Background
I’m 24 years old and was born and raised in Hickory, NC. I grew up in a great family with two brothers and a sister. My twin brother has definitely been the most influential person in my life. I feel extremely blessed that God gave me a twin brother to grow up and live life with. I have no idea where I would be today without him. Thanks bro!
I went to school at Appalachian State University in the gorgeous mountains of Western North Carolina. I graduated with a degree in Construction Management in 2009. After graduation I attended Auburn University and received my Master’s degree in Building Construction. The short answer as to why I majored in construction is because I really enjoy physically working, using my hands, and being exhausted at the end of the day. Majoring in construction sounds like the right answer to me!
I like to stay active in my free time and I'll play almost anything… Run, bike, swim, soccer, basketball, disc golf (anyone heard of it?)… anything to break a good sweat! Nothing makes me feel better than after a good, long, late night run!
Young Life
Young Life is a HUGE part of my testimony! I’ve been very involved with Young Life ever since I was little (Thanks Mom and Dad for all those trips to Windy Gap), but it wasn’t until high school when the Gospel really started to sink in. It took time, but through many weekend and summer camps, God worked his way into my life! Keeping the story short, Young Life was (and still is) the reason for my spiritual growth through high school and college. Wanting to give back to the organization that led me to Christ, I volunteered to serve at two of Young Life’s camps for a couple summers in college. I served in the ropes course crew in Virginia and then traveled to Colorado to help run the mountain biking excursions. I have a huge heart for Young Life! I think the organization does the best job at reaching and sharing the Gospel to high school teenagers and I hope I can always stay connected with them in whatever I do.
How I came to be on The World Race
Some time during my last semester at Auburn, I started feeling the pressure of the question: “What next?” That’s when I really began to feel God start to TUG me toward something, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was he was pulling me toward. As graduation was fast approaching, I knew I wanted to go on a trip that was physically and spiritually challenging; something that would deepen my faith and hopefully open my eyes to what God wants me to do next (and/or for the rest of my life).
My parents actually gave me the idea of going on a two-week In Depth Study Tour of Israel (http://comeandlearntowalk.wordpress.com/). It was an unforgettable and eye-opening trip and I’d recommend it to anyone is yearning to walk the Holy lands of Jesus! I never felt more ALIVE in my life! We spent our days learning the scriptures, hiking along the Jesus Trail, wandering in the desert, touring Jerusalem, visiting the epic places from the Bible, walking the lands Jesus walked! And every night I would go to sleep physically exhausted-spiritually filled. It was one of the happiest and most fulfilling times of my life. That trip truly launched my faith and relationship with Christ to a whole new level.
When I returned from Israel, I applied for and landed a job, because… that’s what you do after school, right? Even after getting my job, I was still getting that “tugging” from God, feeling like he had something much more EPIC for me to do… something bigger and more purposeful than where I was.
I began to pray for another opportunity. I was asking God to reveal something to me that would make it obvious what he wanted me to do next. I can’t tell you why, but I began searching for mission opportunities from around the world. My mobility from the U.S. was something I felt I had to offer to God if he were to use me. Long story-short, I ended up on the WR site. And the rest is history…
Closing
I think of myself as just an ordinary guy. I’ve never been a missionary before, I’ve never been to seminary, I can’t play the guitar or lead worship, and I can’t quote you 50 verses from the bible. But I love pursuing Jesus! And I’m passionate about challenging myself, spiritually! I don’t like to use the word “calling,” but I believe, now, that the WR is what God was pushing me toward all this time. And for some reason my spiritual path has landed me in this position, this opportunity to go on a trek around the world to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and work for the Kingdom!
I’ve been reading this book by John MacArthur called “Twelve Ordinary Men.” And one of my favorite quotes from the book says, “God’s favorite instruments are nobodies.” So, why not me? As the days move closer, I’m becoming more and more confident that God will use me in an amazing way on The World Race.
I’ll leave you with a final verse from Acts 20:24 that I’m using as my “theme” verse for the trip:
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
To My Fellow Racers
I’m looking forward to meeting and getting to know everyone at training camp! As “iron sharpens iron,” I hope I’ll be able to sharpen you as much as I know you’ll be sharpening me during the race.
