About Us
JOHN M. HOSEA
My name is John Hosea. I was raised in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada until I joined the Army in 2001 to see the world a few months before 9/11. I met my wife in high school, but she wouldn’t date me until a couple of years after we graduated. In February 1998, she became my wife, and we started on a wild ride that brought us four awesome daughters who are 24, 22, 18, and 10. During our time in the military, we traveled as a family to North Carolina, Georgia, and Germany, back to Georgia, then to Alaska, and finally to Texas after I was injured on deployment. To me, my family is the most important thing here on this earth. Without my wife, I wouldn’t have found who Christ wanted me to be, and I would still be living the wrong way.
I am currently work as a chaplain for the Hood County Sheriff's Department. I went into this field for several reasons. The main reason is that on June 9, 2012, during my fourth deployment to Afghanistan, my team hit a very large improvised explosive device, resulting in a teammate's death. It left me broken, and doctors told me I would never walk again and that I would have trouble speaking and learning. However, with the help and support of my family and Jesus Christ’s love and grace, the second reason is to help all my brothers and sisters overcome issues and traumas as I did with Jesus Christ. Also, make an effort to reduce the divorce rate among veterans and first responders.
My hobbies are teaching my daughters to hunt, fish, and shoot. A new hobby that started during my BA was reading, which has taught me so much. I also work very closely with several nonprofit organizations, and I sit on the board of a veteran nonprofit. I am also a crisis chaplain for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I'm helping all my brothers and sisters learn ways and get tools to help deal with and overcome PTSD and other things that plague our veteran and first responder communities. I am exceeded to learn about the ethics of the mental health and wellness field and how they change with cultural diversity. What I find most challenging is slowing down to do my best work with all the challenges of life, family, work, being a pastor, and leading my family through the challenges they face in their lives. Overall, I want to learn; I don’t want to be the old dog who can’t learn new stuff. The most difficult aspect is maintaining a balance between school, work at home, and community service.
My educational background is as follows: I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Studies with an emphasis in Biblical Studies and Counseling. I have a Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Christian Ministry, and I am currently working on a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis in marriage and trauma.