“BEFORE…I grew up in a Christian home, with grandparents and uncles all in the ministry--but a father who was running from a call to ministry.   Despite dad’s running, he kept us involved in a great church in Indianapolis that enabled me to get well grounded in the Christian faith, even making an elementary profession of faith along with several other children at a Christian camp.  I say “elementary profession” because I don’t think the full extent of what I was doing was clear, nor did I grasp how to live that out in the day to day.  Most of my weekly life was lived selfishly, even after my father surrendered his plans to the Lord’s call to ministry on his life.  His pursuit of ministry was a spiritually eye-opening experience as I now saw faith lived out at home day to day. 

HOW…as Dad pursued his call in ministry serving churches throughout Indiana, Alabama and Louisiana, I had grown disenchanted with church people who said and did what I saw as very hypocritical things for the sake of keeping church for themselves--I knew selfish, and easily recognized it.  But, as a pastor’s kid, I had to go to summer camp.  I remember trying to be annoying, trying to get asked to leave a whole camp full of church people--but being loved and embraced instead.  During the week, I saw the patient, forgiving, gracious, kind, love that God offers as it was continually lived out by other teens, counselors, and the director.  I accepted God’s love and surrendered my life fully to His service that week in June 1990 at Camp Pollack Louisiana.   

AFTER…since that time, I have pursued a selfless life of serving others, and the church (ironically, the very group who had turned me off from God).  I received a degree from Anderson University and entered church service beginning in Chattanooga, Tennessee before coming to Alabama in 1999.  I continue to be amazed by the gracious love of God, and seek to live it out for the sake of those who also need to receive it.”