I was born in St. Paul, MN in 1968. I wasn’t a very good student, as a matter of fact, I just skimmed by to graduate high school. I knew that I was going to be an alcoholic before I ever drank. When I did start drinking I knew this was what I was looking for, although it was only short term peace, it was still more peace then I had known before. For that short term peace I would go to most lengths to get it. Over the next ten years I had progressed into what society would call a chronic alcoholic. I had gotten to where I would drink just about anything that had alcohol in it (mouthwash, Lysol, hairspray, cologne, rubbing alcohol) to get me out of withdrawal. Throughout all of this I always had a knowing that God was going to take me out of this darkness. I did not know much about God as far as religion, but I can look back now and see that He put a lot of things in my way to lead me out of that life, but there was still a part of me that wanted this life style. I experienced miraculous deliverances that he made for me along the way, but I had not had enough yet. Off and on, I was homeless from 1994-2000, having stayed in all the detoxes with in a hundred mile radius of the Twin cities. Between 1993 and 2000 I had been in treatment eleven times, three half way houses, and in and out of jail any where from 30 to 120 days at a time.

In 1997 I was doing day labor (where you get paid at the end of the day). I went to a shelter to eat and hang around the only people that would drink with me. After eating and drinking and wandering around town, I blacked out and walked across Interstate 94 and got hit by a car and lost a leg. After getting out of the hospital and a month long binge I went through a treatment center where they sent me to a halfway house. It was there that I met one of Pastor Judy’s prodigies. After hearing his testimony, I had a new hope. I still drank but I now had a new hope and when I went into another treatment center in 2000, I had talked to a minister (who’s daughter I am now married to) She and her husband gave me an offer to stay at their house, and after another week of drinking and passing out, I accepted. When I got there they gave me bible and a bible study. I had a new passion in life. One month later I went to take care of my last two months of jail. I spent that time reading scripture and praying. It was there that I discovered Jean Guyon’s “Experiencing the depths of Jesus Christ”. I had my first open vision and knew the reality of God. When I had gotten out of jail I was attending “His Present Glory”. I remember my first time there. I was so amazed, the lights were dim, the music was loud, and the people were casually dressed and friendly. It was like a bar, but of a different Spirit.

I started doing sound there and was surprised to find out that Christians were not perfect and that these Christians were not even trying to pretend they were. What I found out at this church was that not a lot of people stayed, and that is because change was expected of them, the kind of change where you allow Christ to live through you. After being there, committed for a year, I have been given a time slot on Monday nights to teach. I now have more passion for the word of God than anything else. I believe It was only after understanding the unconditional love and grace of God (Isaiah 54:9,10) that I am as free as I am. I am always being transformed by the renewing of my mind, I have not arrived but I am on my way.