Hello Friends!
To start with, I am a sinner saved by grace; redeemed by Christ and restored in relationship to God. I’m not perfect, but the Lord continues to work in my heart and in my life, molding me into a man after his own heart. I am excited to join to the World Race, to bring the message of the Gospel to the far reaches of the world and to bring hope and life through practical work to empower the downtrodden and broken-hearted!
In honor of the World Race and 11 Countries in 11 Months, I give you 11 biographical tidbits:
1. I am a native Texan. As they say, don’t ask a man where he’s from. If he’s from Texas, he will tell you, otherwise, don’t embarrass him.
2. In my lifetime, my jobs have consisted of: lifeguard, swim instructor, Kamp counselor, SMU Tour Guide (Go Mustangs!), Professional Country-Western Dance Instructor (just once, but got paid for it!), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and currently I am a freelance arts and culture journalist (First article published this week here in the Dallas Observer!).
3. I have lived in 4 states and 1 foreign country: Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Spain.
4. As a CPA, everyone thinks I’m a numbers person, but I much more enjoy the humanities (art, music, literature, writing, etc). Here are my top interests:
Music: I love indie rock, indie songwriters, folk, some alt-rock. I am currently listening to Andrew Belle, Greg Laswell, Local Natives, Andrew Belle, Family of the Year, Bad Suns, Blackchords and The Staves.
Books: I just finished reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller and I love Ernest Hemingway and Cormac McCarthy. My favorite of theirs would be A Farewell to Arms and All the Pretty Horses.
Art: As far as art, I am a big fan of Spanish art, from Goya to Miró. Living in Madrid for a semester I spent tons of time at the Golden Triangle of Art, consisting of 3 museums, The Prado, The Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofia. My alma mater has the Meadows Museum, which is the world’s best collection of Spanish art outside of Spain.
Writing: I currently freelance for local publications and am working on a book!
5. I collect vinyl records even though I don’t have a record player. I love the tangible experience of a record, enjoying the artwork, the liner notes, the physical sound (when I play them at my parents’ house) and supporting the art of creating a full cohesive album of music rather than just singles.
6. I’m an Eagle Scout and love the outdoors, whether camping, snow skiing, hiking, boating, swimming, running, ultimate frisbee or just hanging out around a firepit.
7. I am so encouraged by living in community at my church, Watermark Community Church. My community group, discipleship group and friends have been faithful in demonstrating Christ’s love and grace to me, even when I’m a mess! Leaving my small groups and friends for the year will be tough, but I am excited to get out in to the world and disciple others!
8. I love playing games with my family and friends: Spades, Forty-Two, board games, Mafia, Fishbowl, etc. And Farkle. I definitely look forward to bringing Farkle to the World Race.
9. Eating is my favorite American pastime, I love all sorts of cuisine, except tofu. I can’t figure out who thought tofu was a good idea.
10. When I lived in Spain, I tried to ask the Señora that I lived with for a lightbulb (“bombilla”), but instead, freaked her out by saying I needed a firefighter (“bombero”). I made the same mistake when trying to say I was embarrassed (“averganzado”) but instead said I was pregnant (“embarazada”)!
11. I have a passion for urban design and architecture. I believe that how we choose to develop property, from how we design streets to how we design entrances to buildings can have a generations-long impact on the life and vibrancy of the community experience.
Bonus: My favorite Bible verse is Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” We are saved by grace alone (Eph. 2:8-9), but I love how Micah 6:8 is such a succinct reminder of our task here on earth, loving God and loving people (Matt 22:36-40)!
