Our Story

My mother worked a full-time job and went to college in hopes to better our lives. We were very poor with no money for food. The clothes on our back were hand-me-downs from extended family members or older siblings.

Rarely did we have the money to afford new clothes. I remember many times eating bread with only ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise as the main course for dinner.

My father was an abusive alcoholic who enjoyed chasing women more than taking care of his children. Often times when he came over to visit he would beat my mother. Once I watched him take a shot gun and hold it to her face. As she cried in fear, she asked me to go outside so I wouldn't witness the horrific actions of my drunk father.

Not long after my mother and father had divorced, my mother met a man she went to high school with who she would later marry, and he would become my stepfather. In the early years he was no better than my real father. He was an abusive alcoholic as well. Although I've never seen him lay hands on my mother, he did however, physically abuse my two older brothers.

He had 2 daughters from a previous marriage that he showed favoritism to, which left my brothers and I neglected and mistreated. Because he came into my life at an early age, he is the guy that I knew and called as 'dad.' This enraged my real father to the point where he no longer would communicate with me. When it was my turn to talk to him on the phone he would quickly hang up on me.

Years later we went to Texas to visit my Aunt Sandy for the summer. They lived a meek life in the backwoods of East Texas far away from the inner city which I was used to. We went from cars filling the paved street to a muddy back road where few cars traveled. My mother and stepdad decided to move our family to Texas after one visit.

One Sunday my Aunt Sandy took us to an old Pentecostal church. I watched the pastor preach in such a manner that burned in my spirit. He was completely convinced of his message that he preached with passion; insomuch that he sweated out of his three-piece suit. As an unsaved child I was captivated by this pastor. I remember saying to myself, "I want to do that one day!"

You see, I have felt the rejection of my father which led to depression at an early age. I had outbursts of anger and rage. I had no sense of purpose as I was an outcast even among my brothers.

I have watched the effects of sin create disfunction in a family and eat away at their dreams, their purpose, and happiness like it was acidic. I watched my own family scramble with hunger and strive through poverty and lack and still not make ends meet.

BUT I have also experienced the love and compassion from a God who wholeheartedly desires a real relationship with me! A God who has my best interest at heart.

To help the fathers find peace and rest for their souls, and to build faith in their heart to help them navigate the stresses of life so they can find direction in uncertainty.

We want to show the dads that God is not angry with them, nor does He disown them in the midst of their failures. We want to show them the healing power of God's deliverance from addictions and depression! We want to help the dads understand and receive the Love of God so they in turn can express love within their own families.

At Miracle City Church we will help guide the mothers to find joy and hope in the midst of the bombardment of constant worry. To help the mothers find comfort in a loving God who has a heart of concern for their well-being; a God who embraces them and wipes away the tears of the many pains life throws at them.

We want to help the mother discover the joy of the Lord that provides strength and stability when she is unsure. We will help the mother find the courage to keep going forward instead of giving up and losing all hope.

We also help the children discover their purpose and provide hope in the face of their insecurities. We want the children to know that there is a God who cares and is not disappointed in them.

To help them find stability when facing the influence of outside pressures so they may be proud of who God made them to be! We want to help them discover that they have a purpose far beyond just mere existence and to help them be unashamed of the gifts and talents that God gave them! To know that they are not a mistake, but they are precious, wanted, needed, and loved!