“I was born at a very young age, hahaha” (David Hepting). I grew up in the thumb of Michigan where getting 14 inches of snow from mother nature is no big deal. My life was a combination of many hard, exciting, sad, beautiful, and difficult memories. My life was like a box of chocolates because I never knew what I was going to get.
I really think that knowing where I was born and where I come from and who my parents are is important. However more than anything I feel like my life has just begun afresh in these last few years and that’s what I really want to talk about.
My journey with God started (at least when I began to notice how hard He was chasing after my heart) when I was 16 years old. Before that I had been through a lot of pain, and I finally came to a place where I knew that more than anything else I needed a sanctuary, a place of peace. At 16 years old I finally found it. It was Jesus.
I can tell you that I’ve fallen away from the Lord more times than I can remember since then. In January 2009 I got baptized, and that’s when the Holy Spirit started consuming me and breaking off all the chains that held me in captivity. It was only through a loving, non-judgmental community at my church that kept pursuing me that I saw how God will never give up on me. The more I tasted of God at church the more hungry I was for more of Him. I began to let them love me and be a voice in my life to follow God more closely.
The reason why I am on the race right now is because of Caroline Crawford, and Michael Hindes. Michael is the director of the world race and was the senior pastor at my church. Caroline Crawford is an alumni of the world race and she worked in the Port Huron (my city) chapter with the world race. She helped me choose all my gear, meeting with me for coffee, and constantly loving me, encouraging me, and being there for me.
The race so far has stretched me to the limits of sacrifice, taken me to edge of my comfort zone, and taught me more about life with God than I ever thought I would know. I have seen amazing sights, and met so many amazing people. Tried many new foods, and gotten over a lot of my fears. To summarize my story I just want to let you know…
the best chapters haven’t been written yet.
