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Forums » Administration » Introduce Yourself
 Hi, I'm Ray Sample and I'm a student here at BHHEC |
| Posted On Mar 21, 2008 at 11:34 AM |
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ray
Administrator
Joined: Mar 9, 2008
Last Visit: Aug 12, 2008
Posts: 5
View All Posts By ray
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Since this is an introduction forum, I'll tell you a little about myself. For most of my life my family has moved very frequently. My dad was a teacher so we moved every 2-3 years.
I'd have to say my favorite place during my growing up years would have been Papua New Guinea, where my family spent three and a half years as Adventist Frontier Missionaries. I loved the freedom there, being able to grow up in a place where there were not very many cares, and nothing to worry about, except school work and the crocodiles  .
I was 14 years old when we came back from overseas to the Roseburg area in Oregon, where we took care of my grandparents for several years because they were unable to care for themselves. I must say that was very rewarding and taught me a lot of patience.
When I was 19 we moved to Walla Walla Washington, where I started college, I was one of the luckiest men alive because I did not have to leave home in order to go to college. However Walla Walla didn't give me what I was looking for. At the time I wanted to be a mission pilot, but decided that wasn't what I had been called to do. I loved to fly, but I loved to sing even more. So I told my dad one day that all I wanted to do was sing. He looked at me and said, well why don't you?
I have always loved to sing ever since I was two years old. My mom placed me on the piano bench while dad played the trumpet for church, it just happened to be a song that I knew. "Jesus Loves Me" and I started singing along.
So now that all I wanted to do was sing, Walla Walla didn't have what I felt I needed for that, so I started looking around. When I heard about Union College and called to find out more, I knew I had found the right place. Dr. Dan Lynn the vocal instructor and choir director, was the first man I talked to there, we hit it off really well, so I went to Union College. I stayed there for two years and took voice there, I cut my first album and started doing what I loved.
But I soon realized that music didn't support a family, and I had found the woman of my dreams, Crystal Benson. We met in a pool at Union College, I didn't let her out of my site for the rest of the weekend. She was visiting the college as a highschool senior so I wanted to get to know her before she went home. By the end of the weekend I had her email address, phone # and permision to call, as a friend, to inform her of things that she might need to know about the college. To cut a long story short, a year and a half later we were married on May 20 of 2007.
A little after I got married was when I realized that to support a family I would need a little more than music. So I started looking. I also realized that it was pointless to go more into debt for my music, when all I wanted to do was sing. God has called me to sing wherever I am invited, and to bring people to a closer understanding of the Creator through the blessing and power of music. God would open the doors that needed to be opened.
Well he started opening and closing doors in a big way. I quit college and worked for my dad for about a year. Then the business he owned started to fold and I needed to find something else. Dad asked me one day if I had any other passion that I was interested in, he didn't want to turn me out on the street, . I couldn't think of any thing right off the bat, but then I remembered. I love helping people, and I have strong hands and enjoy giving massages, so I told him, He looked at me and it was like it clicked, he knew that would be perfect for me too. So with dad's help we started looking on the internet for places that taught Christian massage therapy. To make another long story short, in November of 2007, Crystal and I ended up in the beautiful Black Hills, at Black Hills Health and Education Center.
BHHEC offers a Christian course in massage therapy which has been wonderful for me. At this time I'm working through my class work, Crystal is working as a CNA to put me through school, and I'm looking to graduate in July. I Love the wonderful things that God has done for Crystal and I here in the Black Hills. He truly knows how to take care of His children.
Last edited on Mar 21, 2008 at 1:45 PM by ray.
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| Re: Hi, I'm Ray Sample and I'm a student here at BHHEC |
| Posted On Apr 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM |
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Elizabeth
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Joined: Mar 14, 2008
Last Visit: Aug 10, 2008
Posts: 12
View All Posts By Elizabeth
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We are so blessed to have you here, Ray! We all love your music. I have been to 3 of your music church services in the area and it has been a real blessing.
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Forums » Administration » Introduce Yourself
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