Issue 1 | 2024

“GOD AND HIS LIVING WORD HAVE
TRANSFORMED ME—A PRIDEFUL,
SELFISH MAN WITH INTEGRITY
ISSUES—INTO A LEADER.”
Jerry, pictured right, has dedicated
his life to leading CEOs to success
through his coaching and business
consulting agency.
I left the Corps in worse moral
shape than when I started.
Back in Virginia, life looked
good…at least on the outside.
I was a functioning alcoholic
whose heart, ego, and soul
were a mess. Within one year
of being discharged, I had accumulated
two DUIs, a showcause
charge, and multiple
convictions…and I met that
the Lord and, for reasons still
unclear, loves me. God called
her into my life when I was
at my absolute worst, and He
used her to reflect the love of
Jesus to me long before I came
to know Him personally.
I didn’t make it easy, but Jesus
kept her strong and committed
to me even though I
failed to honor her and our
Hearing scripture built my
faith too. I clung to 2 Timothy
1:7. It promises that I can
have God’s power, love, and a
sound mind for myself.
On January 24, 2010, I surrendered
my life to Jesus. I left
the world’s train tracks and
sought God’s rails—His guardrails
of purpose, provision, and
protection. His line, narrow as
children and both lead successful
businesses.
My greatest privilege is
teaching other CEOs, their executive
teams, and business
owners how to apply God’s
Word and lead like Jesus in
the marketplace. The guardrails
God set out in His Word
never fail to lead to success.
(See Joshua 1.)
PHOTO BY EMMANUEL PEZOA FROM DB ARCADE
locomotive.
marriage vows. Sonia spent
it may be (Matthew 7:13), has
Maybe like me, you’ve spent
I know now that it was God’s
countless hours praying for me
led me down a path of life and
years dodging trains. Trust me,
grace that kept me from be-
through my years of arrogance,
success (John 10:10), instead of
the consequences will eventu-
coming a Marine Corps officer. I
alcoholism, and arrests. And it
death and destruction.
ally catch up to you. There’s
was too full of myself, thus unfit
was her love that finally broke
God and His Living Word
a better way. Get on the right
to lead. Pride worked like a can-
through to my rebellious heart.
have transformed me—a
track, God’s track. Purpose,
cer in my heart, affecting every
The Bible says faith comes
prideful, selfish man with in-
provision, protection, and a
decision I made and blinding
by hearing (Romans 10:17).
tegrity issues, into a leader.
host of other blessings like
me to the cloud of destruction
It’s true.
He has blessed Sonia and me
salvation, freedom, success,
looming over me (Proverbs
Hearing about the good-
in the executive world and at
abundance, and a new identity
11:2; 16:5,18; 29:23). The fact
ness of God at home and wit-
home. Today, we have four
are on His line.
that my marriage survived is
nessing His grace operating
a testament to God’s grace and
the love of my wife.
Second only to the Lord
Jesus, Sonia is the greatest
blessing of my life. She loves
in Sonia’s life helped bring me
to faith. So did the testimonies
of addicts in Alcoholics
Anonymous and other stories
about God’s healing power.
JERRY HOWARD is an executive mentor, speaker, and author whose mission
of God is to share the Gospel of Jesus and to “go and make disciples.” Jerry owns
multiple businesses and founded iNTREPiD iMPACT Team, a comprehensive
leadership coaching and business consulting agency. He is a licensed healthcare
executive and has successfully overseen multiple post-acute healthcare centers.
He can be reached at JerryHowardInternational.com.
28 Issue 01 / 2024 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM