Where to begin? A few months ago? College days? Everyone's favorite days, jr. high? Or as a screaming little child? I'll start as as a child and tell you a chunk of my life story; so you can get to know me and my heart.
I was born and raised in a Christian family. Being a Christian was all I knew, it was like my skin color, I couldn't change it. I have an older brother and sister. I looked up to my brother because even though my father was there, he wasn't. I went to VBS and A.W.A.N.A. as a kid. Everyday at VBS I would exept Jesus in my heart everyday, just to make sure I would not go to hell, (just to be safe). I finally accept him in the 4th grade, but, didn't know what it meant to follow Jesus.
In the 6th grade my brother had a classmate that commited suicide. He took it hard. We went to youth group and they did a skit on unforgiveable sins and one of them was suicide. I did what my brother did, I gave up on God. Life got harder when my grandpa passed away a year later. I did my own thing. How could a loving God take people I love away from me?
I kept going to youth group (so, my mother thought). I would sneek out and go to my friends house; that is when the world of things, I regret getting into. Use your imangination! I did this from 7th grade up through my freshman year of high school.
One night as I'm sneaking out, the new youth pastor asked where I was going. I told him and convinced me me to stay; so I did. His name was John and started pouring Jesus' heart on me. I was trying to figure out why he was doing this, I'm just a silly teenager. I went to everything the youth group did, just to get accepted, retreats, events, and mission trips.
Summer before my jr. year of h.s. I went to San Fran for a mission trip with my youth group. Thing I thought was strange was, I'm telling people about Jesus when I didn't believe it myself, (yet.) Last night at base was reflection night with different stations to reflect, journal, prayer, just to name a couple. I sat in the middle not knowing which one to do just to talk to God and hear him. I'm not a paitent guy and told God if I did not feel his physical touch I'm done with him forever. Before I got up to leave, I felt a hand on me. Looked up to see who it was and no one was there. I lost it and John come to bring me back into the Kingdom. John taught me what it meant to follow Jesus and I understood it. Before my senior year of h.s. I got baptised.
Through out college I was involved with InterVarstiy Christian Fellowship in my hometown of Missoula, MT. Through these years I have learned more about myself and who the Lord has revealed himself to me. I have a heart for not only teenagers but also missions. Jesus commands us to go and make disiciples! I long to be a John to someone. (Someone who loved on me, hung-out with me despite what I have done or was in, disciple them, and show them what it means to follow Jesus.) Whether being here in Missoula or somewhere in the world.
