From the Ashes to the Crown: The Life and Testimony of Ben Davis

By Ben Davis

This book is a candid look into the world I created for myself growing up. It was a world of hurt, abuse, hatred, drugs, violence, and sex. Writing this book was very therapeutic for me as I confronted myself, and I hope it will be a spine-chilling experience for those who read it. In these pages, I share the knowledge that Jesus healed me and set me totally free, and it is my passion and dream that these words could help you experience that same freedom in your own life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490853994

Ben Davis

Ben Davis is an award-winning children's author. He lives in Tamworth with his ever-patient family and in his spare time enjoys rock climbing, white-water rafting and pretending to have adventurous hobbies.

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Copyright © 2014 Ben Davis.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For a time in my life that was such a blur, so messed up, so distorted, so hurtful and so raw, I have done my absolute best to record the events and details as accurately as possible. So, for the record, I have not purposely made up any circumstances or fabricated any of the details in this book. Having said all of that, for reasons of anonymity I have not referred to any of the persons that are mentioned in this telling of my life story by their real names except for myself.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-5398-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5399-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014917400

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/13/2014

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1:   Starting at the Start

Chapter 2:   Trust Me

Chapter 3:   The Shell Hardens

Chapter 4:   ‘High’ School

Chapter 5:   ‘Low’ School

Chapter 6:   Get Down and Stay Down

Chapter 7:   A New Beginning

Chapter 8:   From the Ashes to the Crown

Chapter 9:   Pages Turned and Lessons Learned

Chapter 10:   A Hope and A Future

INTRODUCTION

O ver the journey this book will take us all on I am going to attempt to communicate some things that there are simply no words to express. I am going to be blunt, honest and offer an incredibly candid look into my life and some of my thoughts that have been both my best friend and my worst e nemy.

For a time in my life that was such a blur, so messed up, so distorted, so hurtful and so raw, I have done my absolute best to record the events and details as accurately as possible. So, for the record, I have not purposely made up any circumstances or fabricated any of the details in this book. Having said all of that, for reasons of anonymity I have not referred to any of the persons that are mentioned in this telling of my life story by their real names except for myself.

Many of you may relate very personally to my story and others may be inspired from more of a distance. Some may cry, some may laugh and some may be left speechless. It is human nature to feel empathy and these are the emotions that arise for me as I share with you. I will take you into places of abuse, torment, despair, loneliness and hatred. This book, these words, this journey is not for the weak stomached or the faint hearted.

It is very important that you would see and hear my heart behind sharing these things with you in this way. This is not an attempt to get more money, it is not an attempt to show off or big note myself in any way, shape or form. Nor is it a plea for some good ole fashioned sympathy. This is merely my sincere attempt to share with as many people as possible the hope and inspiration that has touched my life and transformed it through the power of the man who paid my debt, Jesus Christ.

It is with much hesitation that I share with you in this way as reliving some of these situations still to this day stirs up a sombre angst and pain that is hard to process. However, I share in faith that Jesus has a bigger and better plan for my life than to live from the pain of my past. I do not want to discredit the deep and profound work and healing that has taken place in my life through the love of Jesus.

What I feel today is a shadow of the feelings that resided in my heart back then during the actual events. The pain I feel now is more of a hurting in knowledge that I am not the only one who has experienced these pains. My heart breaks now for those who are still caught in the bondage of pain, those who are still