My name is Roy Benards. I grew up on the Northside of Madison in the Northport apartments. I didn't have a real positive experience going to church. To be honest with you, it terrified me. I felt like the rituals, the phrases - I didn't know what they were, so I was ashamed, I was embarrassed. I felt like I wasn't worthy of a relationship with Jesus Christ or worthy of God's love.

Growing up, through, I always felt a longing for something more. I think a large part of that is due to my father making the decision to make and leave when we were 2. 

I had role models, if you will, but they weren't always the most positive role models. I learned to not forgive people and kind of always be looking over your shoulder to what's going to be happening next.

I'm married and then two years later we have our first daughter, Brenna Claire, who's amazing. I knew I wanted more for my daughters and our family, but not having having the positive male role models growing up, I wasn't sure how to do that. I know what I wanted, but the how to attain that was a struggle.

My wife and I would still go to church here and there a little bit but it was more superficial, more act of compliance on Sundays if you will. But I still struggled with that relationship with Jesus Christ.

When Brenna was about two-years-old, we discovered Door Creek. It was like, when we went, Pastor Brad was speaking right to me and looking right at my broken heart. And then I found myself turning to God and saying, "I need you. I can't do this alone. I want more for my family than I'm humanly capable of. Please lay your hand and grace on my broken heart."

The process for me becoming a Christ follower was just time, and patience and the Holy Spirit always nudging me and saying, "We're here. I'm here. When you're done trying it your way, just listen and follow what I have for you." It was always just this gentle, "I'm here for you, all you have to do is listen. All you have to do is follow me."

One of the many blessings that I have in my life is to be an elementary principal at Windsor Elementary School in DeForest. I feel like looking out for kids, embracing the challenges that the kids have, the families have, being a resource, being a sounding board...I want to model Christ's unconditional love and support and I hope in some ways I can do that by the 560+ kids I get to work with every day.

You don't need to be defined by the circumstances that surround your life. You don't need to be defined by other people's choices or actions. And that's hard with the shame and the guilt and the pain that can come with other people's choices. But I've learned that God has not defined me through that. But rather, I'm defined by His grace and mercy and His unconditional love. 

And that's a pretty cool thing when you can get to that point. And it's pretty fulfilling and pretty enriching. I'm thankful for that.