David Lewis III of Northwest Florida on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with David Lewis III and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning David, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Who are you learning from right now?
You know, if I am being totally honest, the person I am learning the most from right now is my brother in Christ, Jeremiah Jacksun. He is the creative owner and executive producer of the Know Your Platform podcast, and I get to co-host it with him.

And man, the change in him over the past year or so has been something else to see. I knew him when his faith was just kind of there. But now? It is the core of everything he does. The discipline he has now, the way he actively seeks to be obedient, it is not for show, it is just who he is. What really stands out is how his humility has taken on a whole new depth. He has always been a humble guy, but now there is a powerful sincerity to it. It is not just about not taking credit; it is about actively pointing every bit of glory back to God in everything he does.

The biggest lesson for me was watching him shift the podcast. It was not a committee decision or a marketing strategy. He just followed a conviction. He basically said, “God needs to be the center of this now. He needs to get the glory, and it is time we center this around Christ.” We were talking about all sorts of surface level stuff before, and that shift was like a lightbulb going off for me. It showed me that all the other topics we discussed were just temporary. They did not have the same lasting power.

He did not have to bring me along on that new path, but he did. And now, seeing how he lives his life when the mics are off, it is pushing me in my own life. He is teaching me that faith is not a part of your life, it is your life. It is in the small choices and the big ones. So yeah, I am just incredibly thankful for him. I am learning what it truly means to walk with God by watching my brother do it, one faithful step at a time.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Alright, Bold Journey readers, let’s get right into it. I truly appreciate this opportunity to speak with y’all, and it’s a genuine pleasure to connect. I am David Lewis III, a son of the Gulf Coast, raised right here in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. For me, life has always been about the stories we live and the truths that anchor us.

These days, a huge part of my story is my work with Know Your Platform. If you asked me what I do, the simple answer is that I am the co host of the podcast. But if you asked me what that means, I would say I get to have real, honest conversations with my brother in Christ, Jeremiah Jacksun. We started out with a life coaching angle, but we felt a clear calling to shift gears. It was not about finding more answers within ourselves, but about discovering the ultimate answer in surrendering to Christ.

So, my role has really evolved into being a conversation guide. I see myself as someone who helps steer our talks toward the hope and truth we find in Scripture. My parents taught me that every struggle finds its answer at the foot of the cross, and that is the heartbeat I try to bring to every episode. It is not about having a platform. It is about knowing the foundation your platform is built on.

What makes this work so special is that it is a reflection of my own story. I am just an ordinary guy from a town with sandy streets and saltwater in the air, living proof that an extraordinary life is not about where you start, but who you follow. Whether you are listening from a beachside town or a city high rise, my hope is that our conversations feel like a lifeline, a genuine, lifegiving encounter with a grace that changes everything.

Thanks for letting me share a little of my story with you.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
That is one of the biggest questions we all face, isnt it? From what I have seen and lived, what breaks the bonds between people almost always comes down to a shift in foundation. When we build our connections on things like pride, unmet expectations, or selfishness, those are shaky grounds. They cannot withstand the storms of disappointment or misunderstanding.

For me, the only way I can truly make sense of brokenness and restoration is through my faith. I have come to believe that every bond, every opportunity to connect with someone, needs to be God led and Christ driven. So, if a bond breaks, I have to trust that God allowed it for a reason maybe to protect us, to redirect us, or to teach us something about His grace that we could not have learned otherwise. It is not always clear in the moment, but I have found He always reveals the purpose in His timing.

And that is the same key to restoration. It is not about our own ability to forgive or forget, which is limited. Real restoration happens at the foot of the cross. It starts with humility, acknowledging our own part in the brokenness, and extending the same grace that Christ has given us. It is about rebuilding that bond on the unshakable foundation of His love, rather than our own fragile feelings.

So, whether you share my beliefs or not, I think the principle holds true: the strength of a bond, and its ability to be restored, ultimately depends on what you have built it on. For me, that foundation has to be Christ. Everything else is just sand.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
To be completely honest, yes. There have been moments times I have felt overwhelmed, uncertain, or just plain tired where the thought of giving up crossed my mind. We all face those seasons.

I think it is important to be wise about what we share publicly, because not every struggle is for a public stage. But what I can tell you is this: in every single one of those low moments, what kept me from actually letting go was the unshakable truth that God is in total control.

The feeling of wanting to give up, for me, was always a sign that I was trying to steer the ship myself. I was looking at the storm instead of the one who calms the waves. The moment I truly surrendered when I said, “Okay, God, this is Yours. I cannot, but You can” was the moment the fear lost its power. It was not that the circumstances always changed instantly, but my perspective did. I was no longer carrying the weight alone.

For anyone reading this, believer or not, my story is just a testament to this: without Christ, I am certain I would have given up. It is not about religion; it is about a relationship that gives you a foundation that cannot be shaken. He has not just kept me afloat; He has taught me how to thrive, even when everything else says I should quit. So, in those hard times, I have learned to lean in closer, not walk away. Because with Him at the center, there is always a way forward.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I look around and see so much brilliance, so much innovation, and it is incredible. But I think where incredibly smart people often get it wrong is by believing the intelligence itself is the ultimate source of the solution.

It is a trap I have had to be mindful of myself. We can start to rely so heavily on our own understanding, our own “common sense,” that we forget there is a higher wisdom. For me, the smartest decision I ever made was realizing that my own intellect, without Christ, is limited. It is like having a powerful engine but no true north on the compass. You can go fast, but are you going in the right direction?

The real misstep is when we let our gifts, whether it is intellect, creativity, or problem solving, become a source of pride instead of a reminder of grace. We start to believe we are the source of our own success. But the truth I live by is that without Christ, I am nothing. Every good gift, including the ability to think and reason, comes from Him.

So, when we invent something amazing or solve a massive problem but fail to acknowledge the One who gave us the capacity to do it, we are missing the entire point. We might achieve temporary, worldly success, but we are disconnected from the eternal purpose behind our gifts. The greatest invention in the world means very little if it is not rooted in something greater than ourselves.

In short, smart people get it wrong when they rely on their own understanding instead of surrendering to God’s. It is not about being less intelligent; it is about being more humble, recognizing that true wisdom begins with acknowledging Him.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I have to give my best, even if no one ever notices. It all comes down to who I’m working for. I see any ability I have as a gift straight from God. So, when I do something, my main goal is to be a good steward of that gift. It’s my way of honoring God, so for me, it’s about faithfulness, not fame.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealdavidlewis?igsh=cWFjcnZtMmgxdGFs
• Other: https://www.knowyourplatformpodcast.com