As a child, I discovered the value of reading. I read and read and read. I was also blessed to be born into a large, loving family that knew and respected God. My daddy was a country church baptist preacher, so I knew the value of prayer. I also had the knack at relating to people from all walks of life, and I was blessed to have athletic abilities. Playing sports helped me realize the importance of teamwork.
I was the middle child, the only boy with two older and two younger sisters. We only had one bathroom, so I developed patience. My daddy died when I was 14, but I spent much time with him. One of the lessons he taught me was to put God first, then your family and then your country. The other one that stuck with me was how he prayed about everything.
I entered the Army when I was 19 and spent almost 16 years on active duty. I worked in personnel, so I had to deal with a variety of people and their problems. This taught me the value of the person. I also had to give classes, write papers, and I still played sports. I was blessed to have three children, so I ,too, became a father and realized the importance of a father's role in their lives.
People would come to me, and tell me their troubles; I was a good listener (this happened throughout my school years and while I was in the Army).
I intended to make a 20+ year career from the Army, retire, and then work in the people field. Right before my 16th year of Army service, the Lord saved me, and had me get out of the Army and go preach. I stayed in the Reserves and retired as a Captain.
My schooling background is mostly business, personnel and psychology courses. I managed to get two Associate and one Bachelor degree while serving full time active duty and I graduated from over 20 military schools. I took much correspondence courses because I have always been good at studying on my own. I also studied college textbooks, and took CLEP tests for college credits. This studying prepared me to study the Bible, which I have read hundreds of times over the past 19 years.
All told, the Lord knew what he was doing when he called and prepared me. Time prevents me telling of all the other trials, tribulations, heartaches, and pain that have enabled me to better relate to people (the harvest as Jesus calls them), and to not be judgmental because I know only by the grace of God, I am not walking in someone's else shoes.
Irvin L. Rozier, aka walkin2e
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