I grew up a card-carrying daddy’s girl who desired to go wherever her father went. For me that meant political rallies and conventions, the Capitol, and eventually the White House. Yes, I grew up in the halls of power because my father (Harry Dent) built the Republican Party in the South, and served a Senator and three Presidents. You might say my father taught me how to dance in more ways than one. My first dance was with him, and we danced joyously to the same tunes for many years. Boy, could we cut the rug together.

            That rug was pulled out from underneath me, when my father’s political career caused my family to move once again—this time to my third high school located in Langley, Va. I had to leave behind my boyfriend, friends, and my cheerleading pom poms. This devastating move motivated me to look beyond myself for answers to life’s disappointments. I got involved in a ministry called Young Life, gave my life to Jesus, and began my journey seeking God’s plan for my life. I grew in spiritual ways my parents did not understand. My father viewed the church as a “force for moral good” and he was paving his way to heaven with his litany of good works. He thought my dedication was misguided and sensed I was moving towards a life of poverty, dissatisfaction, and overzealous ideals. His ultimate fear was that I might become some “gosh awful missionary.”

            As he stated, “It was out of love for my daughter,” that he blocked my path. He forbid me to attend a Bible College God was clearly leading me to. I was torn between my earthly father and my Heavenly Father. There was no one I wanted to please more than my dear, sweet dad; however, the pulling of allegiance between the two forces I loved the most resulted in buckets of tears. I recall weeping as I drove down the forbidden path to my first day of classes at Columbia International University (CIU), risking my earthly father’s approval and his willingness to pay for my college education. In the midst of my tears, my Heavenly Father graciously brought this verse to comfort my soul--Matthew 6:33. It says, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”  This verse gave me the courage to press on, believing by faith that God himself would take care of my dad as I obeyed His will and put Him first. As I continued down the forbidden path, my dad continued to express his disapproval warning, “I’d never be success in this world.” It was hard to say “no” to a man who advised presidents.

            It was devastating to realize my father and I were no longer dancing to the same tune. The pain was more than I could bear. My Heavenly Father was gently teaching me one step at a time to dance to His beat—a radically different tune and a new definition of success. The dance with my Heavenly Father was so inviting I wanted my earthly father to share in the joy and eternal significance. Yet, we continued to dance and twirl in different directions.

            After the grueling death of my dad’s brother to colon cancer, the thought of my dad possibly dying and not sharing eternity with me, motivated me to pray with a passion for his soul. I barraged the gates of heaven for the sake of my dad for many years, yet the divide between us only widened. I endured subtle persecution and mocking which drove a stake into my heart. I was so burdened I went to a wise professor to seek his counsel. He advised me to keep praying, live my life as a witness and allow God himself to draw my dad to Him.

            In looking back I realize God was working from the first moments I began to pray, bringing people and circumstances into his life. Oh true, I left a plaque under his pillow one night that read, “The purpose of life is to serve God.” In 1978 my father surrendered his life and began to walk in a different direction. He gave up his legal and political career to enter fulltime ministry with my mother in 1980. The logo of their ministry, Laity Alive and Serving, came from the plaque I laid under my dad’s pillow.

My husband and I were shocked yet overjoyed when my father entered the forbidden place, Columbia International University, to get his training. We watched as God went far beyond our prayers transforming my father from a political strategist to His Kingdom strategist—a man who would walk through doors only He could open. Only God knew the plans He had for my dad—to wake and shake the men in the pews who were paving their way to heaven with their good works and to help the underground churches and the country of Romania to come to freedom after Communism. One of my greatest thrills in life was working with my dad in his ministry in the US and in Romania. My husband and I both chuckled as my father became everything he forbid me to be and more—including that “gosh awful missionary!”

            What a joy to finally be dancing with my dad again. This time the tune was from a heavenly chorus. Imagine my earthly father and me dancing to the same tune as our Heavenly Father—a dance that will last forever. I was no longer torn between two fathers and my heart continues to overflow with praise—even after my father’s passing to heaven after Alzheimer’s. I can say without reservation I look forward to the next dance.
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Ginny Dent Brant graduated with a B.A. from Columbia International University (cum laude), and holds two Masters Degrees from the University of South Carolina in Elementary Education and Elementary Counseling. With 28 years of experience serving on the frontlines of our culture in public education as a teacher, counselor, and adjunct professor, she currently serves as a counselor at Orchard Park Elementary School. Ginny served as a trustee of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and has held leadership roles in many Baptist churches. Ginny has done mission work in Gaza, Yemen, the Czech Republic, Romania, and China. She is a soloist, Bible teacher and Christian speaker. She also speaks on the family, parenting, and health and wellness. She is the President of Laity Alive and Serving which her father, Harry S. Dent, started in 1985.

 Her husband, Dr. Alton Brant, is an associate professor of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies at Clemson University. The Brants have one married son, Joshua (and wife Sydney) and twin sons, Jonathan and Harrison. She is the daughter of Harry and Betty Dent.

Ginny was a contributing author for The Chosen Path: 365 Inspirational Messages, Love is a Flame, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You, and online with Christian Devotions. She also contributes articles to The Baptist Courier in South Carolina. Her first book Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World was released late 2010.

Ginny was recently interviewed by Sheila Schuller Coleman at the Crystal Cathedral, on Christian Television Network, and by American Family Radio. She has been interviewed by TV, radio and newspapers concerning her new book and her life with her dad.

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You can watch Ginny at the Crystal Cathedral here.

For more information, go to www.ginnybrant.com .

To read another story about Ginny go to the March Edition of ReachOutColumbia.com

For more about Ginny Dent Brant and FindingTrue Freedom:
From theWhite House to theWorld, you can go to: www.ginnybrant.com
The book is also available through her website and at FamilyChristian Stores.