Growing up in a Christian home I was fortunate to have parents that were both great examples of being “Christ-like”. A quick look at their lives showed that He was their priority, and that they truly loved Him and His church. It was obvious to me that there was something truly different about my parents, and I desired to have whatever it was that they had. I believe that God used their example to influence me, and made my heart more receptive to the Gospel when it was presented to me. I will forever be grateful to my parents for their example of faithfulness, and I still carry many of the lessons taught by them in my Christian walk today.

When I was eight years old my family’s church held a revival meeting. The guest speaker was from Australia, and his strange accent managed to keep my attention. The longer he spoke, the more it felt like he was speaking directly to me. I didn’t fully understand everything that he said, but I became convinced that I was a sinner in need of a savior, and that Jesus had come to forgive me and save me from my sin. I knew I needed to surrender my life to Him, so I asked my father to walk down front with me where my pastor led me in a prayer to invite Jesus Christ into my heart.

My adolescent/teen years were for the most part spiritually indifferent. I went to church and was a “good” kid, but had little relationship with God. When I was a junior in college my father left my mother after 25 years of marriage. My father had always been my hero and spiritual mentor, and his leaving caused me to question my faith and Christianity. I examined the Scripture and my life and realized that our faith is a personal decision, and that so much of what I had done to that point had been nothing more than following the lead of my family and upbringing. This experience brought me to a point where I truly began to seek and serve God personally, and ultimately led to my calling into full-time vocational ministry.