What happened to Jimbo Stockton?  The following is the dirt!  The good, bad, and ugly…

SUMMARY

The partial story begins with fishing and safari guiding - to making millions - to married with children – to hanging out with Hollywood celebs - to divorced and bankrupt - to an even greater recovery - to “more”… 

UPCOMING BOOK - BRIEF HISTORY

The following is a brief glimpse into my background, with the intent to give an overview of my upcoming life book; the good, bad, and ugly.

My family has lived in the Jacksonville/Ponte Vedra area since the late 1800’s.  The Stockton family was very active in the community, including: owning companies in mortgage banking, mortgage servicing of over $5 billion, insurance, newspaper, TV & Radio stations, as well as owning and developing real estate, including the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Sawgrass Country Club, San Marco, and many other communities.  My mother’s side of the family, the Walton’s (from Arkansas) are highly successful.  I grew up in the swamps of Ponte Vedra catching snakes, alligators and wild hogs.  I enjoyed hunting, camping, fishing, and riding horses and motorcycles on our farm/ranch (now known as Sawgrass and Guana State Park). I also played tennis, golf, soccer and football.  I became a certified scuba diver, a safari guide in Kenya and a fishing guide in Bimini.  As a teenager, I worked on tennis court and golf course maintenance, land clearing, and started a firewood business.

CAREER SUCCESS

In 1976 my family had a large financial setback.  So, shortly thereafter, at the age of 18, I worked hard and received my real estate license and started working 7 days a week, 16 hours a day.  At 19, I received my real estate broker’s license and mortgage broker’s license, and at 20, I had my pilot’s license.

My entrepreneurial career skyrocketed. I built companies in real estate investment, leasing, management, brokerage, construction, and mortgage. I developed a medical wellness complex, restaurants, a hotel, an office building and retail shops.  Acquisitions included subdivisions, commercial and residential land, acreage parcels, several oceanfront lots, dozens of lots on Ponte Vedra Boulevard, an office and retail building, a hotel with a retail and events complex, restaurants, and dozens of single family rental homes.  I was also taking numerous management, real estate and mortgage investment seminars around the country, along with teaching a seminar called Real Estate and Mortgage Investment Analysis. 

In short, I was hitting lots of home runs and making millions by the age of 21, but knew there was “more”.

SAFARI BOY MEETS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT COVER GIRL

While on a 3-month safari in Zambia, Botswana, Tanzania and Kenya, I met my future wife who was modeling/shooting the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She had an extremely successful career, was one of the top 3 models in the world, appeared on over 500 magazine covers, had her own TV show and was a Good Morning America fashion correspondent.

 I was married by age 23 and had two sons. We were featured a few times on a popular international TV show called “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous”, and we attended numerous Celebrity Charity events around the world. Due to excessive media exposure, we received death threats against our sons. Business was booming, but I was being torn between family and work.

I was on numerous community charity boards and listed as a senior member of Who’s Who in Creative Real Estate.  I was president of the Downtown Property Owners & Retail Merchant Association and Goldman Sachs exclusive Florida real estate broker. Appointments by the Florida governor included State Board of Public Schools and State Environmental Board.

LOST IT ALL

When I was looking to buy a downtown office and retail building, I asked Randy Hardee his opinion and he said, “It’s risky but you haven’t lived until you’ve had you’re a-- handed to you.”  So I started living! During the 1991 real estate crash, Mr. Davis advised me to cut my losses, but I didn’t understand and liquidated all assets to pay off debt. 

I was divorced, foreclosed, bankrupt, and lost all!  The toughest thing of all, which brought tears to my eyes daily, was my sons being taken to live in New York City and then the Los Angeles area.

If you want to see human nature in action, lose all your money – it’s interesting!

I started to learn empathy, compassion, and understanding. Because of the bad choices I made, I learned how bad things can happen to good people.   

I was beginning to learn what’s really important – the “more”.

SEEKING THE “MORE” THROUGH CHARITY EVENTS

I knew I could make it all over again, but I was looking for the “more”. 

I formed a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called Celebrity Charitable Events and served as the Volunteer Director. I enlisted celebrity friends to help raise money by creating very unique events for other charities such as the American Cancer Society, Boys & Girls Club, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, Easter Seals, Humane Society, etc.

I created a slogan: ‘The best part of a person’s life is not the fame, wealth or ability, but the charitable acts of kindness and love given to others.’  We created some truly unique events that tens of thousands of people attended, and are still talked about today.

A wise family friend of mine, Mr. Baker, told me I was getting into a fulltime nonpaying job, but I thought I knew better and explained how I would get volunteers to run it while I coordinated things. Well, Mr. Baker’s wisdom was right, and after over a year of volunteering 16 hour days, I began to refocus on real estate and did fewer events on a part time basis.

FULL RECOVERY – BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE

I know real estate, and how to make a lot of money in it. I’ve done it twice now, starting with virtually no money.  So, after lots of hard work in real estate, things skyrocketed once again, better than ever before.

DEATHS

I have seen friends and family members die from depression and other related labels (hate, anger offense, bitterness, un-forgiveness), and the associated

by-products such as: legal and illegal drugs, alcohol, etc.  At this point in my life, I have had many humbling experiences, but I’ve always been a stubborn,  ‘make it happen’, fix-it person.

DID I ‘REALLY’ KNOW GOD??

I went church all my life. My grandfather donated land for the church.  I even helped and facilitated the donation of the organ and I was a church lay reader for twenty years.  I also supported many charities by giving food, shelter, and money to the poor and homeless. BUT I did NOT know God.

GOD’S  “UNCONDITIONAL LOVE”  ROCKED MY WORLD!

Several years ago a life and death situation (with my oldest son) I couldn’t fix brought me to my knees. I spent a fortune trying to fix it and the more I tried to fix it the worse it got!  This is when I came to the end of myself and was willing to surrender, submit, humble myself and let God in, when one of His angels, Betty Williams, prayed for me.  During this long prayer, I cried a bucket of tears and experienced God in a very significant, powerful, loving and life-changing way. I truly experienced a peace beyond all understanding, supernatural physical healings, and a love and ‘true’ forgiveness for everyone. Also, I became so thankful for everything, developed a burning desire to learn, improve and really know God deeper, and share the reality of ‘heaven on earth’.

 I became profoundly amazed at what happened when I let God truly be the God of my life instead of myself.

The life and death situation was with my oldest son’s severe depression. It is a miracle he’s alive, and several months later he was completely cured, better than ever!

God’s unconditional love rocked my world and changed my life.  The work I do is a byproduct of His love, mercy and grace and my relationship with Him.

After my ‘Damascus Road’ encounter with God, I attended Bible College for 5 years, graduated and became a licensed minister, and after proving myself faithful, was ordained on November 8, 2015.

I FOUND THE MISSING PIECE, THE ANSWER, THE CURE, “THE MORE”

I found “The More!” (We lost it in the Garden of Eden.)

I found a real treasure far exceeding anything imaginable and I want to share it.

While real estate is good, God is leading me elsewhere. I’m excited and wake up with a passion to share the real treasures God has shown me.

I certainly wasn’t expecting this to happen; I didn’t even know that there was something that was supposed to happen. But I would be lying to deny my experience, transformation, or what God did to or in me.  I do know that God is real without any doubt!  I wouldn’t trade my new relationship with God for anything.

LAST ECONOMIC CRISIS

As the most recent economic crash was happening, I thought I had enough cash to weather the storm and was even looking forward to profiting from the down market.  Well, the depressed real estate market broke all the rules on how low it could go and how long it would last.  What made things worse is that I owed people money, and equity and assets that were the repayment sources were now evaporating. In the process of paying people back, my cash also evaporated to the point of living without utilities for months.  I trimmed expenses below minimum wage and worked extensively over a few years, salvaging assets to be used to pay everyone back. With God’s help, I was successful in saving some assets that are paying back all debts in full.

PERSECUTION – TRIALS – TRIBULATION

The Bible says there will be trials, tribulations and persecution.  I have had more challenges and persecution in the last few years than in all my life combined.  If it weren’t for my relationship with God, I would have been in the fetal position.  If you saw me over the past few years and asked me how things are going, my response would have been upbeat and positive because things truly have never been better, even despite those challenges.

WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT?

CHECK OUR CALENDAR AND CHECKBOOK

I have had the opportunity to see life from many angles.

I’ve learned a lot over the years, at least compared to what I knew (ie. empathy, compassion, forgiveness, love your enemies, and unconditional love). Also, I have learned the real root causes, answers and cures for many mental and physical issues (ie. depression, addictions). I hope to use what I have learned and experienced to help others. 

There is certainly nothing wrong with amassing lots of money and having successful businesses or being rich and famous.  Some people are blessed with the gift of making a lot of money so they can be a blessing to others.  One extreme example of this, is a market place minister I graduated with stated that his goal is to live off 5% of his income and give 95% away (ministry needs successful businesses, market place ministry).  The trick is to not let the money and fame have us.

Having grown up in a family that was perceived to ‘have it all’, my own career skyrocketing, hanging out with the rich and famous… I can say with certainty – that, in itself - is not where it’s at, or where “The More” is.

The main reason I shared some of mine and my family’s successes is to emphasize how totally insignificant it is in relation to what matters most:  first is an intimate relationship with God, and second would be everything else.

 

The Apostle Paul, and some of the wealthiest of all, basically said, ‘I consider it all rubbish compared to a true, real, and intimate relationship with God.’

NEW BEGINNING: SAYING “YES” TO GOD’S CALLING

God has been calling and leading me into full-time ministry/missions ever since…

Now I’m all in, with full focus, and with God’s helping hands (which are your hands and mine), I’m devoting the rest of my life to serving and helping others and spreading God’s amazingly positive life-changing, exceedingly, overwhelmingly good news.  He truly loves us beyond words, beyond our wildest imagination.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR GOD’S KINGDOM

God has already been doing some truly amazing things through our ministry called Adventures in Gods Creation.

Because of “The More”, we have accomplished much during the last few years…(part time):

• We are the ONLY rescue mission in N.E. Florida east of the St. Johns River: Within the Seawalk Hotel we operate, at no charge to the resident, a rescue mission outreach that houses, heals and helps the hurting and the hopeless get back on their feet with shelter, food, clothing, counseling, discipleship training and jobs.
• Led over 30 exciting “mission trips/vacations with a purpose” to orphanages,

schools, and impoverished villages in Haiti, Africa, Bahamas, and Nicaragua

• Formed and led over 300 small group gatherings
• Promoted ‘healthy charities’ by hiring, teaching skills, and starting up micro enterprises
• Library for Hope, Healing & Inspiration
• Served over 4,000 meals
• Provided food, clean water, water filters, appliances, shelter, clothing, supplies, blankets and more…
• Provided thousands of educational materials such as, books and Bibles, DVD’s, CD’s, discipleship notebooks, study guides…
• “Light Up the Night” weekly concert series music ministry
• Seawalk Beach Outreach providing facilities for Church outreach programs
• Mission Café: Our facility for music and outreach programs
• Ministered to many through counseling, prayer, healing sessions, discipleship training, concerts, and events
• Daily discipleship training sessions every morning (Mon.-Sat.)

THE VISION

“To transform hearts and lives with God’s unconditional love, grace and truth.”

 

THE MISSION

Providing food, water, shelter, clothing and supplies to those in need or crisis situations; offering programs, teachings, counseling, platforms, gatherings, events and mission trips to reconnect with others and our loving Creator.

Much more is planned, including:

• To enhance and grow the programs we are currently operating
• Depression Free Institute
• Bags of Blessings
• Wellness Center (spirit, soul, and body)
• Supply food for impoverished villages through fishing tournaments
• Missions Travel Agency
• International church plantings (ie. Kenya)
• “Life Safari Book” by J. Roosevelt Stockton

God has me fired up to get out of bed in the morning to do His work together.  Think about all that has been accomplished on a short part-time basis.  Imagine how much more of a positive impact we will make together on a full-time basis. During some recent mission trips, it was amazing to see the heartfelt joy on the children’s faces when they receive what is probably their first book, Bible, shoes and clean drinking water.  Other children asked if we could help find their fathers.  When orphans were asked what they wanted for Christmas, they answered, “a hug”. The children we serve will thaw even the hardest of hearts.

THE SINCERE HEARTFELT - NOT ASHAMED TO ASK 

"God has blessed us with so much so we can be a blessing."

Jesus said, "…Truly I tell you, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did it for me…  Care for the orphans and widows in their misfortunes… “

None of this would have been or will be accomplished without partners like you. 

You are so important and vital to God's kingdom and your help is what will make all of this possible. 

It would be an honor to serve God and his kingdom with you. Allow us to be yours and God’s hands and feet on the front line, being there for those in their time of need.  

Please consider any donation amount that God puts on your heart; i.e., no amount is too small: $1-$100-$1,000-$10,000-$100,000...

Think about All we can accomplish by working together. 

With sincere gratitude and prayer that God's love, peace and joy will be in you and surround you now and forever,

James (Jimbo) Roosevelt Stockton III, Minister

 PS. I believe you will have strangers coming up to you throughout eternity with enormous gratitude, thanking you for positively impacting their lives for the contribution you make today!