I, like most of you, am a man with a past and a story: tragic occurrences, painful addiction, and even a childhood diagnosis. All this could have drawn me far from God, but through it all there was a sense that God was always in pursuit. Like many men, I need to see things and figure things out for me in my own time. I graciously, by God’s power, overcame a great deal, and surrendered myself to Christ. Now, I lead my family, study God’s word, make church a priority, help inmates with recovery and serve my community.

I am a man who is not afraid to share my story, even bear the parts that are difficult and shameful. It’s  a chance to give God the glory and illustrate His power to save and redeem things that seem beyond hope. God continually pursued me through relationships with His people. God provided mentors, pastors, and even a persistent neighbor [another MLN guest Peter Goodwin] to point me to salvation and ultimately my surrender. It was Peter that eventually helped me connect back to church and even follow through with believer’s baptism, a step of faith that had eluded me for years.