & Holman.

Beating the odds

Carlos Ray Norris was born into a family struggling to survive, led by an alcoholic father who moved the family 16 times by the time the future actor turned 15. Norris' mother, a strong Christian, never gave up despite living in extreme poverty.

"God has a plan for you," she told her son daily, convincing him he could, indeed, beat the odds.

His mother's enormous faith was a great example for the young Norris. He began a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at an early age, and he rededicated his life to Christ as a young adult when he attended a Billy Graham crusade.

You could say the action star's career "kicked" off as a young airman stationed in Korea studying martial arts. He wasn't initially strong, and success did not come easily, but within eight years, Norris became a martial arts world champion. His karate championships led him to open a successful chain of karate schools and gain appearances on television. Hollywood took notice, and it wasn't long before he was in his first feature film.

But while his career path was leading to fame and fortune, his personal life bore the toll. Norris and his first wife, Dianne, divorced after 30 years of marriage.

Ten years later, life took another twist. A letter from a daughter he'd never known turned up in his mailbox. In his first year of marriage, Norris had committed a one-time extramarital affair while stationed away from home. He'd never known it had made him a father.

Forgiveness and healing

Forgiveness has become a big theme in Norris' story. His daughter Deanna and her husband are now a part of the family, and there's been emotional healing all around - between Norris and Deanna's mom and Norris and his former wife, and new relationships between his sons and their half-sister.

These days, children are very important to Norris. After a difficult pregnancy, his wife of six years gave birth to healthy twins. He also continues to work on his KICKSTART program for middle school students.

More than 30,000 kids have graduated from the program, currently found in 37 schools. While the focus of the program is on martial arts, it does a lot more for the kids who participate - many who are from the inner city. It builds self-esteem.

"We're hoping to help millions and millions of kids and show them that they don't have to give up," Norris said. "The odds aren't stacked too highly against them to achieve their dreams."