I am the pastor of the Ankenytown Grace Brethren Church. I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ personally at the age of 3 when I prayed to accept Him as my savior. At the age of 5 I felt the call of God on my life and immediately told my kindergarten teacher I was going to be a missionary when I grow up because that was what God wanted. It wasn't always easy after that. I was persecuted for my faith - having teeth knocked out when i was beaten up several time in sixth grade for being a Christian, I had life-threatening brain surgery in seventh grade. I watched my dad fight for life my sophmore year of high school after he attempted to kill himself. I then went through a great bout with depression, nearly ending my own life the following year.

By the time I graduated high school I had all but forgotten the call on my life. I was doing my thing.

God kept his hand on my life however. Making it clear that he wanted me to go to Asbury College in KY. I went there for a semester but fell into a great depression as a result of trying to find out about Satanism and the occult. It was to much and I wasn't close enough to God to handle it. After a semester I transferred to Mount Vernon Nazarene College for 1.5 years before returning to Asbury. God wouldn't let me stay away.

I graduated from Asbury with a degree in Art and a concetration in photography, but it wasn't where God wanted me.

God finally woke me up and called me back. I traveled to India to be a singer on a series of crusades in the late 90's. When I arrived there I found out that a preacher was needed for they were one short as a pastor had become ill and could not make it. I found myself preaching day after day for the first time in my life. Through my translator Christhudhas, God spoke to me. Christhudhas told me God had shown him I was called to do this. He asked me if I already knew that. At first I tried to deny it, but God would not let me.

I came back with a renewed vigor, and a confidence that yes this is what God wanted. I began preparing for the ministry, studied the word of God and pursued my Masters of Divinity. During that time God brought me into contact with my future wife - Janelle. Just 1.5 years ago she was saved. She had been playing the game - going to church, saying the right things, doing the right things - but with no hope, no joy, no love. I assumed she was saved and we had been married five years before she came to know the Lord.

Since then God has shown us just how good he is even when things are hard. I wouldn't trade the life I've had. I needed it to show me just how much I do need to depend on God. Praise Him that he gives us what we need, not what we want.