My Dad worked for the NC Fish and Game Commission, so I learned early that the outdoors are “important”. It was a place of peace and refuge, especially for a little boy who lost his mother at five years of age. Living in Alaska was Dad’s big dream. At one point he applied for a position there, but Mom developed cancer and died and the dream died too. However, my wife, Tracy, and I leaped at the opportunity to go to Alaska. We packed up our two children and headed for adventure. Alaska was everything that we had hoped for. It was “outdoors” personified and we jumped in with both kids. We went back country camping, blueberry picking, prospecting, fishing creeks with grizzly bears, catching salmon, halibut and graylings hunting. It was the adventure of a lifetime.

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The devil takes particular pleasure in going after pastor’s kids. Raised in a pastor’s home in Asheville NC, I went from my high school graduation in 1972 into a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol. For the next seven years I wasted my life. However, a faithful God answered the prayers of my parents and in 1979 I had a “head-on” encounter with Jesus. He totally delivered me from that dark pit and I have not touched alcohol or drugs for the past 29 years.

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The athletic director at ASU back then was Jim Garner. He knew me from our days in the same staff at Texas Tech. Though I’d never heard of ASU and didn’t know where Boone was I jumped at the chance to be a head coach again. I honestly felt as if this was my last chance in coaching. Little did I know how things would turn out here in Boone. I look back and it’s interesting to see how God put all the pieces of the puzzle together to allow us to do what we’ve done here. I could talk about beating Michigan or about winning 3 national championships, but I can honestly say that my greatest thrill in coaching is seeing young men develop and grow and change for the better. To have some kind of role in being a godly example and influence to those players and others is an honor and a privilege for which I’m extremely grateful.

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My late husband Dwight and I were publishing Christian books to be distributed in prisons and jails and although it was a fruitful ministry, we sensed God had something more in store for us. So, we turned off the t.v. and began to seek His direction-“What do you want, Lord?”

During this earnest seeking we were invited to the dedication of the Nelson Bell Building through Samaritan’s Purse. Nelson Bell was Ruth Bell Graham’s missionary father who spent many years spreading the gospel in China. As part of the ceremony, each guest was given a copy of Nelson Bell’s book entitled “Foreign Devil in China”. This book fired Dwight up and a passion for China began to grown in his heart.

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When I was 10 years old, my life and the lives of every one of my family members was radically changed for the better. It all happened because a church in the neighborhood where I lived reached out to my family with the love of God. Before we moved to the neighborhood, my family was nominally involved in a Baptist Church. Occasionally, we would go to church on a Sunday but it wasn’t something any of us took seriously. When we moved, we didn’t attend church at all, even though there was a church within 1/2 mile of our house.

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He taught me what it meant to truly follow His leadership in all things. During this time in my life I saw the license tag that says; “God is my co-pilot” and I remembered thinking that if He was my co-pilot, then I was in the wrong seat. I wanted him to be the pilot completely. He was teaching me how to keep my hands off the wheel and to simply let him have complete control. He opened my eyes to the kingdom of God and the whole spiritual realm in a way that has helped me through some tough times in my life.

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I feel very blessed to have been raised in a Christian family with a strong Christian heritage. My parents are Christians, they were raised in Christian homes and their parents were too. As far as I know, most of my extended family are Christians, so it seems as if I’ve been surrounded by God’s love from the time I was born. It was this type of Christian upbringing that I credit for enabling me to make a sincere commitment to Christ at the early age of seven years.

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I was raised in a Christian home and I’m so grateful that many of my relatives were sincere Christians. Because of their positive influence, I began to seek answers at an early age and asked my parents lots of questions about what it meant to be a Christian. When I was nine years old, at my church’s Vacation Bible School, lots of things became clear to me. At this point I wanted to make a public profession of my faith in Christ, but my pastor wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. Once a week for several months he met with me and some others to teach us the Bible. After this, I was baptized and I’m grateful for the firm foundation I received at that early age.

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This story is a testament to God’s grace in the life of an individual in our small mountain community. It testifies to the change, calling, and effect that this grace produces. That is why we call it a testimony. Usually, when we think of a person leaving a life of sin, repenting, and turning to Jesus for true life, we think of a roller-coaster ride.

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My story is one of reconciliation and restoration — a true miracle. In 1969 I married a wonderful man who grew up in a family much like mine — pillars of the community, faithful church members, leaders and givers. It was a marriage made in heaven. We moved to the High Country in 1972. My husband gave up his aspirations in politics and began a new career as a true “country lawyer.“ We were blessed with two beautiful daughters and a delightful new home on Dutch Creek Falls in Valle Crucis.

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Most people do not have the opportunity to participate in politics as an elected official. Working in the political arena requires hours away from home, knowledge of public policy, skills in public engagement, and the foundation of support from their community. Deanna Ballard, Senator for North Carolina’s 45th District, is privileged to step into this microcosm of government as both an elected official and as a committed follower of Jesus Christ. Deanna’s testimony reflects God’s abundant provision and sovereignty as each step from Lincoln County, to college, to the White House, to Boone, is marked by God’s fingerprints.

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This is my story. I do not deserve to have such a joyful relationship with Jesus. I should still be in that ocean of darkness, without hope. But Jesus loves me. Even though I was completely broken and filled with hopelessness. Jesus loved me. Jesus came after me. Jesus rescued me. And all I had to do was put my faith in Him.

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Before we dive in, I wanted to thank Ben Cox, my “brother from another mother,” for not letting me off the hook over the years to write an article for the “The Journey.” It has created a space for me to reflect, and as John Bunyan wrote, it is “profitable for Christians to be often calling to mind the very beginnings of grace with their souls” (Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners) (Bunyan’s most famous work is Pilgrim’s Progress).

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I‘m alone in my office writing this article on June 9, 2022 as the last thing that needs to happen before we send this edition to the printer. It’s important for you to know the date that I’m writing this article for several reasons.

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Prior to graduating Cum Laude from NC State University with a degree in mechanical engineering, I thought that I would have no problem landing a job. Yet, in spite of the fact that I was diligently searching, nothing seemed to be happening.

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My mom was a devout Catholic who made sure I went to church and Catholic School. Even though her faith meant a lot to her, I only went to church because it was important to her that I go. I was sincere to a point, but I didn’t know what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As a result, I lived my life however I wanted.

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In 1992, I was a husband, the father of two young girls and a business owner. As a Christian man, I took my responsibility to be a provider for my family very seriously. I also was very involved in my church.

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Ever since I was a little girl, my relationship with God and my involvement in church has meant a lot to me. As the youngest of 7 children growing up in Nashville Tennessee, I remember walking to the Methodist Church 2 1⁄2 blocks from my house.

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I have a rich, yet very unique spiritual heritage. I was raised in a Mennonite Brethren Church, whose members were predominately African American, like me. The reason there are several Mennonite churches in this mountain region like the one I grew up in here in Boone, all stems back to a school and orphanage that was started by Mennonites in the early 1900’s.

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There is not a heart more broken than that of a parent losing a child in physical death. That’s why this promise from Gad is so valuable in our lives. We, David & Cindy Blust, lost our precious “Prince Richard”, as we call him, to a drug overdose on June 6, 2003

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