How you came to the Lord and to care so deeply about the issue of abortion?
Brief answer: I came to know the Lord at a Wednesday night service, in the Fall of 1989, at my dear friend Billy’s church. I had been living in sin and endured a couple of near-death experiences due to drunk driving, After years of being asked to go to church, I finally went. I heard the gospel being preached, and I was made whole.
Within a week or two after that, I was baptized in water and filled with the Holy Spirit, and never looked back. Faithfully, I served the Lord in the local church and worked a full-time job at Ford Motor for 30+ years, all the while telling people about JESUS.
I began to care more deeply about the issue of abortion after spending time with my dear missionary friend and brother in Christ, Andre’ Gonzalez. I had been following him on FB since 2018 and watching his Love Life prayer walk posts online. The Lord led me to go to a Love Life Discovery weekend in North Carolina in August of 2019. That is when I knew the Lord was leading me to be involved in this ministry. Although, at that time, I didn’t know when we would bring it to Detroit.
What has God done in your life to prepare you for this work?
Faithfully serving the Lord for years, obeying the Lord, and getting plugged into a local Church (Christian Life Church, my home church for the last 30+ years) has been priceless and preparatory for this mission. Submitting to the Lord and a local pastor has absolutely helped me become the man of God that I am today and has developed the godly attributes and characteristics needed to be able to step into this ministry. The Lord also used the 30+ years at Ford to help equip me with wisdom to manage practical everyday projects.
What made you decide finally to become a sidewalk outreach/city director?
COVID made me decide. After my visit to North Carolina in August of 2019, My wife and I traveled to Charlotte, NC, for Celebrate Life 2019. After we worshipped the Lord – united with 4500+ of our brothers and sisters of all denominational backgrounds- we left there unified and knew God wanted us to bring Love Life to Detroit. We still did not know the exact timing, though.
Fast forward to Friday, March 13th, 2020. Ford Motor Company sent everyone home due to Covid19. For the next two months, I was able to pray and seek the Lord for direction in life. In May, when Ford Motor called me back to the studio, I knew I was done at Ford. The Lord wanted my wife and me to begin Love Life in Detroit. I went to Ford on May 18th and told them I was retiring. By the end of June, I was retired. At the end of July, I was in Charlotte, NC, for the very first Love Life Bootcamp to become a missionary and start Love Life Michigan in Detroit.
What are your hopes, goals, and dreams for this ministry?
My wife and I plan to grow deeper in love with Jesus and one another while we see Him use us to unite and mobilize the church that, results in an end to abortion and the orphan crisis. Our goal is to live, love, and abide vitally united to the Vine, and collaborate with other followers of King Jesus and watch the Church come alive as fishers of men. We desire to minister to the lost and hurting in our community and make disciples who follow King Jesus.
Highlights and struggles you have already faced
Highlights Since 2021:
Mama Jasmine chose life for baby Legend in 2022
Our first mom/baby save connected to a Life Mentor
10 Pastors Partners
6 House of Refuge churches.
A growing Sidewalk outreach team
A faithful prayer walk team
Faithful monthly supporters.
The highlight of the current climate and how we can pray:
The current climate is that we have a core of faithful people. They all have full-time jobs. We would like to bring a couple of them on-board full-time. Love Life Michigan needs the finances to do this. Pray for the Lord to provide us with ProLife Marketplace leaders who can help us raise 100K dollars so we can expand this team this year. Continue to pray that our team, partner pastors, and their congregations’ hearts will continue to be broken with the things that break His. Pray for more followers of Christ and laborers to go into the harvest mission fields of Detroit and across Michigan to reach the lost.
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