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In the sixty's Debra was born and raised in the South, her father was a welder and her mother a school bus driver. She grew up spending most of her time outdoors with eight boys (two of whom were her brothers) and she was every bit the epitome of a typical “tomboy". The summer Debra turned 13, she started her first job as a waitress at Shoney's where she worked for the next five years learning many life lessons through meeting and greeting others.
While she didn't know it at the time, Debra would begin her career in insurance before she had graduated from high school. As an outstanding typist, she landed a typing position with a major insurance company during her senior year which would start her down the path to a successful insurance career. Today, Debra is an Accredited Adviser of Insurance and owner of a family-operated Independent Insurance Agency serving over a thousand families and businesses throughout the southeast.
At the age of 19, Debra heard God's calling and answered by giving her life over to Him. From there, her spiritual journey began with God as a potter shaping His clay bringing forth new changes from a childhood of many struggles.
In 1982, Debra married David and soon afterwards they had their children Victor and Valerie. Twelve years later, the family of four became the family of five with the birth of Asher Marie. Debra was once again on the potter’s wheel as she headed for the known turbulent teenage years with her first two children and a baby on-board!
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As a wife and mother, Debra's plate was full juggling motherhood and building a successful insurance career while David was busy as a stay-at-home dad. Debra credits her business successes to David's endless sacrifice, encouragement, advice and sound judgment. Today, she laughs when she recalls what David always said about raising a family, "The spouse that works outside the home should consider his or her work as a hobby, whereas the spouse staying at home with the kids is committed to a job that never ends!"
Committed to sharing God's love, Debra founded Reflections with Debra™ in 2005, a nursing home prayer ministry that meets weekly to read the Bible and pray for the needs of others. In 2006, she formed We2ArePrayingForYou.com™ which serves as an on-line prayer request site where the prayers received are prayed over by the ministry at Reflections. In 2009, she formed Lifetime Promises Ministries Inc™, a 501(c)(3) non-profit private foundation that provides financial assistance and Bibles to the working poor and to those struggling on our streets.
Reflecting on her ministry, insurance business, and raising a family, Debra gives God all the glory as she says, "He took a simple country girl and taught me to believe in myself through His love and His glory in becoming a caring wife, a nurturing mother, a dedicated business leader, a Chaplain, a Christian speaker and a street missionary." Moreover, Debra says while she and David have been blessed beyond their dreams, one of their proudest accomplishments was seeing both Victor and Valerie to be the first in their families to graduate from college. Victor graduated with a Master of Business Administration in Operations and Valerie with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
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Today – Victor and his family live in Charlotte, NC and he is employed as a Vice President in the banking industry. Valerie is married and works in the family agency as an Executive Vice President. Asher is a junior at Kennesaw State University.
Debra is often sought out to speak to large and small groups alike, sharing her love for God and showing through scripture how to break free from life's chains and live the Prosperous Life. One of Debra’s favorite Bible verses contains the words of Jesus: “You are slaves of sin, every one of you. And slaves don’t have rights, but the Son has every right there is! So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.”
(John 8:34-36)
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Call today to schedule Debra for your next speaking engagement.
Phone (770) 235-1103 | DebraWardSpeaker@gmail.com
Voice messages and emails for Debra are returned within 2 business days - Thank you!
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