Just a Thought "Where I'm at Today"

Early Days: Born in Middle Tennessee to Hubert and Loretta Hayes and raised in the hills of East Tennessee I enjoyed the benefits that most kids growing up today don't... Freedom (and yes these pictures are located basically in my back yard at home). I had the hills of the countryside at my becking call and I took advantage of every moment of it. Where I lived parents and children alike didn't have to worry about child predators, just watch your feet for snakes. Like any boy I loved toys, especially action packed toys, but the my favorite toy as a kid was a simple stick. With a stick and a huge imagination which us Hayes' never lacked in imagination, I could turn that stick into anything. It could be a sword, a gun, and if it were big enough I would stand it up and fight it as if it were a wrestler. I became a big fan of Bible hero's at a fairly young age. Interested in their amazing stories I would often pretend I were them. I would find the biggest stick I could and march through the woods as if I were Moses marching through the wilderness. But as a kid the Apostle Peter was my favorite. Never one lacking in words I would often find myself trying to dig myself out of a hole I had just created by saying stuff I shouldn't have, and if you read your Bible you'll see Peter was the same way.

Spring City Worship Center: But now I'm a big kid. I received my call to preach at age 12 and at age 16 accepted it. At age 12 I was eager to serve the church and my pastor at the time Bro. Mike Grace gave me that opportunity. He told me that if I were going to represent the ministry then I needed to start dressing like it. So the Hank that you see wearing ties and dress clothes came at a very young age. My ministry duty was simple: Take up the offering and be at the men's prayer breakfast every Saturday Morning (5am). I learned a lot during that time in Spring City, such as getting young people involved at a young age in ministry, how to pray, and the joys and strength you can get from men praying together continually.

Rockwood FUPC: A few years had passed and I found myself at the Rockwood First United Pentecostal Church which was coventually located right in front of my mothers house basically. I got into serving the church right away there by participating in church work days and running the sound system, little did I know that my preaching days were about to begin.

Rockwood was getting a youth pastor was the word around the church, and honestly the youth group was beyond excited about it. Vandy Watt moved to Tennessee from Georgia when he was asked to be our youth pastor. During his arrival the youth group began to grow and I was blessed to be apart of that. Sis. Wilson and he taught me the purpose and benefits of teaching Bible studies, attach that with the burden God had given me for souls and you had one very aggressive Hank on your hands. But it was Bro. Vandy who came up to me and asked me to preach one of the up and coming youth services. During this time I had never preached, only taught and testified, and how many 16 year old preachers do you really know? Sure, I won't kid you I was nervous, but as any preacher called of God can tell you there is something about ministering to the needs of people from a pulpit. Some may take that the wrong way because ministry needs to be outside the pulpit as well, but you've got to remember, ministry outside of the pulpit was all I had ever known, now I was stepping into a different league per say.

The first message I preached has actually continued to be one of my favorites that has evolved in the 7 years since I first preached it. It was titled "Stepping on the Enemy" a message God actually gave to me as I was helping my dad plow our garden. I'll never forget the opportunities that was given to me during that run in Rockwood, nor the mentors that I had.

Present Day: So what am I doing now? I'm in college getting my degree to teach History, I'm a clown in the juggling act I call life, working two jobs, ministering, offering advice and counsel to our youth, and in a healthy relationship with my girlfriend and best friend Sydney Lindsay. I moved to Murfreesboro, TN right after my freshmen year of college and I've been here ever since. My Pastor Phil DePriest and his wonderful wife Sis. Carla DePriest have taken me in and made me feel very much apart of their church family at The Pentecostals of Murfreesboro where I serve on the ministry team teaching, preaching, discipling future ministers, preaching out, and working on the youth staff offering guadence to our youth and serving as outreach director. Besides my Pastor and his wife my mentors include Family Pastor Kevin Allen, and my close friends Bro. Terry and Sis. Liz Freeman (my Murfreesboro dad & mom).
With that being said I'm very thankful for the mentors I've had in my life. People I can look up to who were not only amazing people but spiritual leaders as well. I only hope that I can leave a positive imprint on the lives that I touch like my grandmother, Bro. Vandy, the Freeman's, Bro. Kevin, the Grace's, and the DePriest's have had on mine.

Thanks for reading,
Hank