For as long as I can remember, church has been a part of my life. I mean this literally, since I was born into a pastor’s home. I can still hear my father’s voice as he gave his Sunday sermon. As a kid, going to church three times a weeks and making home visits was as much a part of me as my next breath. I vividly remember times when I would line up my stuffed animals in our living room and preach to them with a booming voice—naturally I was to be a pastor as well!
Growing up and into my teenage years, I strongly felt the voice of God speak into my life. So, at the young age of 14, I gave my life to him. While growing up in a pastor’s home had its challenges—mostly because of the many voices of expectations—it led me on a road to discovering God in deeper levels. This is due to the fact that my parents modeled their strong faith in Christ. Hearing and obeying the voice of God was of the upmost importance to them. Through good or bad, I never saw them waiver, which gave me confidence to seek and make him my personal obsession.
Six months ago, my wife and I had begun studying the life of Joseph and Daniel. We observed how they exhibited excellence, as they trusted the voice of the Lord in the midst of temptation, imprisonment, and their business lives. Thus, God began convicting us about a change of lifestyle. We knew it was something out of the ordinary. As we shared our thoughts and struggles with our family and friends, they lifted their voices for us in prayer.
Months later, a very precious friend of ours felt God speaking to her about me coming to Joseph International. At that time, I had not known anything about this program. As she described it to my wife and me, we were immediately drawn, yet hesitant. Upon doing research on Joseph International, I immediately felt a connection. So, we brought it before the Lord and asked him to make a way for us to come here if it was truly his will. Almost immediately, things began to happen. Joe and Patty Fugate took me in as an employee for their online magazine, Model Railroad Hobbyist Magazine, and decided it was of upmost importance to send me to Joseph International to learn the Daniel Lifestyle and bring it to their business.
So, here I am amazed at how the voice of God has spoken into my life and has brought things to pass. Now my ears are open to what he has to say and teach me next. So far, I have learned on this journey that in the midst of the thousands of voices I hear in a day, God’s voice will always come through if I sincerely pursue his heart.
Blessings,
Daniel Nava
Please don’t forget to post your comment or share it with a friend.
