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A Brief History of my Life

I was born and raised in or around Lancaster, Wisconsin, USA. Yes, I know a little something about small towns, milking cows, and feeding pigs. However, I hope I know more about loving God and being a part of His Family. My mother had her conversion experience to become a Christian when I was in her womb (I want to take the credit, but that’s just not the caseJ). My father and mother both became active members in church and eventually helped found a church in Fennimore, WI, called Grant Country Christian Center. This is where I became part of the first youth group GCCC had and later returned to lead it for a year (but helping all throughout my college years). Under my leadership, some of the youth group members even got talked into going on missions to Venezuela (1998) and Bolivia (1999). Imagine that!

Yes, when I was 9-years-old, four pastors prayed over me and said that I had the call to be a pastor. Most nine-year-olds have playing in the sand box on their minds (which I did plenty of) but I did feel a personal call on my life. I really LOVE CHURCH, and wanted to go all the time. My parent’s did not have any problem getting me to church, youth group, or on missions…I just naturally liked it all. But my desire to be a pastor hasn’t been a straight shot. God has put me through plenty of tests, including the test of waiting patiently, and teaching on business, life, relationships, and what a good and bad pastor consist of.

Well, I have had many different jobs in my life. When I was 11-years-old, I started working on my grandparent’s farm, which lasted until I was 16-years-old. I ran the hog operation, almost from start to finish; sometimes I worked 80 hours a week in the summer. I earned $2.25 an hour all 5 years (minimum wage was at $4.35 or so). After repeated failed attempts to convince my uncle and grandparents that I deserved a raise, I quit. And I started Four Sport Card Shop where I sold baseball, football cards, etc. I was successful at this and always had a $100 bill on me at that age, which was nice. I had one shop in Lancaster and one in Fennimore. However, I left it all (though I could have made a living at it) in order to go to Oral Roberts University to pursue my real dream of being a Pastor. Then when I was a junior in college (1997) I knew that in someway I would need to Pastor overseas or in prayer I decided that I should/could be a pastor on the mission field, if God so desired. From there I went on many mission trips but have never truly been a pastor overseas.

My first mission trip was the summer of 1995 to Poland. This trip probably the most life-changing, eye-opening, and Spirit-lead time in my life up that that point. It really rocked my world. I continued on short-term mission’s trips with ORU, to Puerto Rico (1996), Chad/Cameroon (1997), Cameroon (1998), Venezuela (with Real Impact Missions, 1998), Europe (1999), Bolivia (with Real Impact Missions, 1999), Cameroon (1999), and then to Cameroon again in October 2000. I wanted to be a missionary to the Pygmies in Africa, but that wasn’t God’s plan. However, in the summer of 2002, I did invite and host Pastor Charles Sagay (my African father and friend) to stay with me. After one month here, an opportunity opened up and Pastor Charles did a whole year of Seminary in Dubuque, IA. Charles has raised more money than I could for the cause of the Pygmies and has started the First School for them in East Cameroon. He teaches them Bible and how to read and write. The school has 3 full-time teachers already!

Then, I went through some dark times, where a business partner essentially stole and ruin the business we started together. He ruined my credit in the process. It is a hard thing to be humbled by merely trusting another person, who is untrustworthy. I learned some valuable lessons in those years and the wisdom I gained helps guide me today. During those difficult years of losing everything pertaining to finances in my life, I was working on my Masters in Divinity. That helped to have the guiding hand of teachers in my life those days. I finished my Masters in May 2001. I moved home in January 2001, I was living in Tulsa, and started working in Construction with my dad and brother. Since that time, I have prospered in the building and remodeling business. 

A big monument in my life was becoming the part-time senior pastor of Lima Union Congregation Church, in November 2002. I have enjoyed being a pastor every Sunday (well some Sundays I wish the sermons would preach themselvesJ). Still, the learning process of how to love, deal with changes, and deal with loss and gain in families has been extraordinary. The hardest part of leaving to be a missionary has been the “resigning” from this Church I love so much. The people have become family and will forever be a part of my family. Some are even starting to save money to travel and visit me in Ukraine! What a great bunch of God’s Children! 

And that’s a brief history of my life. There are many more details, good and bad, that can’t be mentioned in this little page, but ask me about my life and I will gladly share with you. Each of our lives is unique and God molds us for the struggles and successes of the future. Most of all, I have learned more about how to relate to God and how God relates to me and mankind. God bless and thanks for “checking out” my lifeJ!