Story & Lesson Highlights with Michele Davenport of Kansas city, Mo.

Michele Davenport shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Michele, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
What makes me lose track of time and find myself again is hopping into my Jeep, listening to praise music as loud as possible with the top off my Jeep and windows down.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Michele Davenport, I am a ordained minister. I write Christian faith based books, one which is my testimony, called, Ripened on the Vine, it’s being made into a movie, called Washed by Water. My ministry is called Faith Builders, I am a non-profit. I also did prison ministry for six years. I hold women’s conferences, host two radio shows on Christian Mix 106, and I’m the host of the Vertical Hope Show which is shown in sixty-two countries. I’m writing my sixth book, called, Pregnant with Purpose, prayerfully it will be out by 2026. I love my family and my animals. I just started a new hobby, off roading with my Jeep.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
What I believed about myself when I was a child was I was broken beyond repair. I now know who I am in Christ, and He heals the broken hearted and redeems what the enemy has tried to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10) I am a new creation in Christ the old is gone. ( 2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
What I wish the grown girl could have told little girl back then.

You are going to go through some things. People you trusted are going to abuse you in ways not many can even imagine. Your innocence will be stolen at a very early age. You will endure a lot of loss and say goodbye to people way too early. You will become your mommas mom because she will become an heroin addict, get married seven times, leave you stranded while she runs off on a drug run with her drug dealer husband. You will be abducted from an amusement park and molested for hours. The aunt and uncle you trusted will rape you. You will get involved with drugs and engaged to a heroin addict..You, sweet girl will lose your way. You will be knocked down more times than I really care to tell you about… but you will get back up each and every time because staying down was never an option for you.
Listen to me….You’re going to make it through. You’re going to give your life to Jesus. He is going to restore, redeem, and renew you. His love will wash over you with His mercy and grace. He will show you the way. You will walk in it. He will call you out of the darkness so you can in turn call others out of the darkness. He will have you write your testimony in a book called, “Ripened on the Vine” and turn the book into a movie called, “Washed by Water” and millions will come to Jesus because you were willing to be made whole. You will not just survived but you will yanked the pen out of the enemies hand and allowed God to write your ending. You will have gone through hell but you will come out anointed, full of power, and chasing after the hurting so they can be free too.
You are going to make it little girl. I promise. I never left you I was just waiting for the right time to emerge. I love you.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
The truth that very few people agree with me on is, I believe in total forgiveness, no matter what has been done to you. I’ll never forget when the Lord showed me a battlefield. He said, “Michele I know you will help your momma off the field but will you help the man who abducted and molested you at the amusement park? With tears rolling down my face I said, “Yes Lord, I will help him too.” You see, the battlefield is where the wounded are laying. They are hurt, therefore they hurt others. The day the Lord showed me the vision of the battlefield He spoke to my spirit. He said the man who molested you is my son to. Jesus went to the cross selflessly. When you make forgiveness only about you, it’s selfishness. He showed me I had been taught only half truths over the years, not on purpose, but nonetheless it was half truth. Pastors and friends would say, “Michele you need to forgive so you can be set free.” Although there is some truth in the statement, it was half truth. The whole truth is God wants the man who hurt me to be forgiven to. Today, I not only forgave him, I want to see him in heaven. That’s the whole truth.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I pray people tell about me when I”m gone.

Michele loved with her whole heart, she adored her family, she forgave in full, never expecting or needing an apology. She was willing to go wherever the Lord told her to go. She heard His voice and replied, “Here I am Lord send me.” She prayed everyday, “Use me to be an answer to someone else’s prayer.” Michele loved life and never met a stranger. She was fearless in her faith and faithful to the end.

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Image Credits
Photo Edge Photography: Erin Hernandez- Reisner and Marco Reisner

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