We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Derrick R. Zachary. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Derrick R. below.
Dr. Derrick R., looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I was born in a small town called Opelousas in Louisiana. Imagine it is as small and rural as you are thinking. Whatever you think, I called it home until my dad died tragically, and my mom moved to Atlanta. Before my dad went to heaven, I had the opportunity to learn from him, impacting my life tremendously. My father and grandfather always said, “As a man, you must be a provider for your house. never allow your house to want for anything, even if you don’t enjoy some time with them, but knowing it’s taken care of is the greatest fulfillment in your life.” You asked where I got my work ethic from; then, I have to say it was from my dad and grandfather.
I remember waking up before the roosters in the morning with my grandfather because it was time to milk the cows, feed the animals, tend to the garden, etc. Sometimes, we would wake up and go to the bayou to fish. I learned through this routine that success comes with hard work. My father was a construction worker, and his motto to his kids was, “You don’t have to work outside but work inside to know the business. The grueling work outside comes with much hardship, but you [should] know your craft and make it work for you.”
Sometimes we may not feel like getting up every morning, but the work must be completed. I learned about doing things with the spirit of excellence. I learned about punctuality; I will be the first person at an event except for extreme circumstances. I learned character, integrity, and honesty just by being in the presence of my father and grandfather. It matters to a young child, especially a black male child, that he has a cheerleader. Not just, anybody, it is the dad or granddad right there with him.
Spending that much time with your child, showing them what it means to get up and go to work every day, to provide for his family, to protect his family, will and should only positively impact the child’s life. Even when it looks like the child is not paying attention, they pick up wisdom nuggets and good habits that will last them a lifetime.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Some would say my story is complicated; I call it preparation. Like many of your readers, childhood trauma plagued my existence. A short version of a very long story goes, during my mother’s pregnancy with me, a snake attacked her. I was repeatedly molested by an older cousin starting at age three, and my father died tragically in a car accident at eleven. Riddled with grief, my mom turned to drugs leaving me to take care of and father my younger sisters. My mom moved us to Gwinnett County, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, after my dad’s death. I went through high school, participating in gymnastics and other sports. I went to college and was raped twice. I was an emotional wreck and a furious man. Most people would have given up on life, but I didn’t because a mother in the church began to speak into my spirit concerning my anger issues.
That conversation set me on a path to healing. The process was long, some would say treacherous, because I was torn between the life I became used to and the life I knew God wanted me to live. I am a prophet of God, and I am called to speak His oracles; the only problem is the churches I affiliated with exploited me and persecuted me for my gifts. I have done some exciting and questionable things in my life, some not proud of, but I have no regrets because it was in those moments God was preparing me for such a time as this. God ordered my steps before I was in my mother’s womb, so He already knew that I would endure these things, and what I learned from all of this is none of it was for me. God knew I could help someone with my story, so I endured and weathered the storm for that person. God knew I would get to a place where I would glorify Him.
There is way more to tell. However, I will stop here because I want the reader to know that God is able. I worked in healthcare full-time, which allowed me to meet and minister to people and turn them to God. In 2009, I founded Walking in Authority International Ministries. I opened a church where people could come and learn about God and create and develop a relationship with Him, eliminating religious philosophies that have plagued the body of Christ. I travel the country, spreading the gospel of truth, using the “cry loud and spare not” method of salvation, and Applying Love To All Relationships (ALTAR) as a retention method.
On March 31, 2023, I left healthcare to embark on a new journey in ministry as an author. I recently completed a book called “48 Days of prophetic utterances”. You can find it on Amazon, and I hope it will bless the heart of every reader. My ultimate desire is that the book will change lives for the better.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
A local television station used to open the newscast with a graphic that said: “Dedicated, Determined, Dependable.” Those three words were used to describe me long before they said it and long after they stopped using it. No matter what task I took on or what positive opportunity was presented, I was dedicated to it. I am dedicated to the things I do now. I advise that when you put your heart and soul into a project, you will appreciate it more. When you are dedicated to your craft, you have no choice but to get better. There will be days when you do not want to do it anymore, and things will not go as you think they should, but you can not give up. You must stay in the game because the finished product is satisfying. To the body of believers, be dedicated to developing your relationship with God. No matter what it looks like.
Likewise, determination is the key. You cannot just be dedicated. You must be determined to reach your goal. I got into gymnastics and track because people told me I could not or would not be good at it. I got my education because somebody told me I would flunk out. Whenever someone told me I could not do something, I was determined to prove I could. I was tenacious in my approach and advice: do not let anybody tell you what you can not do. Set goals and go after them with everything in your being.
Last but not least, be a man or woman of your word. Be the person people can depend on when needed. As a preacher/Apostle, so many people rely on me for many things; most of the time, I am there. I am always where I say I will be when I say I will be there. My advice is don’t be afraid to say NO! Sometimes people will ask you to do something because they know you will get it done and that you are dependable. That is a trap I fell into trying to be everything for everybody. You are only one person; no matter how reliable, it is okay to say No and take a vacation.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
As an Apostle, as most Christian leaders do, I teach those who follow me to trust God. I teach them to commit and submit to what he believe is His will and purpose for our lives. The bottom line is that most leaders need to practice what they preach. They do the opposite. Well, my faith and trust were put to the test this year. March 31, 2023, was my last day on a full-time job, where I was getting a guaranteed salary with benefits. Remember that I have been working since I was fourteen years old and taking care of myself since eleven. I am not the preacher who has ever taken a salary from the church, and I still do not. While working full-time and ministering full-time, I also wrote a book. The book called 48 Days of Prophetic Utterances, is complete and can be found on Amazon. The book company wanted me to go on a book tour, and I could not figure it out, so I sought the Lord. When He told me to leave the job, I hesitated, which was a complete struggle. I did not and do not want to depend on anybody.
I cannot put into words the inner struggle that took place. I overcame the battle because God reminded me of my source. He is the source of my life, my sustainer, and my redeemer. God made some promises, and I had to stand on those promises. My faith in God and my trust in God had to increase. I had to obey because He is God and cannot lie to those He has chosen. Ultimately, I had to remind myself that I am an example for many people. I had to do this to prove to others that when you trust and believe what God is telling you, He is obligated by His word to take care of you. It’s been a few months, and I have not missed a beat. All my bills are paid, everything I need is taken care of, and I still have not received a check from the church. God is Able.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr.dzachary?igshid=Y2IzZGU1MTFhOQ==
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dr-derrick-zachary-89198130
- Twitter: @ApostleDRZ
Image Credits
Derrick Zachary
