David Ford is from a small town in Ohio, one of seven siblings, a son of a Baptist minister and a homemaker. He grew up to pursue a career in the utility industry and eventually moved to California.
Ford works for Southern California Edison (SCE) holding the title of government relations manager-local public affairs. He is responsible for SCE’s government engagement with federal, state and county agencies.
Ford is also a two-time cancer survivor.
“Prayer has always been a catalyst for me to communicate with God,” said Ford. “I learned at an early age, from my parents and my grandmother.
“They were deeply spiritually engaged in church as well as a relationship with God. I learned from their vocal and active engagement that this was something I need to have a part of my life to survive.
“To be able to use that as a vehicle for me to believe in, have faith and hope.”
He would need his faith as in 2015, Ford was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He underwent emergency surgery and the cancer was caught early. Then, in 2018, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which required a longer treatment.
“Those [diagnoses] brought a realization of my path to get on the other side through prayer and meditation,” said Ford. “It inspired me to start writing a spiritual journal in my discussions with God.”
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Ford shared that in 2019, his son became ill and required assistance. He said the grace of God brought his son through this situation. He would relocate his son L.A. to get him the proper treatment and care.
“We can pray a lot for ourselves, but when a loved one, son or daughter, has a life-threatening situation, it brings us on our knees a lot longer,” said Ford. “Watching him go through his challenges helped me redefine my relationship with God.”
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ford’s prayer life had been established and very important. Unfortunately, he caught COVID, which landed him in the hospital for several days.
“It was the most severe pain I ever had in my life,” said Ford about his COVID experience. “The pain was so severe that it channeled so much worry and anxiety because I was thinking, ok, too many people are dying from COVID.
“I want to survive, I want to make it through this and fortunately, I did. It was essential that I had a divine focus on leaning on my faith and hope that God’s purpose in my life would be manifested in something great.”
He continued to write in his journals and he came to see that this was the manifestation, a calling for him.
“I was able to tap into my inner thoughts in a much more clear and defined way in my relationship with God,” said Ford.
So, he wrote “Pray with David: A Book of 50 Prayers,” which features prayers from his personal journey. Ford hopes by sharing these prayers others will find the hope and faith he found in the Lord.
“The book is almost like a conversation with God in exercising my faith, hope, gratitude and praising Him for blessings,” said Ford.
Ford wants readers to find their own relationship with God through reading his book. He learned the power in prayer through his trials and he wants believers to understand the importance of their prayer life.
“We don’t see God, but we see the evidence of His work,” said Ford. “You don’t see the wind blowing, but you see the trees blowing from the wind.
“That’s how faith works and it takes us to a place where we all can have our own individual relationships with God.
“Our prayers are personal, intimate relationships with God.”
For more information, visit www.praywithdavid.com.
