Voices of the Faithful: Bobby Bradley

 

Our City On A Hill celebrates the life and legacy of our servant leaders who have made a difference in our community. We had the privilege of interviewing team member Bobby Bradley to hear her heart and how her faith has led her through both trials and triumphs.

Bobby Bradley is a 4th-generation Huntsvillian, and has spent most of her life here. She has been involved in numerous professional and community organizations. She has received numerous awards including the Outstanding Achievement Award from Girls, Incorporated, Leadership Award from the Distinguished Young Men of Huntsville (1994 & 1995), Nominee for the Minority Small Business Person of the Year (1994), and the Eagle Award (1995). In June 1998, she was selected Executive of the Year by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. She is an active member of First Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC) where she serves on the Deaconess Board and as a member of the FMBC Foundation Board. In addition, she is a co-founder and board member of Village of Promise, an organization started to ensure that under-resourced students successfully transition K through 12th grade, college, and into a career and ultimately breaking the cycle of generational poverty.

Her legacy is impressive! But in our interview with Bobby in the Village of Promise office, we were also able to hear about her faith and who Jesus is to her. Her transparency was beautiful and so were the tears cried and hugs received as she shared her heart and how God has drawn her to Himself. 

Our city is tremendously blessed by the life and leadership of Bobby Bradley. May her legacy, beautiful faith, and words of truth impact generations to come!

What has been your greatest trial and your greatest triumph?

Integrating schools was a challenge in the early sixties, but I think my greatest trial was my divorce. Divorce was tough because it felt like failure and a rejection of me. Another challenge that was also a triumph was the entire process of building a successful company, especially when there was a giant road block in the business.  At a point when the business was experiencing declining profits, I began evaluating myself against the failure in my earlier marriage and now my business. Our executive team had to share this situation with the entire management team, which was very difficult but necessary if we were going to move forward.  I remember going to the bathroom after that presentation and saying to God, “I’m done trying to do this myself, under my strength. You’re the President. I am not”.  The human part of me gave up and that was the turning point for me personally and for the business.  That was a Saturday and on Monday several people quit but things did begin to change. 

I believe God wants us to see that 1) we can’t do it ourselves and that 2) He doesn’t want us to do it ourselves.  God began to manifest Himself that weekend.  My faith started to come out as we marched through this difficulty.  My relationship with God turned from lip service to service from the heart.  A close staff member later said that one of the greatest things I helped her with was her own spiritual walk. This was a great triumph.

My greatest triumph is really understanding that God is sovereign, He is in control.  I’m here to glorify Him.  My relationship with Christ is the most important thing in my life. Selling my company was a blessing that came out of what God helped me to see. Now I am able to look back over my life and say, “it never has been me.”  There is a timeline in which you start from the beginning and look at what He has done. There is nothing for me to be concerned about or worried about as long as my focus is on Him. The main thing in life is for us to pursue Him.  It really has to be intentional, every day.  When you feel like you’re being pulled away, find a way to pull back and recenter. 

In his interview with OCOAH, Mr. R.C. Adams put it best when he said his advice to   anybody is “to be good, help people and work hard”.  I would interpret that as having an intimate relationship with Christ; love God, love your fellow man, and work hard in whatever you do.

Who is Jesus to you?

My counselor.

When did you meet Him? 

When I was 8 or 9 at St. Joseph’s Mission School.  But, I’ve matured spiritually over time.  When I was young it was more about God the Father, the Disciplinarian.  Now He is Someone who I can turn to for anything and everything. I think of Him as my Counselor, my Guide, and my Friend. It changes depending on where I am and the circumstances, but He is Someone I can turn to all of the time, by myself or with someone else. He is the Person I want to please. I was an only child and my parents are now deceased. So, as I have grown older, Jesus has truly become my family.

I love the devotional Jesus Calling because of the way it is written.  The author is saying “Jesus is with you. He says to come to Him all of the time. There is no one who can be closer to you or hear you or instruct you or console you like Him.”  I take refuge and peace in that.  It doesn’t matter what is going on around me. He is Sovereign and always in control.  And regardless of whether I can understand the circumstances or not, I know He is very purposeful and what He has planned is perfect.  This gives me comfort and peace.  I trust His plan and know He will never leave me or forsake me.  So, I always have someone with me. No matter who I have with me in the natural, He is always with me.

What is your Mission Statement for your life?

The mission statement for my life has always been “to please God and point others to Him.”  But now that I’m reading the Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, I have changed it to “to know God, please Him, and point others to Him.”

But, you know, we can get so distracted by so many other things.  Right now I am praying that God will help me slow down.  You can’t really know Him or communicate with Him or hear Him if you’re always running/busy.  It’s hard for me to say no.  But I try to do the best I can and know He is going to work it out.  My desire is to live and move and have my being only in Him.

Which Scriptures have you hung to and why? 

There are several.  I tend to be a “Martha”.  And so I love the Scripture in the book of John in the story of the death of Lazarus when Jesus comes to talk to her and says, “Martha, do you believe?” And she says, “Yes, Lord I do believe.” And He says, “then you will see the glory of God”. (John 11:40) And she did!   

Another one from John too is when Jesus says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.  And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21) So, He is telling me, “look to Me and obey Me and I will manifest Myself to you.”  I claim that.

Then the other is when Paul asks God to take away the thorn and God says “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”  Then Paul says “therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so Christ’s power can rest on me.” (2nd Corinthians 12:9)

For me, I have always been about trying to prove myself.  It was because of my lineage and culture.  I was always told, “you are as good as they are. You can do anything you want to do.”  And that’s true.  But we’re all weak. And it’s not bad to say “I am weak and I need help.”  In our weakness is when God is strong and manifests Himself.

So those are three Scriptures that I go to a lot.  But one constant is “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) I believe that He is always with us.  We can depend on His presence.  He is with you and you never have to worry or be afraid.

Whenever I feel God’s presence, I always think of what it will be like when we are face to face with Him.  And it’s especially in those moments that I am not afraid to die.  I look for those manifestations.  I have always believed, even when I was younger, that He speaks to us and we know it is from Him because we could have never come up with it on our own.  I know He’s with me and I want to always be in His will. When I am not I want to ask for forgiveness and say “Lord, keep me close to you.”

What legacy did your parents and others leave for you?

My parents left me a legacy of loving God, really helping others, and working hard.  My mom was always cooking for other people.  She was a teacher and always invited kids from her class to our home.  They both cared for other family members and one of my cousins was always staying with us.  She said to always live with your hand open because when it is things can go out and things can come in.  She said that if it’s closed, nothing can go out or come in. 

One of my dreams in my business was to be able to take care of my parents like they had done for me because I knew how much they sacrificed for me.  I was able to do that before they died.

God is so purposeful.  The parents I was given, every encounter, every missed meeting, my earlier divorce – I now appreciate my husband more than ever after having that experience – everything happens for a reason inside His purpose.

What would you tell the next generation?

In remembrance of what Mr. Adams said, “Be good. Help other people. And work hard.” But really and truly, I would say, 1) Know God. Without that nothing else is important. Have a relationship with Him, don’t put it off and don’t stray. Make it your priority.  And 2) Let Him direct you in everything that you do.  Whether it’s your profession or your mate, whatever it is…in every decision, every step you take, and even the words you say, let Him lead.

I have always been nervous about getting in front of people and talking, but now I just ask God to tell me what to say and take it off myself. We put too much pressure on ourselves and we need to give it over to Him.

Mr. Adams said to work hard and my parents also showed me that. I would tell the next generation to do your part. Show up. And don’t expect things to just happen. You’ve got to work for it, and if you are doing your part, the Lord is going to bless it and do the rest. Trust Him. And be thankful.

Tags: bobby bradley, Huntsville, jesus, village of promise, Voices of the faithful