Cowl Story
The standard definition of the phrase “sabbatical” (in accordance with the Oxford Dictionary) is “a interval of go away granted to knowledgeable employee for research or journey.” A extra archaic definition says it’s “of or acceptable to the sabbath.” When Dale Benton, the profitable proprietor of 4 automobile dealerships in Alabama and Tennessee, took a sabbatical in 2021, the phrase match each of these definitions and shocked many people- together with himself. It was a break from his high-stress profession and an opportunity to get nearer to God. Benton stated that the break gave him a brand-new perspective on life and at last made his relationship with Christ his final precedence.
daughters in 2003. Victoria stated her husband’s “management and knowledge”
helped them by these difficult occasions. God later blessed them with
son Daniel.
Careworn Out. Benton grew to become one of many area’s most profitable businessmen within the car business, however it got here with a worth. Working up from gross sales affiliate, Benton owns three automobile dealerships in Alabama (Hoover, Bessemer, and Oxford), plus a dealership in Columbia, Tenn. Because the founder and proprietor of Benton Automotive Group, he has been acknowledged with many business accolades. This 12 months he represented your complete state of Alabama as a TIME Vendor of the Yr finalist. The distinguished award is given to the nation’s most profitable auto sellers who present a dedication to neighborhood service. Benton’s spouse Victoria, an legal professional, works with him within the enterprise, and they’re the proud mother and father of 15 12 months outdated son Daniel.
Regardless of all of his outward success, Benton stated that all through his life he at all times had a striving for the subsequent large factor. He attended and performed baseball at Coastal Neighborhood Faculty in Brewton, Ala., after which attended Kennesaw State College. When his desires of enjoying skilled baseball have been dashed resulting from an harm, he went to work from the bottom up at a automobile dealership in Atlanta. “I’d at all times been very aggressive, and it’s a aggressive enterprise,” he stated. “It matches my character.” Benton discovered on the spot success in 1994 as a gross sales affiliate and after marrying Victoria, they moved to Alabama to proceed his profession. From that time on, the alternatives and developments continued as he moved into finance and administration; after that, the logical step was to personal his personal dealerships. He bought his first dealership in Oxford in 2010 adopted by the Hoover location in 2014. “I began to maneuver up, and I at all times wished the subsequent step. I at all times wished to realize and get to the subsequent degree and subsequent factor,” he stated. “I used to be at all times looking.” In 2016, Benton ventured out of state together with his work and bought a Nissan dealership in Columbia, Tenn., and that very same 12 months additionally purchased his Bessemer Nissan dealership and a Chevrolet dealership in 2018 he has since bought. “I used to be nonetheless searching for extra,” he stated.
All through these days Benton had his religion to lean on. He had turn into a Christian quickly after assembly Victoria. They attended church and Bible research. However he knew there needed to be extra. “We have been at all times concerned in church, and tithing was crucial to us,” he stated. “However Christ wasn’t my precedence. I used to be working each evening both at a retailer or at residence, and I used to be at all times searching for one other alternative. I used to be making an attempt to fill a void. I had given my life to Christ, however I didn’t have victory in Christ.” In 2018, Benton stated that he started to really feel distinctly conscious that one thing wasn’t proper. Then, as Covid shut down issues in 2020, he additionally started to close down. “Issues simply felt fallacious. Life didn’t style good. I at all times had instructed myself that if the shops have been doing nicely, I used to be doing nicely,” he stated. “However I knew one thing was completely different in 2018. And in 2020, nothing felt proper. I couldn’t get pleasure. I couldn’t discover happiness or peace with something I did. I used to be in a cave, and I couldn’t see myself out.” In 2021, he continued trying to find which means by his work– by searching for extra alternatives and shopping for extra actual property. At the moment, he stated, it was all about “extra, extra, and extra.” A well being scare made him suppose he’d had a coronary heart assault, however medical doctors couldn’t discover something fallacious.
Taking a Break. What was the reply? Benton knew he needed to do one thing however felt helpless. He recommended together with his pastor, who inspired him to do one thing sudden and out of character- take a sabbatical. His pastor’s directions? Depart work on the workplace, take a break from the job for so long as doable, abandon his cellphone, and relaxation in Christ by research, prayer, and different practices. “He instructed me I wanted a sabbatical to take each stressor away. He requested me if I might take two months away, and I stated sure,” Benton defined. “He instructed me to provide my telephone to my spouse and let go of something that was nerve-racking. And that included something associated to purchasing or promoting.” He gave his telephone to Victoria, picked up a flip telephone as an alternative, and instructed everybody (together with his workers) what he was doing. He primarily disconnected from every little thing. Benton stated {that a} change didn’t occur instantly, however as he began filling himself up with Scripture and religious practices, he seen a shift. He realized that he’d been a Christian for 27 years and, whereas everybody thought he was “tremendous,” there was a lot lacking from his life. “Once you take every little thing else out after which begin filling your self with all of the truths and the goodness of the Lord, then issues change,” he stated. Benton clung to 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says, “If any man involves Christ, he’s a brand new creature. Previous issues go away and all issues turn into new.” He shares, “I needed to begin believing these phrases. I needed to open my arms and arms and give up fully.” Benton stated that it was a day by day battle to alter his focus from what it had been earlier than, however after about six weeks he began seeing a distinction. The arduous work started to be price it, he stated. As his sabbatical ended Benton started to make modifications in exterior methods. He went again to work and commenced taking time for issues like small teams and sharing his testimony. “Most males go to the grave nonetheless making an attempt to fill the opening of their coronary heart,” he stated. “In our enterprise, it might imply one other automobile or one other dealership. However the one factor that may fill that gap is Christ and the Holy Spirit.”
Trying to the Future. Benton additionally continued and elevated his firm’s work locally. That work contains the annual Benton Nissan Bass Fishing Match to learn King’s Residence, which serves youth, ladies, and youngsters fleeing abuse, neglect, or homelessness. His firm additionally offers generously to the Foundry Ministries in Bessemer, and his workers assist youngsters in want by its annual Backpack & College Provides Giveaway. In Anniston, he helps Interfaith Missions and in Columbia, he helps The Nicely Outreach. Benton additionally strives to be one of the best employer doable and credit his workers with caring for enterprise throughout his sabbatical. “Although I need my shops to do nicely, I need them to be extra blessed as a result of we do extra for others. I want extra favor and extra affect to have extra alternative to share with others,” he stated. “And I need to present a very good place to work for my workers.” He credit his household for sustaining and inspiring him throughout the making an attempt occasions of his journey and takes each alternative right now to inform his story. “Each time I can, I need to inform my testimony,” Benton stated. “I’ve a earlier than and after story. And I’ve victory.”
— Cheryl Wray
