"Raise 'Em and Praise Him - Testimony Tuesday"

Siobhan's Testimony

I prided myself on my faith. My family had a long tradition of service in their respective churches. My great great grandfather was a Baptist minister, who wrote a book of religious poems that are housed in the Library of Congress. My great grandfather, his son, was a deacon in his church and the director of the choir. My grandmothers prayed me up, which as the song "Somebody Prayed For Me" says, "I'm so glad they prayed for me."

My husband and I became entrenched in our church. We taught our children that God loved them and showed them how to pray nightly or anytime they needed Him. Slowly, my husband and I stopped listening to rap music and replaced it with gospel, jazz, and news from NPR. As our faith life deepened, we couldn't listen to songs about getting money and women through any means necessary. However, what I didn't realize was, I still had very little faith in God and it was about to tested.

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20.

My husband was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma on Valentine's Day of 2013. Fortunately, the cancer was Stage 1A. However, he still had to undergo four months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. During this time, I questioned God continuously, "Why us? Why now after we have done what you asked - tithe, serve others and deepen our faith walk?"

In October of 2013, I discovered a bald patch in the front center of my scalp. It was small enough to disguise with careful combing but could be exposed if it expanded. Shaking with fear of losing my glorious crown, I sought counsel from man to solve my problem.

The doctor I chose, unbeknownst to me, practiced medicine with a holistic approach. After diagnosing me with alopecia, his first question was, "On a scale of one to ten, what's your stress level?" I was immediately frustrated because I wanted a quick remedy for my hair loss - a pill or topical lotion - to solve my problem. His recommendation to me was to reduce my stress by meditating and clearing my too busy schedule.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: be of cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

After leaving the hair loss specialist, I felt I had hit rock bottom. I was determined to make some much-needed changes in my life. "Lord," I thought, "You have my complete attention." Years earlier, I had contracted shingles, which is a painful rash, caused by stress. It took several weeks to recover. Even months later, when I was stressed, I could still feel residual pain, like a sharp knife plunging into my chest. However, once I recovered, I resumed my frantic pace of life.

This time, I vowed to do things differently. Doing things my way had left me broken. I was finally ready to trust God and His purpose for my life. I was ready to be obedient. I asked God to help me to stop so I could hear his voice above all others.

Although I was grateful that He had brought my husband through his cancer treatments, I still questioned why this had happened to him and our family. Startling me from endless questioning, I heard God's voice answer, "Why not you? Why not now? If you believe and trust me, know that I will never leave nor forsake you." I instantly felt peace. I wasn't alone. I had my Father. This time I rededicated my life to God and committed to prayer.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Although the past three years have been filled with triumphs and challenges, I have remained true to my word and turned to prayer first in all things. My husband continues to have good health and remains cancer free. I no longer suffer from alopecia and my hair has grown back. We are grateful to God for his love, mercy, and grace. We're committed to helping others by sharing our story of allowing God to be the Leader in your life.

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Siobhan Howard Davenport has broken every chain that a child born to unmarried, teen parents are statistically bound. Raised by her paternal grandmother, who emphasized putting God first in all things, Siobhan surpassed her parent's education and became the first in her family to graduate from college and continued on to earn a graduate degree.

As a philanthropist, Siobhan serves as the Executive Director of her family’s foundation, which primarily focuses on funding programs which provide economic and educational opportunities to low-income adults and youth in the Washington Metropolitan region. Siobhan brings a commitment and dedication to underserved youth, helping them to believe in “Endless Possibilities: Creating an Ending Greater than Your Beginning.”

Siobhan was appointed in 2016 to the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism. She is dedicated to serving her community and has served on the Advisory Council for Ascend at the Aspen Institute, as Chair of the Lower School Committee at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Youth Programs Committee of the National Park Trust, trustee of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, The Madeira School for Girls, Washington Tennis and Education Foundation, and the Black Student Fund.

A graduate of Boston University and American University, she and her husband, Corey, have been married for 16 years, have two beautiful children and are active members of Reid Temple AME Church North.