Pastor Ray Houston, Motivational Speaker  Motivational Speaker from Chicago, IL

Hello I'm Pastor Ray Houston, CEO of True Believers Outlook Ministry and owner of Rays Painting. I've been in business since 1976 and a CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR for 20 years. In 25 years of leadership in ministry, I've been blessed as a Director to have been directed by awesome Bishops and Directors. I speak from the experiences of these two industries, as well as a drug addicted single parent, and businessman, that got healed my the power of God and then blessed to send my daughter to college after recovery. As THE ESCAPEE FROM HELL, there is only three things I haven't done in life. Yet, I believe the greatest accomplishment, besides raising my daughter, was being blessed of God to author the book "THERE IS LIFE AFTER DRUGS - HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?" As a businessman, I've worked for every Government Agency in America, including the OFFICE SUITE of SENATOR BARACK OBAMA. I travel from Chicago, Illinois to wherever you are as a Motivational, Keynote, Inspirational, Public, and Educational Speaker, as well as a Wedding Minister. I'm perhaps the only person ever without a license to be allowed to do, "One on One counseling," as a volunteer, for the Illinois Department of Corrections. It was there that I received the name "Motivator Ray" because of what I did, which is Real Talk, which is a part of what I was trained to do as a member of Toastmasters International. I encourage people to "OVERCOME WHATEVER HAS OVERCOME YOU." His life was all about the streets. Alcohol, sex, money, and above all, drugs, was what made his life go round. He seemed to be a hopeless case of a lost soul, until he opened his heart to see the rewards of being a single parent, raising his baby daughter even in the midst of dysfunction. Through vivid narration, Pastor Houston chronicles the sour events of his past to bring inspiration to everyone in the future. He was a drug addict for twenty-seven years, but God allowed him to escape jail, dodge death, and not lose custody of his child. His new-found freedom marks his fascinating journey of new life and hope. From Skid Row to the Federal Building, who would have ever thought that this ex-drug addicted, dysfunctional, Mr. Pookie Ray, the brother from the hood would overcome his addiction and right after 911, a time of extreme scrutiny for the country, be one of the ones allowed to come in to do business as a painting contractor for the FBI. Who would have thought he would continue to do business for the Federal Government, including the office suite of the future President of the United States then Senator Barack Obama. Most paradoxical of all is who would have thought this ex-junkie would ever do work in the Office of the Drug Enforcement Agency. That's funny! This book is a book of hope and encouragement to every person still on drugs and for every person who has a love one still out there. You must know that There Is Life After Drugs - How Bad Do You Want It? Pastor Ray Houston is known for his "Real Talk." As "The Advocate" he is compassionate and fervent about his message of healing and deliverance. Having experiences the devastation of drug and alcohol addiction he is determined to reach men and women with a message that there is "Life After Drugs." Pastor Ray grew up between the Baptist and C.M.E. Churches in Milwaukee, WI due to both his grandfather's being prominent pastors in different denominations. By the age of eight he was a member of St. Matthews C.M.E. Church where the late Presiding Elder B.S. Gregg was the pastor. Later he became a member of Bethel C.M.E. Church under emeritus Presiding Elder Grover Mitchell. Pastor Ray was nurtured by the late Pastor Leo Champion, Reverend Donald Pagel, Pastor James C. Carpenter Sr., Bishop Spencer Jones and Bishop Thomas Barclay. Pastor Ray was first licensed in October 1990 and ordained in April 1997. He is a testimony of God's divine grace, mercy, and favor. He is proof that God is yet alive and able to heal, restore, and rectify. After 27 years of hardcore drug addiction, being homeless and helpless, after losing a million dollar business that he had built from the ground because of his addiction, Pastor Ray in his walk with God is now determined to help others overcome the strongholds of substance abuse and the devastation of a dysfunctional life style. Over 20 years ago Pastor Ray founded himself facing a horrific addiction and a baby daughter that he was determined not to lose to the State, hurting and broken he came to Christ just as he was and found love and deliverance in the arms of Jesus. The journey of him and his baby daughter, Cheriamor is chronicled in his book, "There is Life After Drugs-How Bad Do You Want It." He was the junkie that raised a daughter and today that daughter is a college graduate, administrative assistant and minister that has never experienced the evilness and devastation of addiction or the sting of that life style.