In Review.

A year in review or decade in review?
I mean a lot of stuff has happened in 2009, but in the past 10 years holy crap! So I thought I would jot down whatever came to my mind sorry if this bores you all, but you can see God thru it all, very cool.
At the beginning of 2000 I was halfway through my Sophomore year of high school, the first year with out my older brother around, and was about to get my license.
2001 I was just starting to fall in love with my guitar. Just starting to fall in love with Jesus, and just starting to find out what really love was.
2002 was the beginning of my last semester of High school. Looking back now it all seems just a tad bit strange. The freedom of that one summer before college, the drastic change that college was compared to being around home, and then there was that 1st thanksgiving, when you come home during your 1st semester at college, and everything seems different, yet a lot of your highschool friends didn't change whatsoever. I remember that awkward feeling like yesterday.
2003 was the year of mistakes and regrets but then later in that same year it was because of those same mistakes that I made one of the best decisions, to transfer to Liberty University. The summer and fall of 2003 were probably some of the best months of my life. Working at a church camp with some great people, then moving onto Liberty mountain in Lynchburg, Va and not knowing a single person on my hall. Met some life long friends those first couple of weeks.
2004 was a year full of searching, not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life had me questioning everything. But it was also the year I met my wife LaRae. It took me a couple of tries before she agreed to go out with me, but she finally did. I remember sitting in the basement losing reception numerous times, talking to that girl for hours on the phone during Christmas break. Which leads me into
2005, this was a year of ups and downs, break ups and drama. LaRae and I started the pattern of on again off again, which I admit was mostly my fault. I also started touring with Cross Culture, a worship band from WorldHelp in Forest, Va. It was a short lived thing but definitely helped me grow leaps and bounds in music and stretched me as a "worship artist." Thank you Scott Spruill.
2006
began with a new job on campus with Student activities. It was a busy job from the get go, but I loved every minute of it. It also was the first summer I spent away from Ohio as I stayed and worked at Liberty planning for events in the fall. It was also the beginning of my last school year at Liberty.
2007 I graduated from college, planned on staying to start my masters, that changed and was offered a job leading worship at a small church in Blacksburg, Va. and I took it. That fall was very tough. I had been living with some of my best friends for the past 4 years, and then I moved to a place where I had no friends and lived by myself. I was single, LaRae and I had broken up "for good" in July. That was the time where I can say I grew closer to Christ then ever before. October came around and so did thoughts of LaRae. We were back together in a matter of weeks and then engaged at the end of 2007.
2008 Was an awkward year, to say the least. Full of confusion and lack of vision with ministry. Took a lot of patience and looking back it really just took LaRae and I saying okay we are all in (ministry), and God started moving. But also 2008...I got hitched, and definitely 'out punted my coverage' if you know what I mean. And that moves us to
2009. A year that had so much going on. Northstar hired a new pastor in Jeff Noble and it has been an awesome 5 months working with him at Northstar. Got the chance to bring Shane and Shane and Phil Wickham to Virginia Tech and then finished the year with December nights and bringing in one of my favorite worship leaders, Nic Carver from Brentwood Church in Lynchburg.
All and all this past decade has brought a lot to me, my wife, college education, and a job that I am thankful for. Who knows where another 10 years will lead me.


Happy New Years and God Bless!