Until the age of 21, my life was defined by addiction, loneliness, and hopelessness. I didn’t grow up in church — in fact, I barely knew who God was. But one night, at the lowest point in my life, I cried out to a God I wasn’t even sure existed. That same night, I was arrested — for the last time.
It was in a jail cell that I truly encountered the presence of God. From there, He led me to the Salvation Army, and in January 2007, my journey of recovery and redemption began. I don’t remember the exact date, but I do know it was the start of everything new. Since then, I’ve been clean and serving the Lord with the same intensity I once gave to a destructive lifestyle — only now, it’s all for His glory.
Not long after Tiffany and I were married (three months, to be exact!), we stepped into the wild adventure of pastoring. At first, we just did church the way we had always seen it done. It was five years of learning, growing, and, honestly, surviving. But in 2017, God gave us a fresh vision and a new name: Lifeline Church. We wanted to be known as a place where people could grab hold of hope. Since then, the church has nearly quadrupled in size, and we’ve never had more fun or felt more like ourselves in ministry.
One of the most surreal moments for me was being invited back to lead a Bible study at the very same Salvation Army where I gave my life to Jesus. Standing in that room, now as a teacher — where I had once been a desperate student — reminded me of just how far God has brought me.
Tiffany and I have been married since January 7, 2012, and she’s the heart behind so much of what we do. We’re blessed with three amazing kids; Corbin, Emma, and Evan. Our family loves celebrating birthdays — and yes, I break out the ukulele for a special rendition of “Happy Birthday” every single time.
We also share our home with two quirky cats, Brodie and Isabella, who keep life interesting.
My first sermon? Let’s just say it was an enthusiastic (and very long) attempt to cover the entire books of Luke and Acts — complete with 57 PowerPoint slides. It was rough! But I wouldn’t trade those early moments for anything.
Today, I’m more passionate than ever about pointing people to the real, life-changing love of Jesus. Whether it’s through preaching, pastoring, or just being present in someone’s hardest moments, I live to be a lifeline — because I remember exactly what it felt like to need one.
Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you’re here — and if my story tells you anything, I hope it’s this: no one is too far gone for the grace of God.