Since I was a high school senior, I had a dream of starting a youth center for teenagers. Even when people dismissed it, I knew that God had placed that dream on my heart. After I returned from Bible College to Sunbury, PA, my wife and I started a youth center called The Refuge. We wanted to create a safe and fun place for teenagers to go to after school, free of charge. In nine months, our youth center grew to about 50 teens coming in each week. We provided them with… Read More
It's so important that we pass on everything we have learned to our children. And that's because they are the future leaders. But can you imagine a bunch of leaders who do not have an education? I teach a Sunday school class of about 40 kids here in Ghana. The majority of them do not go to school at all and can't read or write. For that reason, it's hard to teach them Bible verses and English songs. It's sometimes hard to imagine what their future will be like with little or no education. This unfortunate situation makes me very sad. They… Read More
My husband and I had finally finished the paperwork to adopt an American child. We discussed what we should do before becoming new parents. I had previously gone on several mission trips, and we decided to experience this together. Our church youth group was going to Haiti about six months after the massive 2010 earthquake. We had no practical or medical skills that could meet their needs but God was prompting us to go. I asked my husband, "What if our little boy is in Haiti?" But we both knew that would be… Read More
When God placed individuals with special needs on my heart back in high school, I had no way of knowing He was already preparing me for life with my daughter, Morgan. She has physical and cognitive special needs. Loving a child with special needs has taught me a lot about the fragility of life and how to see the world through a different lens. Just through her smiles and hugs, she is able to inspire others. I am blessed to have her in my life. And, she is the inspiration behind everything I do. After I retired at an early age, I… Read More
As a father of three, my life is pretty busy. My evenings are filled with volleyball games, track meets, and dance recitals as I work to be the best dad I can be. Wednesdays nights, though, are my sacred time. Those are the evenings I spend as the Royal Ranger Commander at my church. When my son turned six, he joined our local Royal Rangers program. Since I wanted to spend time with him, I decided to become the leader of his age group. Each Wednesday evening, I work with a group of boys teaching them life skills as well… Read More
When she was six years old, my daughter, Erin, was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease: FSGS. Her disease causes her immune system to attack her kidneys, and slowly, they fail. She is nine now, and we remain hopeful and have faith that God is able to sustain her. But, it isn't always easy. When Erin was first diagnosed during one of her early hospital stays, a sweet child life therapist saw her struggling and feeling down. She asked Erin what she would do if she could do anything in the hospital that day. Erin told her she would like to… Read More
