i'm going to carry that with me. place was in a strip mall. but fancy wasn't the point. salvation was. here, finally, marie felt right. >> and jesus is saying "you know what, you're missing him." >> reporter: the pastor was a charismatic man named james flanders who preached the bible, four square. i'm craig melvin. preached in jeans and sneakers. live streamed and youtubed his >> and i'm natalie morales. sermons. >> it was a very happening >> and this is "dateline." place. >> reporter: jason anderson was marie was a very loving the youth pastor. person. >> didn't fall asleep listening she had a heart of gold. to his sermons. >> reporter: what happened to >> reporter: but more than that, this woman? the pastor and his wife, james and tanya flanders, were known for their big hearts, their my job is to be a truth teller and seek out the truth. i wanted to solve it! charity. and that's when, for a third >> reporter: her case was a time, a family took in marie. mystery for years. the mom with the tender heart and tough-as-nails career. >> she's saying that she was there until she got on her feet. >> she was part of the sheriff's department. her ultimate goal was to try to >> reporter: but a whole year get into the fbi. went by. >> reporter: she'd found a new and then, what was coming sense of purpose in the church. couldn't be hidden. the story floating around, there her pastor and his wife, like family. had been an abusive boyfriend >> they had taken her in, they were helping her out. who abandoned her and left her pregnant. >> i was like, i'm proud of you,