I was born and raised in Akron, OH. I was brought up in church my whole life until I was about 15 or 16. My parents got divorced at a young age. The age of the internet was upon us by my adolescent/ early teen years. 9/11 had happened, the stock market crash of 2008- life was pretty crazy into the early 2000's and toward the early 2010's I began to stray from my church going and rebranding my own faith; my own life and to make my own choices. Every choice I made were footprints through my life.

So, I was 15 or so- roughly 8 years after the divorce, I voluntarily chose to walk in-step with darkness; with the adversary; hand in hand with death himself. Looking to girls, friends who weren't friends, substance use and abuse, intellectual and empathetic pursuits, even, eventually, starting a business, all to fill a void I felt within myself; to escape from who I was created to be; to run from my image. I had always attributed my successes to my own will, my own intellect and my own luck. After all, looking back upon my life, I've only ever seen a single set of footsteps following me: From drinking and driving- too numerous to keep track of- where I blacked out, woke up, in my room, car parked outside, slightly crooked but undamaged. From substance use and abuse- compounded years and years of my late teens / early 20s in daily non prescription pharmaceutical use- taking enough of any given substance to cause most people I knew to O.D., but waking up the next morning. Leading to excessive and prolonged substance abuse into my late 20s with harder, non- pharmaceutical substances. Pursuing relationships with girls, with friends throughout these time periods, all falling into the same 'traps of the trades', of my selfishness and 'woe is me' attitude - taking advantage of others for my gain and satisfaction, being taken advantage of for anothers gain and satisfaction, loosing some friends along the way through the hellfire we'd been playing around in. . . Suffice to say this, I was the one to overcome the pain. I was the one to cope, I was the one to hold myself together and carry myself through- It was me, I did it; again 1 set of footprints leading up to where I am now. 1 set. No one else but me. I hid these struggles from most of my family members and most of my friends. My mom passed at the tailend of this luciferian-whirlwind I had known to be my life in August of 2022. It was a brutal blow to my heart. To my life. To our family. Rest in peace mom... In the tailend of 2025, I was arriving at the destination of an endeavor I had long sought out. This was to read the Bible. I had read the Bible to better argue against it. (When arguing against something, its best to be more knowledgeable of said thing, right?) So, I had begun to read the Bible in order to dismantle the faith, to advocate against it. These were steps I'd taken in my life, along a path that I sought out, for my betterment. Upon reaching the end of the Old Testament, I had been largely opposed to much of the Bible. Some parts here and there were literary works I appreciated for their style and 'less preachy' tones. Upon completing the New Testament, I had read about Saul in the book of Acts- how he was intent of persecuting "people of the Way". He was responsible for the death of Stephen, a follower "of the Way". He was aiming at dismantling the religion- arguing against it and leveling it to the ground. Im sure with the desire to remove it from the face of the earth. Much like I had sought out to do, more so intellectually and not so aggressively, but to a similar end result nonetheless. Me, taking more steps. Me.

These steps I was taking lead me full circle back to God. Looking back, I was looking for love: love apart from my family- I wanted to have someone see me and love me for who I was, who I wanted to be and I found the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Looking back again, I saw my life reflected in the Old Testament. Just like the Israelites, I rebelled against God, I followed my own pursuits, worshipped my own idols, fed my flesh, destroyed my temple; I was actively paying the wages of sin- everyday. Separating myself from God, the Father. All through Exodus, Judges, Kings and Chronicles, I saw myself. I was a prodigal child of God, looking to fulfill Satan's promise in the garden of being like God. Then I got to the crescendo; Christ, in the gospels. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world ( and me and you ) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever shall believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." 1 John 3:16 says "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and siaters." After this revelation, I looked back at my life, and honestly and sincerely took stock of it. Yes, there were times where I, seemingly, walked out on my own and forged my own path- 1 set of footprints. And at my lowest times, where I didn't love myself, or care about myself, where I abused substances and looked for fulfillment in the flesh: where I lost the will to live, there was still 1 set of footprints, but they werent mine. They couldn't of been. God carried me when I couldn't carry myself. He loved me when I couldn't love myself, He cared for me when I couldn't of cared less about myself. "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us". He loved me to life. When I took my life for granted, when I played Russian roulette with my life and others, God pulled me through. If He doesn't do a single thing more in my life, its okay, because He has done more than enough for me. More than I deserve. He showed me grace and mercy when I deserved justice. I want my life: the things I say and the things I do to lead to Christ.

James 1:2-3 Says " consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." Romans 12:1-2 says " therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove that the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Here at Sanctuary of Worship, I have found a community of encouraging and uplifting people that "press towards the upwards call of God in Christ Jesus", reflecting His love and compassion, His joy and gentleness while still being bold and courageous, "walking worthy of the calling which (we)have been called". Romans 12:5 " We, who are many, are one body of Christ, and individually parts of one another."

I thank God for Him being patient and merciful towards me, I thank God for grace and I thank God for Christ Jesus. I pray with all authority of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the Mighty Counselor, that this message finds you, whoever you are, well, and can bring you to the Light of the World- Jesus. Regardless if you find a home here at S.o.W, know that God loves you more than you or I could ever know or understand. He won't forsake you, even if you forsake yourself. Mathew 28:20 says " ... I am with you always, to the end of the age." God bless you and keep you and grace be to you all through the blood of Jesus Christ, always and all ways, forever and ever. Amen.