Only desperate people are desperate for Jesus. Waylon Bell had to learn this from personal experience. He is a man well-acquainted with struggle and obstacles, but after tragedy struck — he chose a different (and better) path.
“My mom died when I was young, and my grandmother adopted me,” said Waylon. “I was raised in the Methodist church, but I chose to stray. I ended up involved in drugs and saw one of my best friends killed. It was then that I knew I needed to change.”
After some time of personal reflection, Waylon remembered the importance of church. “My son was involved in youth group in a small community. There were seven kids, and I recognized a need. So I pulled out the cooking skills I had learned from my great-grandmother and began making meals for these children. Within six months, we went from feeding seven kids to over 120.”
“Through that experience,” Waylon continued, “I was reminded that the church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. Everyone is made in the image of God, and everyone has value. Everyone needs to feel seen and heard. We unexpectedly built a ministry on feeding others physically so we could begin to feed them spiritually.”
When it comes to service, Waylon may not seem an obvious candidate. “I am covered in tattoos, and I know I don’t fit the mold. But who says what the mold is supposed to be? If you let things hold you back, you’ll never get anywhere, so I say — break the mold! Let God use you where you are and focus on the good! There are so many ways to serve!”
Waylon Bell was a guest on the Esther Tea Podcast, “Spilling the Tea with Tracey Ann.” Listen to their conversation wherever you listen to podcasts!