Former MTV reality star Davis Mallory says his life looks dramatically different today after a renewed encounter with Jesus led him to reconsider his sexuality, relationships and Christian faith.

Mallory, who appeared on MTV’s “The Real World” and had long identified as gay, drew widespread attention last year when his Christian testimony went viral. Now, he is speaking more openly about his spiritual journey and his relationship with a woman named Rachel.

Mallory said his decision to share his story publicly hasn’t been easy. After his testimony gained attention, he said he received death threats online, leaving him fearful about continuing to speak out.

Then, during a flight home from Hawaii, Mallory said he woke from sleep with a Bible verse on his mind.

“All I heard was, ‘Lean not on your own understanding,'” he recalled. “And I knew that God was saying, like, ‘I got you. You don’t understand what’s happening right now, Davis, but I got you.'”

The words echo Proverbs 3:5, which tells believers to trust in the Lord rather than relying on their own understanding.

Mallory said other experiences soon followed. After dreaming that he was working alongside men in an Army bunker, he felt led to surround himself with Christian men. He attended a Bible study where others prayed over him, and later that evening, a woman approached him with a message about fear.

Those moments helped change his outlook.

“I have complete peace,” Mallory said.

His transformation is especially notable because his sexuality was a significant part of his public identity during his reality television career. Mallory grew up in a conservative Christian household but later came out as gay. Looking back, he said his sexuality eventually “overrode” his religious beliefs.

Over time, however, Mallory said repeated relationship struggles caused him to question the direction of his life.

“For me, it was just gradual,” he said, describing “failed relationship after failed relationship” and relationships he found “really lustful” and “really unfulfilling.”

A friendship with Rachel encouraged Mallory to examine his Christian faith more deeply. Another turning point came when he attended a Christian conference and heard former adult film actor-turned-pastor Joshua Broome speak.

Mallory said hearing John 10:10 — in which Jesus contrasts the thief who comes to “steal and kill and destroy” with the abundant life He offers — forced him to consider what his choices were producing in his life.

“I was just seeing that that lifestyle was really not producing the fruit of joy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mallory’s friendship with Rachel developed into something more. He said he began feeling attracted to her, and the two eventually started dating.

The relationship has also changed the way he thinks about love and attraction.

“Lust is just an attraction to beauty,” Mallory said. “But love is meeting the person that God designed for you.”

For Mallory, the contrast between his past and present is striking. Years after becoming known to television audiences while openly gay, he now says his identity and direction are rooted in his relationship with Christ.

And despite the controversy surrounding his testimony, Mallory says he is no longer afraid to tell it.