Pastor Ronzel Pretlow has a story to tell. Born the eighth of nine children Ronzel was a very different child growing up. He gravitated early to music based on his mother’s influence who Ronzel calls “the undiscovered Ella Fitzgerald”. It was not until his early teen years that Ronzel discovered he truly had a gift to sing. He was called at 14 years old to sing the national anthem at his high school. After bringing the entire teaching staff to tears, it was clear that something amazing was being birthed. This amazing gift became a source of victory and burden for the young Ronzel. Discovering it was awe inspiring, but developing it led to deep depression and early on he struggled to find a balance.
Ronzel recalled being 19 and ready to jump off of a bridge, not able to find himself, but things would soon turn around. At 23 years old, Ronzel was discovered by Bishop Carlton Pearson when he rendered a lead part on a selection by Andre Jones. Two weeks later, Bishop Pearson flew him to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to sing for an audience of over 20,000. It was there that Ronzel introduced the world to his gift on a song called “It Overflows”. The song went on to become one of the biggest hits in gospel music history. Noted for his power and humility Ronzel Pretlow became an overnight wonder. The once small church he pastored, after taking over from his father, exploded.
Although he was married at the time, Ronzel admitted that it wasn’t the will of God. At 27, he found himself divorced and developing under public scrutiny. Emotional and on the rebound he married again in the attempt to do the right thing, but this marriage also ended in divorce. Ronzel found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. Feeling lost and alone, he decided to leave the ministry to find himself. He announced to his church that he would go on a sabbatical and it lasted three years. It was on this emotional journey of searching for himself that Ronzel’s prayers were answered. God blessed him with the wife that he wanted for his life in the person of Telesha Harmon.
The favor of God exploded in their lives and Ronzel once again has developed a huge footprint in the kingdom of God. Known for his provocative style of prophetic preaching, he continues to speak the truth in all denominations of the kingdom of God. His trials have led him to writing a book entitled Emotional Health 101: Deliver Us From Crazy. Ronzel Pretlow is a living testimony that no matter how low your life goes, or what the devil tries to do to it, you can recover all!
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