When I was a child, I went to Sunday school sporadically.  I remember the sing along bus rides and a pastor telling me that I was saved and that no matter what I did the rest of my life I was going to go to heaven.   I did not think much about God until my car accident.  I became paralyzed in 1995 (at age 19) on the way home from a drinking binge in Canada.  I was in the military between deployments and was sleeping in the back seat of a car that ended up being crushed.  Wake up call…not yet.  I got involved in wheelchair basketball and drugs and ended up being pretty successful at both.  My girlfriend and I had a child in 1999 and became parents before either of us were really ready.  I started college and continued the partying and playing basketball.  As you can imagine the lifestyle was hectic my daughter’s mother and I split up in 2001.  I decided to see my daughter as much as possible while continue to pursue basketball and my degree.   I became a talented basketball player and won two College National Championships (2003-04) at the University of Whitewater in Wisconsin.  I was always an athlete and it seemed like this success would be the highlight of my life.  It was not!  I still felt unsatisfied with family life and the academic and athletic accomplishments.  The last year I was at UWW one of my teammates led me to the Lee Strobel “Case For Christ”.  I was consumed by the research of this man and I could not read his books fast enough.  When I finished them, I knelt down and asked Jesus to come into my life.  Second wakeup call?  Maybe.  I started feeling better about my situation in life, but there would be another test of my faith because I was not a true conversion.   I received a DUI in the middle of my internship.   I struggled but continued my search and went through rehab for a second time in my life.  At this point I was sure God existed I was pretty confused about Him. I started another internship after a year away from school.  A blessing.  Enter my wife, and church.  I was strengthening my faith thru fellowship and a new understanding of Gods law.  The ten commandments.  You see I was not able to realize the good news of the gospel until I understood that I had broken God’s law that I was a guilty sinner and only thru the true grace, the cross, would I enter Heaven. Things started taking a radical turn for the better.  For the first time in my life felt like I was really heading somewhere.  I repented all of the sins I could think of and was baptized in water.  Most importantly read the word of God.  I now bring myself as a sinner to the foot of the cross.  I ask Jesus to be the lantern at my feet and to light a path of righteousness for me to follow.  I have been married for over a year.   My relationship with my ten year old daughter has never been better.  My wife and I have a beautiful new baby girl that is two months old.  I attend church every Sunday and have the opportunity to partake in my love of music by playing the bass in the “Praise Band” and this Christian band.  I own a personal training business in Rockford and things couldn’t be better.   I believe I know the reason why.   For the rest of my life I want to effectively teach God’s law to everyone and to glorify God to the fullest.   I do not search for contentment anymore, for all the joy I need I find in the teachings of Jesus and witnessing to others who were like me!

My fav sites!!!!!!

Way of the Master

Answers in Genesis

Fitness Together / Rockford