Walk of Faith 2024

My Road to Redemption

I was raised on sarcasm, word curses, shame, and religious traditions. We grew up in AA halls, Catholic church, and we were surrounded by the music industry since my dad was a blues drummer. Alcoholism and drug addiction ran back many generations, as well as the bloodline being rooted in witchcraft. My dad got sober while my mother didn’t. I was molested throughout my childhood by neighborhood kids and their family members, school mates, a family member, and many strangers during the period our house was used as a place for prostitution by our 17-year-old babysitter who entertained gangsters when my dad was on the road. I knew there had to be something better in life, so I found myself escaping through relationships searching for validation. 

Although being fairly popular growing up, athletically inclined, a cheerleader, and a bit of a comedian, I felt unloved, unwanted, no good, and not worthy. I had heard shame statements my whole life, word cursed that I would turn out like my no-good mother, I would never amount to anything, I wasn’t pretty enough, not smart enough, too skinny, stupid, and crazy. I had experimented with alcohol and pot in my early twenties, and then after my divorce from my first abusive marriage at the age of 20, I headed straight for full blown addiction. Multiple relationships with men and women, diving deeper into different drugs, getting sober just to get into another abusive marriage. Divorced again and not having custody of any of my children, I then became a full-blown cocaine addict. Ended up in another toxic relationship having my 4th son. Suffered a great deal of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse throughout life. But God’s promises through all of that allowed me to hang on to the hope for restoration and transformation. No matter how much was taken from me, I knew enough of the idea of God that there had to be a better way, I just did not know how to find it. 

In 2013, I was radically born again during a three-day encounter with God himself. It was an experience that I still find difficult to describe however, it is impossible to forget. I set out on a mission to find my real identity. Through God’s word, a lot of therapy, deliverance, faith, and surrendering to the process of the crushing, everything I held dear had to be stripped away, again, for God to be able to transform me. I obsessively sought the kingdom of God and healing, and in 2020 He did just that. He healed me from 20 plus years of chronic pain, years of medication dependency, bi-polar, sleep disorder, cancer, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, knee problems, addictions, smoking cigarettes, and thus the physical transformation began. I have died more times than I can count from surgery issues, witchcraft attacks on my health, childbirth, and overdosing. A laundry list of infirmities, but the hand of God had other plans. 

My baby brother died suddenly in 2017, and three years later to the day my dad passed away in October of 2020. Our inheritance was stolen, all my children have disowned and cursed me, but my faith in Him and His promises are what keeps me fighting on behalf of my bloodline for their return and salvation. He has resurrected gifts and talents within and has given me my authentic identity in Him. I am passionate about breaking generational curses off the bloodline, healing, purity, and helping women sever themselves from the lies of unworthiness. In gut wrenching, painful losses, my faith never left me. His promises have never left me. And even though I may not see them all in fruition at this moment, He has shown Himself to me in ways that I will never be able to deny His hand upon my life. I am madly in love with Jesus. I get to hang out with heaven’s host, have radical encounters with God, spread hope through faith, and it is an honor to be here and be nominated for the Walk of Faith category. 

Jay Gardner's biography is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It's a story of a man who harbored dreams, faced relentless setbacks, and yet, rose each time he was knocked down. It's the quintessential tale of an underdog.
 

Growing up, Jay was the perennial new kid, moving homes 15 times by the age of 15. Early exposure to drugs and alcohol at just 7 years old began a harrowing struggle with addiction that would repeatedly knock him down.
 

Despite these challenges, Jay discovered solace in sports. He aspired to become a professional ballplayer, but those dreams were shattered when he suffered temporary paralysis during a high school football game. Undeterred, Jay regained his strength and athleticism and joined the Navy. There, he toured the Orient and became the top-ranked boxer in the West PAC, earning an invitation to the 1984 Olympic Trials. Jay won multiple championships and seemed on track to become a heavyweight champion until the seductive forces of fame, fortune, drugs, and a dangerous entanglement with the Yakuza derailed his aspirations.
 

However, Jay's story didn't end there. He found love, was blessed with two beautiful children, and embraced a renewed faith in God's grace through Jesus Christ, which led him to the ministry. But life's trials were far from over. A spiritual warfare struck, tearing his life apart, leading to an overwhelming anger toward God, an ugly divorce, and a downward spiral back into drugs and alcohol. The final blow came when a judge's gavel sentenced him to twenty years behind bars.

However, Jay's story didn't end there. He found love, was blessed with two beautiful children, and embraced a renewed faith in God's grace through Jesus Christ, which led him to the ministry. But life's trials were far from over. A spiritual warfare struck, tearing his life apart, leading to an overwhelming anger toward God, an ugly divorce, and a downward spiral back into drugs and alcohol. The final blow came when a judge's gavel sentenced him to twenty years behind bars.
 

Behind the razor wire and the clamor of prison life, Jay faced his mother's tears and the heartache of his children growing up without their father. Each day was a reminder of his shame and regret. Yet, in that darkness, Jay discovered a new purpose. He began creating prison jewelry. These pieces, at first glance resembling gems or stones, were crafted from torn and ripped pieces of paper—a metaphor for the torn pages of our lives that God can transform into something beautiful.
 

For 17 years, Jay crafted thousands of bracelets, sending them to those in need, striving to make a difference from his small world within prison walls. Now a free man, Jay's ambition is to ignite a global movement: sharing the unique message of hope, peace, and strength found in Life Beyond Torn Pages.
 

Today, Jay is happily married to his beautiful wife, Lisa and together they share a dream in touching lives thru this radiant gift. 

Artists, influencers, organizations, churches, and many others are joining this movement, becoming Partners of Hope. These Tornpages bracelets, shared across any platform, have the power to impact lives and connect spirits, one life touching another. 

Cheryl Brown was raised in Birmingham, AL. During her time in college, she held a position at the Boy Scouts of America. Her supervisor Minnie Smith was an African American woman who was a devout Christian. It was through Minnie's guidance that Cheryl found her faith in Christ and became affiliated with the Republican Party. Minnie firmly believed that Ronald Reagan was the greatest President in history, and this conviction influenced Cheryl's decision to vote Republican for the first time. Since then, Cheryl has remained steadfast in her faith in Christ and involved politics. In November 1999, Cheryl and her husband relocated to Franklin, along with their three children.

Cheryl Brown is the CEO of Good Neighbor Foundation, Housing Urban and Development (HUD), a non-profit Housing Counseling agency dedicated to preserving homeownership for individuals and families of all income levels. Cheryl actively participates in her community and has contributed to various local nonprofit organizations, GraceWorks Ministries, BetterOptionsTN, Kings Hills House of Prayer, and the Annual Big Backpack Giveaway. Additionally, she holds board positions the Foster Care Review Board, Williamson County Animal Shelter, and serves as the Area 6 Vice President of The Tennessee Federation of Republican Women. Cheryl also served as the Past Chairman of the Williamson County Republican Party. She enjoys serving people and her community.

Hi, my name is Dave Weill, and I am a follower of Christ.  A husband of one-married August 2000.   A father of 4.   I'm an eagle scout.  At age 18, I Found out my grandmother was a prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp and my dad's name was Borisewitz before he was adopted by a man named David Weill Sr.     

Became a believer in Christ thru the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ in 1993.

I’m A veteran of Operation Desert Storm… 1991.  After I joined the military, I told my mom they had a special boot camp for old people.  She was 40.   My perspective has now changed since I'm 54 currently.    We served together in the 912th MASH.  

I wrote a book about our experience called:   Deployed with my mother.   In this book my prayer is that it will minister to people with what i shared along with the story of forgiveness that is in the book.

Last year on Mother's Day, I gave her a song about our experience.  You can listen to it if you google:  David Weill and mama and me.   It was produced by Operation Song.  

I Went to Seminary and received my Masters degree (MDIV) From MId-America Baptist Theological seminary to be in full time ministry and now I flip burgers, make shakes and drop french fries and currently own a Steaknshake in Murfreesboro, TN

This was Not my Plan!   Welcome to the story of my life.   PR 19:21

I enjoy owning a Steaknshake as it is full of opportunities to live out my Christian faith!