About Pastor Ray Hurst (Papa Ray)
Papa Ray knows the fear of abandonment and the pain of rejection that growing up without a father can cause. He knows firsthand the struggle of not believing he was worthy or loved.
These struggles took him through two devastating, life-changing depressions. In the first one he went bankrupt, losing his business and his home. In the second, some twenty years later, he nearly lost his life.
After this second battle with depression, a significant shift happened. Ray realized that he was not the only one who felt forsaken and left alone to fight for his life. Assisting others as they faced their hurts and overcame their pain gave him a sense of purpose. He understood that his life's calling was to reach out to help other people feel loved and wanted.
Now Papa Ray's greatest passion is writing and developing easy-to-understand teachings people can follow to show them how they are worthy and help them see their real purpose in life—to help them find freedom!
His new motto has become:
“I will be to the world what the world was not to me when I needed them.”
By touching people's hearts and filling them with love, Papa Ray has helped thousands feel wanted as a son or daughter and be able to receive love from their heavenly Father.
-Steve Lapp, Light of Hope Ministries
- Duane Britton, Managing Partner, Britton Consulting Group