My hometown is Dadeville, Alabama the county seat of Tallapoosa County, and I presently live in Wetumpka, the county seat of Elmore County. However, I was born in San Diego, California when my dad was in the United States Navy for 4 years. He met my mom there who was from Fort Meade, Florida - married her, conceived me and we moved back to Dadeville when I was 6 months of age.
I grew up there the oldest of 5 children born in 6 years and 9 days to Donald and Alice Willis. My parents and grandparents owned a retail grocery business and we all worked in it. I grew up a block behind the Baptist Church there. I joined the church when I was about 10. I was the last one in my Sunday School class to join the church. Of course, my motive was for acceptance by my peers. In my teen years I made a rededication at about 15 years of age. A professional football player was speaking at our church. I felt someone would reward him for a job well done. So out of the motive of reward, seeking to sense worth and value for myself - I went forward in the service.
By the time I was 17 I got married. Shortly afterwards I was introduced to marijuana. That led from one drug to another. And by the time I was 20 years of age I came to an addiction to cocaine. It was at that point the Holy Spirit revealed God’s love for me and set me free from that addiction supernaturally. I was born again with a new spirit, made truly alive for the first time spiritually, from above by the Spirit of God. My life was totally changed, made new and different than I had ever been.