Spiritual Development

STEP ONE:

The most important aspect of my seminary experience was the realization that prayer was the essence of spiritual development. Moreover, I realized the importance of the Holy Spirit in ministry. As a result of this realization,
at times, I regretted not enrolling in a more Biblical-grounded, Spirit-led environment. For spiritual enhancement, I would journey to other local churches to get what was spiritually lacking in the seminary community.

STEP TWO: THE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY YEARS (1989-94)
While working at the Northern California Women’s Facility (NCWF), I enrolled at the Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary for post-graduate work. I felt it was time for greater insight and reflection concerning institutional chaplaincy. In the process, I grew personally as a result of the symposiums, readings, and critiques from others.
As part of my reading, I learned about co-dependency, and that reflection helped me look at self-esteem from a Theo/Christo-centric perspective. My dissertation was “Self-Esteem Improvement for Incarcerated Women” at NCWF.

STEP THREE: MOBILIZATION
My military dreams were fulfilled when I was mobilized to San Diego. As a result of my spiritual readiness, my military ministry was tremendously rewarding. As a result of working with returning Veterans, I realized and began the process of utilizing Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training in pastoral care.

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STEP FOUR: THE CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION YEARS (2009-14)

The onset of PTSD experienced by post-deployment Veterans let me know I needed further training in the mental health field to be effective. My main priority during this period was to stay mindful of self-care. This mindfulness includes a rich devotional life, including prayer, scripture reading, Bible study, and understanding heart intelligence. These CPE years allowed me to work in Oncology, Intensive Care, Emergency Rooms, palliative care, and hospice.

STEP FIVE: THE VETERAN HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE (2013-PRESENT)
From 2008, as I worked with the military being sent to Iraq and Afghanistan to the present, my heart is impacted by the mental and moral injury caused by war. As I see men and women return from “down range,” I ask myself what I can do. All of this training motivates me to continue to hone my skills and explore deeper mysteries and wonders of God moving in my life.

Jerome Divine Designs
Jerome Divine Designs began in August 2010. As I saw so many homeless Veterans begging for food, my compassionate heart sold postcards and gave the revenue to the Veteran Affairs hospital to assist these marginalized individuals. As I looked over my life, it is unimaginable to think where God had brought me from and guided me through. This has been a supernatural journey. Every person who has entered my path or mentored me with their prayers, advice, and gentle persuasion deserves a “shout-out.” This website is my way of giving back. My story is unique and hopefully motivational. There is no doubt that God has placed me here for a purpose. I pray that with each step, I continue to be receptive to transformation and growth for my mind, heart, and spirit. The following pictures, poetry, and videos are a microcosm of supernatural life that I am blessed to experience. A stanza of “Where My Soul Lives!” exemplifies my awesome relationship with the Divine.