Johnny Dover

I believe a hero should be willing in any situation, helps others no matter the case, faithful, and a part of several different well appreciated jobs. My dad Johnny is this kind of admirable hero. He was born in a little town called Piggott, Arkansas, where everyone knows everyone. Being born and raised in a well-loved Christian family. After marrying the love of his life, Karen, he served in the United States Army into the air defense artillery for 3 years in Walanae, Hawaii. Beyond this he surrendered into the ministry in the year 1993 after having his 3rd child. He is my hero because he then continued counseling, becoming a firefighter, and a foster parent.

After surrendering into the ministry with his wife and 3 children, he became a pastor at Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Desoto, Missouri for 8 years. Then he got the calling to become a pastor at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in St Clair Missouri. He continued his career, changing lives in so many ways, for example he began counseling couples and individuals improving their marriages. During this process he also took in several teenagers into his own home to help them with problems they were going through, but never any situation that would endanger his family. My dad has been preaching for a total of 18 years now and still is to this day. After living in St. Clair for 3 years he became a firefighter at St. Clair Fire Department. Still occasionally he goes on calls, and has gained a lot of respect for doing so.

Furthermore, my dad and mom became foster parents in 2009 taking in two children, a 17 year old girl and a 3 year old boy. Growing up as his daughter, and living with foster children has really shown our family how fortunate we really are. My dad has always raised us with good Christian-like attitudes. For his daughters he would always say to us “Don’t advertise what you don’t have for sale.” Meaning he never liked us showing too much skin. His father-like qualities are tremendous, he always treats people with the utmost respect.

All the years of my life growing up, he was the youth leader at our church. He took the teenagers on youth events, such as Youth Alive. Even though I was too young to go, I went anyway. As I have gotten older and now I am allowed to partake on these events, I will and I’m most positively sure my peers will always remember his favorite line to say while we were in our prayer circles before service. “Let’s pray that God will do something only HE can do.”

Additionally, my dad has been the Christian leader in my family. And because of my dad my whole family lives for God. He has changed lives of many, still is, and still to come. To me he’s a perfect definition of what a real hero should be. Everyone has their own opinion on which their hero is, because God made us in our own special way, but my hero is my dad. He has always been there for me and my family and close friends at the times in their lives they need his advice the most. He has stayed loyal to my mother, which sets a tremendous example to his children. Lastly his dedication to his church family, his own family, and close friends has shown selfless devotion and complete whole hearted fidelity.