Story…life is a story. And no one likes a boring story. I cannot promise my story will be an exciting one for all to read, but what I CAN promise is I will never again be satisfied by a boring story, a boring life. I have learned that one of the great secrets to a life well lived is to tell a great story with it. Here’s where mine is so far…
Born and raised in the great city of Pittsburgh, I’ve learned a thing or two about loyalty, hard work, and picking myself up by my own boot straps. Does that mean I’m always loyal, constantly hard working, and never whine about my circumstances?? Haha! Ask my wife. Honestly, though, I do try my best!
I grew up in a strong German/Italian home with an ever so slight attachment to the Roman Catholic faith. It didn’t stick. For most of my youth I think I would have merely classified myself as an agnostic. Not quite an athiest, but definitely not a follower of Jesus either. At least not until I came face to face with Him. Jesus made himself and his Kingdom known to me through some of the most loving, accepting, gracious, and sincere people I know. There was no denying him any longer. I had to follow.
For years I had dreams of a long career in the military. I wanted to be an officer in the Navy. I wanted to serve my country and see the world. And the Navy thought I could be of great service to them, so they offered me a scholarship to do just that. But how would that fit in with this new found faith I had just discovered? In the Bible, the story goes on to say that when Jesus first met the men who would become his disciples, he challenged them to drop what they were doing to follow him. Peter, Andrew, James and John, great fishermen in their community, after meeting Jesus dropped their nets, walked away from their boat, and completely gave up their lives to follow Jesus. Surely that story didn’t mean I would have to give up my work, my dreams, to follow Him….
It did. I had always heard stories of people saying that God “spoke to them.” To that point I’d never heard God speak. Honestly, there was a part of me that thought those who “heard God” were crazy people. They are the folks who hear voices and do ridiculous things in the name of God. Well, now it was my turn to do something crazy. I heard God and he made it perfectly clear he wasn’t satisfied with me doing my own thing. Somehow I needed to make my story, part of his story.
I gave up my dreams and my scholarship and pursued Jesus. I enrolled in a small Bible college in east Tennessee to learn more. After graduating from there, I needed to go deeper and enrolled in seminary. I couldn’t get enough of this man named Jesus, this great storyteller and teacher, this prophet, this Son of God.
Funny thing about life, faith, and the discipleship process, there’s only so much you can learn about it in school. Teachers and professors can dissect the scriptures all day long, but until you actually experience grace, compassion, and unconditional love in tangible ways they’re very difficult lessons to learn. My story, even after I made Jesus’ story a part of it, has been far from perfect. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, some small, some so stupidly large I dare not identify them publicly. However, it has been through those mistakes, that I’ve learned what grace, compassion, and unending love truly are. That small group of folks mentioned earlier and my amazing wife (who also happens to have been a part of the former group) have been the greatest teachers I’ll ever know because they’ve proven to me the value of Jesus’ story – His story of unwarranted grace and ever lasting love.
So, my story continues…I’m now blessed with the amazing opportunity extend the grace and love of God in my own service through fulltime ministry. I am currently the lead minister of a great church in my hometown of Pittsburgh and I also serve as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve (funny how God will honor the desires of our heart when we give them up for him, isn’t it?). I don’t know where my story will go next. Not sure what the future holds. However, I couldn’t be happier with where my story has led thus far.
My intention for this website is simply to reflect on the little stories, the little experiences, that make up the larger story of my life, and maybe a little bit of what God is doing in whatever corner of the world I may be at the moment. I might just share an experience or go a little deeper with a reflection on what’s going on. And from time to time, you might just have to indulge me as I celebrate some of my favorite things in life. Whatever the case may be, thank you for taking a moment to join me in my story and please, do not hesitate to send me an email, Facebook message, or a tweet with a story of your own…
