God’s Call on My Life
I am John Davis, married to Ginger Davis, from Alabama, USA. We have a son. I enjoy hiking, camping, and fishing. My son is a Trail Life USA trail man, which allows us time together to enjoy these hobbies and grow in faith. Taking classes at the Christian Leaders Institute will help me answer God’s call and learn the Bible more thoroughly (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here).
Early Memories
One of my earliest memories is of my grandfather Davis holding me while we sang gospel hymns after supper. I have been told that my first word was not mommy nor daddy but “Hallelujah.”
My early childhood experiences fostered my spiritual growth. I saw my father minister to children on the “JOY” bus: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. My mother taught Bible class and read the Bible to me every night. I also remember that our backyard had three big rocks. I would stand on one of the rocks, hold a Bible, and pretend to preach to the other two.
Changes
Around the age of nine, our life changed drastically. My dad finished his time in the military stationed in Oklahoma. We moved from Oklahoma to Mississippi to be near our extended family. My mother battled depression, and my father struggled with alcohol. My two younger brothers were born. Our church attendance became sporadic. Peace and Christian service no longer marked our home and life. To say that our family was dysfunctional would be an understatement. Fear and anxiety replaced the joy I once knew.
Even though I felt fear and anxiety, I also continually felt the tug of God in my life and my heart. The Lord’s presence was very real to me when I walked the woods behind our house. First, I would sit on fallen trees and talk to Him. Then, in the silence and peace of nature, the Lord would speak to me, too.
Saved By Grace
At the age of 14, I fell under conviction. I cried every night that the Lord would allow me to live because I knew I was not ready to meet Him. I was afraid to tell someone of my need to be saved. Finally, the Lord did for me what I could not do for myself, and He did it through my father.
On September 2, 1986, we were attending a church revival. I knew I needed to respond to the invitation of the Lord but could not find it within myself to take that first step. Finally, my father leaned over and said, “Why don’t you go down tonight?” His words encouraged me to take that first step of faith. I repented of my sins, confessed Jesus as the Son of God, and shared in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in baptism.
Ministry Opportunities
Since that time, the Lord has given me many opportunities to serve Him. In 2002, I volunteered for a local hospice for six months. After I completed the internship, they asked me to stay in a full-time compacity. I tell people that God chose for me to be a hospice chaplain. I have loved every minute.
The Lord has also allowed me to serve on the mission field. Mission points have included Glasgow, Scotland; Syktyvkar, Russia; villages in Panama and Guatemala; Baja, Mexico; and several state-side locations.
The greatest blessings the Lord has given me are my wife and son. Ginger is my biggest cheerleader, and I would not be able to do ministry without her. She has helped me to continue to lay aside the fear and anxiety that once marked my life and loved me unconditionally. Our son has the kindest heart and makes us proud. I pray that the Lord shapes and molds me into the husband, father, and Christian servant they need me to be.
Learn the Bible More Thoroughly at CLI
Currently, my family and I are planting a church in our home. We are muddling through the process but know the Lord will do mighty work in our lives.
I desire to learn the Bible more thoroughly and hide it in my heart. Then, God can use my family and me in any way He chooses. Christian Leaders Institute and CLI’s Leadership Excellence School allow me to gain the knowledge, skills, and credentials needed to expand His Kingdom further.
Learn more about online ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
