While in grade school I had my first encounter with Christ. Having just moved, we found our neighbors to be the worship leaders at Maranatha Chapel San Diego. It wasn’t long before we too were regularly attending Maranatha.

From the very beginning I can remember being completely consumed with the living God I was coming to know. There were times where the kids of the neighborhood would come over and we would all pretend to be a part of the worship band; singing along to the tapes the actual worship team had recorded. However, after a couple of years our family left the church. Now whether I actually came to Christ during that time I do not know.

Though I can remember learning Scripture, loving worship, and making a confession of Christ, my teenage years were in sharp contrast to one who was truly born again. In the years following, my mind became filled with music, shows, and ideals that were at the root “anti-God”. When I give my testimony I like to say God saved me from what I call the “secret sins”. I was angry, filled with hate, wrathful, bitter, lustful, greedy, and so on. Not to say I didn’t have outwardly manifested sins, but my life, the core of who I was, was rooted in these “secret sins”.

Over the next 10 years I became consumed with a lifestyle which shook it’s fist at a Holy God. However, in His great mercy, He did not forsake me nor abandon me.  And though I never surrendered to any of these mercies, He still graciously sent people and situations into my life to soften my heart.

Then came Thanksgiving dinner 2003, drunk and a Coors Light in hand, my uncle approached me. With my life approaching it’s lowest point, he asked me if I would like to go to church with him. By God’s grace, I accepted his invitation instead of running from my “religious” uncle. The following Sunday I attended the Rock Church San Diego with the intentions of just checking out the hot SDSU girls, I left reunited with the God of my youth.

On January 16th, 2004, I was in my car and remembered the Rock Church was having a baptism that day. It is then I decided to fully hand my life over to Christ.

I remember the baptism so vividly: the worship songs and how they brought tears to my eyes;  the cleansing feeling that overcame me as I was baptized; and how my heart, mind, and desires were renewed.

Ever since, by His grace, I have walked forward towards the “upward calling in Christ”. I met my wife a few months later and we were married two years later. We moved up to the Temecula area the following year where I first heard Pastor Steve on the radio. I felt the Lord call us to his church, where we have been serving to this day.

God has been so good, glory to Him forever and ever.

Favorite Cartoon: Avatar, the Last Airbender

Favorite Movie: Facing the Giants

Favorite Book: Hard to Believe by John MacArthur (this book changed my life!)

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookies and Cream

Favorite Music: Hillsong United

Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-11
“6 Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”