My primary work is as the director of Escape Student Ministries, a church based youth ministry. I’ve served in this capacity since 2015. Much of my work has been within the local school system as a volunteer, a substitute teacher, a DJ, and a friend to teachers and administrators. Shortly before the 2023-24 school year kicked off I got a call from the principal of one of the local public schools that I have actively served, through the youth ministry, for the past 9 years—they were in need of a half-day-everyday Spanish teacher. I declined. I explained that I didn’t speak Spanish and that I didn’t really have the margin in my schedule to show up everyday. I turned down the position on a Friday and wrestled with my decision all weekend—I lost sleep over it. On Monday I called the principal back and told him that, if the job was still available, I’d take it—that I felt like I needed to do it both for the students and for myself. I rearranged my entire schedule and showed up everyday to learn Spanish with the students. It turned out to be a really, really great experience for me and my students. This opportunity renewed my passion for students and helped fund my degree. As the 2024-2025 school year approached, the school found a qualified Spanish teacher so I settled back into subbing a couple of days a week while running the youth ministry and launching into the practicum and internship phases of my counseling degree at a local counseling clinic. I felt like I had found my stride when some financial issues at the church came to light. The proposal to deal with the financial issues included a cut to my pay package and to student programming funding. I determined to fundraise to make up for the deficit. Through conversations with local individuals, the youth ministry’s immediate financial problems were resolved. This did not, however, address the bigger financial problems of the church. The church is no longer in a position to maintain my salary and the youth ministry facility. I shared this reality with a friend of a friend who supports the youth ministry. He offered to buy the youth ministry building from the church at the total amount of the church’s crippling debt. This act would set the church free from a mortgage that has been increasingly difficult for them to pay. But what about the youth ministry facility? I have developed a plan to launch a nonprofit to take over the operation of the youth ministry facility. Once the nonprofit is up and running, the building’s buyer will deed it over to the nonprofit and I will come off of the church’s payroll and go on staff with this newly formed nonprofit. The timing of all of this has been nightmarish as I’ve juggled teaching, my counseling caseload, synchronous classes, my work at the church, and family life; but I’ve managed to lead the church and my team through this process effectively while beginning to assemble a board and put the pieces together to make sure that this nonprofit launches well and is sustainable for the long haul. I am currently carrying student loan debt as my desire to cashflow this degree never materialized. Coming off staff at the church and going on staff with the nonprofit will likely mean a pay cut. I want to be free to counsel, to serve students, and to lead this nonprofit without student loan debt dictating my decision making.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

The summer before my 6th grade year, I sensed a calling to serve students through youth ministry. Twenty four years later, I'm in my 14th year of vocational youth ministry. In addition to completing a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling in 2025, I'll also be launching a nonprofit to serve middle and high school students in the city that I've lived in my entire life. Through this nonprofit students will be offered the opportunity to engage in community service initiatives, life skills training, and spiritual development programming. The nonprofit will be headquartered in the building from which I have done youth ministry since 2015. A generous donor is purchasing the building from the church I have worked for and will be deeding it to the nonprofit—thus getting the church out of debt and setting our nonprofit up for success. Since 2015 we've had thousands of students walk through our doors. We've hosted hundreds of individuals for short-term community service trips. We've served thousands of free meals to local students. We've stocked local public school food pantries, cleaned up local streets and parks, and partnered with local nonprofits to provide them with no-strings-attached free labor. Our space has become a hub for collaborative youth ministry—the staging ground for student events that have attracted hundreds of students over the past several years. At 14 years into this thing, I really feel like I'm just getting started. My desire, over the next 14 years, is to identify and equip the future leaders of our youth ministry nonprofit so that this thing outlives my youth ministry career. I want to see local churches and nonprofits continue to find ways to work together to do more and better things. I want to be a resource to people who don't have what they need to do what they feel called to do. It's amazing to me that the longer I'm in youth ministry, the more I discover that I don't know. While I know I'm infinitely better equipped and better at what I do than I was when I started, I am also more painfully aware that I really have no idea what I'm doing more often than I'd like to admit. This reality has driven me to keep learning and networking so I can keep growing in my ability to do youth ministry and lead a nonprofit. I'm thankful that, after all these years, I'm still in the game and still find fulfillment in doing what I'm doing!

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally through the local church since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student and police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. I’ve opened my home to a student who had endured years of hardship at home before turning 18. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. These stories, among other reasons, are why I am pursuing a degree in clinical mental health counseling at this point in my life. I want to be able to more effectively serve people, both in my hometown and around the world. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked to position myself to make this dream a reality. I am currently serving on the board of an international missions organization called Praying Pelican Missions as well as our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I am a weekly volunteer (and have been for nearly a decade) at the roughest middle school in our school district. As a volunteer at the school and in partnership with the youth ministry that I lead, I've DJed dances, provided staff appreciation meals, stocked the food pantry, and provided open house meals. I also lead the charge to bring local youth ministry workers together to share resources and plan events together. In each of these contexts I make a conscious effort to invest in the lives of those with whom I am serving. Our youth ministry facility plays host to short term mission teams from all over the United States who come to serve my community for a week at a time. This initiative has given me a platform to encourage pastors and youth ministry workers from outside of our area on a consistent basis. My involvement in Praying Pelican Missions will open the door for me to travel the world to invest in ministry leaders when I finish my degree. I also intend to continue serving in youth ministry. Coupled with my undergraduate degree—a double major in youth and family ministries and theology—and more than a dozen years of hands on youth ministry experience, I feel that I am equipped to make a significant impact in the lives of students. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too.

Shortly after marrying my high school sweetheart we made a trip to New York City. We spent a few days taking in the sights and sounds, eating the food, and exploring the subway system. The main event, though, was a trip to broadway to experience Wicked. Neither one of us were really familiar with the production, we had just read some reviews and decided it'd be a good fit for us. It most certainly was! To that point in my life I would not have identified as a person who found musicals enjoyable, but since then musicals—plays, movies, and their soundtracks—have consistently been at the top of my favorites list. I blame Wicked. What a great production! I am excited to share the experience of Wicked with my 6 year old daughter from the comfort of our family room couch. She's going to love it! I can imagine her running around the house dressed like a witch offering my wife and I the chance to hear the music of Wicked live and in person once again. It will be interesting to see which characters that she assigns mom and dad to play and whether or not we will meet her expectations.

"Is this the world you want? You're making it everyday you're alive… You change the world every day you're alive." These true words are contained in the lyrics to a song called "The World You Want" by one of my favorite artists, Jon Foreman. Every time I hear the song, I'm challenged. The world is, in part, the way that it is because I am in it. Am I doing all I can do to make the world better? For the past decade I have worked tirelessly to give middle and high school students the opportunity to do big things. As the director of Escape Student Ministries I've had the privilege of finding homes for at-risk youth, finding funding for under resourced students to pursue higher education and teaching kids to work hard to achieve their goals. I've sat with students as they've worked through addictions, battled mental illness and cried out for freedom from abusive situations. I regularly feel as though I'm in way over my head. I suppose I may always feel that way, but I can't justify doing nothing to better equip myself. In August 2022 I will begin work on my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling—a program that will, I believe, give me some of the tools and experiences that I need to be more effective as I seek to bring hope and healing to the lives that my life intersects with. I want the change that my existence—that my contributions—bring to this world to be as positive—as impactful—as they can be. That's why I'm going back to school. I believe that I have more to offer the world than I am currently giving. I believe that furthering my education will prepare me to give more.

I have been serving students through youth ministry since 2010 and as a substitute teacher since 2013. The bulk of this work has been with low income students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student as police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. But… It was all so heavy. Eventually I hit rock bottom. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my doctor for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. He referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a clinical mental health counseling degree. While I am still actively involved in work with middle and high school students through youth ministry, substitute teaching, and the moderation of a co-op of local youth workers; my longterm goal is to invest in the mental health of those who are actively investing in others—to help the helpers. I want to offer high quality, practical counseling services to non-profit leaders, counselors, missionaries, and community leaders. I want these services to be accessible—so Telehealth, travel, and office hours will likely all be part of my practice.

To me, success is the ability to serve people well and meet needs freely without financial stress. And this is not just my scholarship application answer, either, this is my genuine desire—a desire that I regularly express to my wife, my friends, and my counselor. I want to be good enough at what I do to make good money so that I can afford to make significant investments in people and causes that I believe in. As the 9-year director of Escape Student Ministries, I regularly tell the students that I serve and the volunteers that I work with that “one of the fastest ways to grow your heart for people is to serve them.” I genuinely believe this. I am currently working on a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. My desire is to use this degree to serve both my community and the world. Ultimately, I hope to offer high quality counseling services to people who serve people—pastors, missionaries, nonprofit leaders, and community leaders. My journey toward becoming a counselor stems from a really rough season of life and ministry. Years of self-sacrificial service without appropriate boundaries had worn me out. I was empty and still trying to pour. I hit rock bottom. I was anxious and depressed—sick both physically and mentally. I lost all desire to do the things that I once loved doing. This was a months long battle. When I was at my absolute lowest point, struggling to get out of bed, a Facebook post that a friend made caught my attention. She was looking for someone to deliver bags of groceries to people in need one morning a week—a time commitment of 60-90 minutes. Though I didn’t feel like doing it, I knew that just laying in bed wasn’t serving myself or anyone else well at all. Saying “yes” to this opportunity to serve back in 2020 was almost like a defibrillator shock to the heart. Though it took another year and a half to get back to a truly healthy, productive place—I believe that the simple act of serving others by delivering food was the first step in the right direction. Over the past several years I have made a very intentional effort to leverage my time, talents, and resources to serve the most possible people. Our youth ministry facility, “The Escape”, has been equipped—with the help of dozens of community members—to host short-term service teams who roll into Parkersburg for a week at a time to invest in nonprofits, ministries, and local neighborhoods. This initiative has provided thousands of hours of community service through hundreds of people from all over the United States. I serve on the board of Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley—currently as the vice president of the executive board. As a board member I’ve made an intentional effort to roll up my sleeves and serve. I have volunteered on a house build site, provided lunches for building volunteers, paved the way for the organization to connect with local churches and youth groups, and consistently donated financially to the cause. This year I joined the board of an international organization called Praying Pelican Missions (PPM). Through PPM, about 12,000 individuals travel to destinations around the world each year to serve communities through local churches. My role as a board member with PPM has opened the door for me to travel around the world (after I complete my degree) to serve people both as a manual laborer and as a counselor—a prospect that I am incredibly excited about! I’ve been hustling to graduate debt free. I don’t want to have to base my answer to opportunities to serve on whether I can afford to do it or not because I have student loans hanging over my head. I want to graduate poised to serve and give and invest in my community and the world like I never have before. Thank you for considering me for the Redefining Victory Scholarship.

As the 9-year director of Escape Student Ministries, I regularly tell the students that I serve and the volunteers that I work with that “one of the fastest ways to grow your heart for people is to serve them.” I genuinely believe this. I am currently working on a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. My desire is to use this degree to serve both my community and the world. Ultimately, I hope to offer high quality counseling services to people who serve people—pastors, missionaries, nonprofit leaders, and community leaders. My journey toward becoming a counselor stems from a really rough season of life and ministry. Years of self-sacrificial service without appropriate boundaries had worn me out. I was empty and still trying to pour. I hit rock bottom. I was anxious and depressed—sick both physically and mentally. I lost all desire to do the things that I once loved doing. This was a months long battle. When I was at my absolute lowest point, struggling to get out of bed, a Facebook post that a friend made caught my attention. She was looking for someone to deliver bags of groceries to people in need one morning a week—a time commitment of 60-90 minutes. Though I didn’t feel like doing it, I knew that just laying in bed wasn’t serving myself or anyone else well at all. Saying “yes” to this opportunity to serve back in 2020 was almost like a defibrillator shock to the heart. Though it took another year and a half to get back to a truly healthy, productive place—I believe that the simple act of serving others by delivering food was the first step in the right direction. Over the past several years I have made a very intentional effort to leverage my time, talents, and resources to serve the most possible people. Our youth ministry facility, “The Escape”, has been equipped—with the help of dozens of community members—to host short-term service teams who roll into Parkersburg for a week at a time to invest in nonprofits, ministries, and local neighborhoods. This initiative has provided thousands of hours of community service through hundreds of people from all over the United States. I serve on the board of Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley—currently as the vice president of the executive board. As a board member I’ve made an intentional effort to roll up my sleeves and serve. I have volunteered on a house build site, provided lunches for building volunteers, paved the way for the organization to connect with local churches and youth groups, and consistently donated financially to the cause. This year I joined the board of an international organization called Praying Pelican Missions (PPM). Through PPM, about 12,000 individuals travel to destinations around the world each year to serve communities through local churches. My role as a board member with PPM has opened the door for me to travel around the world (after I complete my degree) to serve people both as a manual laborer and as a counselor—a prospect that I am incredibly excited about! I’ve been hustling to graduate debt free. I don’t want to have to base my answer to opportunities to serve on whether I can afford to do it or not because I have student loans hanging over my head. I want to graduate poised to serve and give and invest in my community and the world like I never have before. Thank you for considering me for the Endeavor Public Service Scholarship.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues has grown. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally through the local church since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student as police and social workers filled her house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve removed a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. I’ve opened my home to a student who had endured years of hardship at home before turning 18. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt (because I was) completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. But… It was all so heavy. Carrying all of this weight is ultimately what led to the mental health struggles that I shared earlier. It is my desire to be to other people in ministry what my counselors have been to me—an understanding, empathetic listener. I hope, longterm, to work primarily with pastors, missionaries, and nonprofit leaders both in my community and around the world. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked to position myself to make this dream a reality. I am currently serving on the board of an international missions organization called Praying Pelican Missions as well as our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I also lead the charge to bring local youth ministry workers together to share resources and plan events together. In each of these contexts I make a conscious effort to invest in the lives of those with whom I am serving. Our youth ministry facility plays host to short term mission teams from all over the United States who come to serve my community for a week at a time. This initiative has given me a platform to encourage pastors and youth ministry workers from outside of our area on a consistent basis. My involvement in Praying Pelican Missions will open the door for me to travel the world to invest in ministry leaders when I finish my degree. I also hope to work with an organization called Alongside in Richland, Michigan. This organization offers 3-week-long residential counseling services to people in ministry and their families. The program addresses things like burn out, sabbath, relationships, boundaries etc. through group seminars, one-on-one counseling, and group counseling opportunities—all led by licensed clinical counselors. This ministry played a tremendous role in getting me back on my feet during my lowest point. I want to offer to others what the counselors serving at Alongside during my sabbatical offered to me. In addition to all of these hopes and dreams for putting my degree to work, I also intend to continue serving in youth ministry. Coupled with my undergraduate degree—a double major in youth and family ministries and theology—and more than a dozen years of hands on youth ministry experience, I feel that I am equipped to make a significant impact in the lives of students. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too. Thank you for considering me for the Fishers of Men-tal Health Scholarship.

My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally through the local church since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student and police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. I’ve opened my home to a student who had endured years of hardship at home before turning 18. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. These stories, among other reasons, are why I am pursuing a degree in clinical mental health counseling at this point in my life. I want to be able to more effectively serve people, both in my hometown and around the world. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked to position myself to make this dream a reality. I am currently serving on the board of an international missions organization called Praying Pelican Missions as well as our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I am a weekly volunteer (and have been for nearly a decade) at the roughest middle school in our school district. As a volunteer at the school and in partnership with the youth ministry that I lead, I've DJed dances, provided staff appreciation meals, stocked the food pantry, and provided open house meals. I also lead the charge to bring local youth ministry workers together to share resources and plan events together. In each of these contexts I make a conscious effort to invest in the lives of those with whom I am serving. Our youth ministry facility plays host to short term mission teams from all over the United States who come to serve my community for a week at a time. This initiative has given me a platform to encourage pastors and youth ministry workers from outside of our area on a consistent basis. My involvement in Praying Pelican Missions will open the door for me to travel the world to invest in ministry leaders when I finish my degree. I also intend to continue serving in youth ministry. Coupled with my undergraduate degree—a double major in youth and family ministries and theology—and more than a dozen years of hands on youth ministry experience, I feel that I am equipped to make a significant impact in the lives of students. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too.

As a kid I vaguely remember hearing some big-name country acts perform at the annual Parkersburg Homecoming Festival--Alabama, Diamond Rio, Lonestar. I was just there for the snacks. I vividly remember my first "real" concert experience. SonicFlood and Tree63. It was loud. The steam machine was cranking. They managed to blow up a piece of sound equipment filling the auditorium up with smoke. Rumor has it that the concert was so loud that it damaged the stage they were playing on. True? No idea. Throughout high school my best friends and I spent most of our money on concert tickets and gas money to get to said concerts. If the show was within about 3 hours, it was fair game. Punk rock, screamo, alternative, indie, experimental—the genre didn't matter too much as long as the message was positive. Of course, after several years of concert-going almost my entire wardrobe was made up of band merch and almost my entire CD binder was full of discs that I had bought at live shows. I would change a lot of things about my life during high school, but the number of concerts that I went to wouldn't be one of them (unless I could go back and add in a few more). At one point some high school friends and I formed a band and opened for several local bands one school year. Our claim to fame: we had a girl drummer—the only band in the area (that we knew of) that had a female keeping the beat at the time. We didn't last long. Work, college, and reality all got in our way. I do currently play guitar and sing lead in a church band every week right now. That's something! The shininess of concert-going has worn off a little in my adult years. Late nights, loud music… Stay off my lawn you pesky kids! That's not to say that I never make it to a show anymore, I'm just not nearly as consistent as I used to be. These days I'm drawn to live jazz music and folk pop sounds. In fact, I'd have to say that my favorite concert experience was at a little Jazz club in Cincinnati just a couple of years ago. Good food, super cool atmosphere, incredibly talented musicians. My wife and I kept our table for a couple of hours because I just couldn't pull myself away from the music. I really only have one concert on my bucket list these days. I want to see Jack Johnson perform live on some beach somewhere. Maybe someday!

My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student as police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. But… It was all so heavy. Eventually I hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom.

I struggled through my math classes in middle and high school—passing algebra 2 "by the skin of my teeth" with the help of a tutor. I always claimed to hate math. As an adult, though, I've found simple math to be incredibly beneficial on the daily. As a landscaper, house flipper, and handyman during my 20s and early 30s I was constantly taking measurements and figuring up project estimates. I found myself using concepts that I had picked up through my algebra and geometry classes to solve daily problems. The struggle was worth it! For the past couple of years a lot of "math-ing" has been applied to creating and sticking to a budget as I seek to finish a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling completely debt free. I've also spent a lot of time crunching numbers to figure out how to get the most out of each 24 hour day. Though further education in math is likely not part of my future, I am truly thankful for the teachers who worked hard to help me understand the math concepts that make daily life a lot easier to live. All of this to say: "I love math" might be a stretch, BUT I sure am thankful that I learned it anyway!

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues has grown. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student and police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt (because I was) completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. But… It was all so heavy. Carrying all of this weight is ultimately what led to the mental health struggles that I shared earlier. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." I’m 100% convinced, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the Bible is what God claims that it is—what the evidence points to—that it is trustworthy. That it is absolute truth. But there are plenty of people out there who would object. Plenty of people who hate God, hate the Bible, and hate the idea that there are people who don’t hate God and the Bible. People like that will do everything they can to convince you that God isn’t real, that the Bible isn’t true, that your faith—your religion is pointless. There are some people who fall somewhere in the middle. They like the idea of God and they like the encouragement, the inspiration, that they find in parts of the Bible—but other parts of the Bible… They can’t possibly be true because they’re hard to live by, because to honor them would require them to change their lifestyle and their beliefs. There are people out there who claim to know and love God but refuse to believe that God’s definition of marriage is absolute truth. There are people out there who claim to know and love God but refuse to believe that hell is a real place reserved for people who don’t turn from their sin and to the cross of Jesus. There are people out there who claim to know and love God but refuse to believe that Jesus actually rose from the dead. There are people who claim to be Christians who choose not to believe what God says about their language, their sex life, their smoking and drinking habits, their church attendance, their work ethic, their generosity… God feels pretty strongly about people who distort His word—people who pick and choose what they believe is true based on the way that they think or feel. 1 John 2:4 tells us that "If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But sometimes we like to believe what people who claim to know God but don’t treat His word as absolute truth have to say because their version of Christianity is easier to swallow than God’s version. Acts 20:29-30 read: "I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following." We must not let people who don’t honor God and His word—who don’t believe that the Bible is absolute truth—influence us to compromise; to believe that the Bible is an inaccurate, unreliable, irrelevant old book of myths. It won’t end well for us.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues has grown. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally through the local church since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student and police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. I’ve opened my home to a student who had endured years of hardship at home before turning 18. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt (because I was) completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. But… It was all so heavy. Carrying all of this weight is ultimately what led to the mental health struggles that I shared earlier. It is my desire to be to other people in ministry what my counselors have been to—an understanding, empathetic listener. I hope, longterm, to work primarily with pastors, missionaries, and nonprofit leaders both in my community and around the world. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked to position myself to make this dream a reality. I am currently serving on the board of an international missions organization called Praying Pelican Missions as well as our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I also lead the charge to bring local youth ministry workers together to share resources and plan events together. In each of these contexts I make a conscious effort to invest in the lives of those with whom I am serving. Our youth ministry facility plays host to short term mission teams from all over the United States who come to serve my community for a week at a time. This initiative has given me a platform to encourage pastors and youth ministry workers from outside of our area on a consistent basis. My involvement in Praying Pelican Missions will open the door for me to travel the world to invest in ministry leaders when I finish my degree. I also hope to work with an organization called Alongside in Richland, Michigan. This organization offers weeks-long residential counseling services to people in ministry and their families. The program addresses things like burn out, sabbath, relationships, boundaries etc. through group seminars, one-on-one counseling, and group counseling opportunities—all led by licensed clinical counselors. This ministry played a tremendous role in getting me back on my feet during my lowest point. I want to offer to others what the counselors serving at Alongside during my sabbatical offered to me. In addition to all of these hopes and dreams for putting my degree to work, I also intend to continue serving in youth ministry. Coupled with my undergraduate degree—a double major in youth and family ministries and theology—and more than a dozen years of hands on youth ministry experience, I feel that I am equipped to make a significant impact in the lives of students. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues has grown. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues has grown. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. My entire adult life has been dedicated to youth ministry. I have been serving students vocationally through the local church since 2010. The bulk of this work has been with unchurched, unsaved students from broken homes that have been touched by abuse, addiction, and trauma. I’ve sat with a student and police and social workers filled their house to investigate sexual abuse claims that would later be proven true. I’ve literally carried a young student from a physical fight going on amongst family members. I’ve worked with local agencies to get kids placed in foster homes. I’ve worked through admissions and financial aid processes with students who would go on to be the first in their family to go to college. I’ve opened my home to a student who had endured years of hardship at home before turning 18. In each of these situations I was thrust into a counseling role that I felt (because I was) completely unqualified to fill. As overwhelming as these circumstances were, it brought me great joy to step into a helping role for these students. But… It was all so heavy. Carrying all of this weight is ultimately what led to the mental health struggles that I shared earlier. It is my desire to be to other people in ministry what my counselors have been to—an understanding, empathetic listener. I hope, longterm, to work primarily with pastors, missionaries, and nonprofit leaders both in my community and around the world. Over the past couple of years I’ve worked to position myself to make this dream a reality. I am currently serving on the board of an international missions organization called Praying Pelican Missions as well as our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I also lead the charge to bring local youth ministry workers together to share resources and plan events together. In each of these contexts I make a conscious effort to invest in the lives of those with whom I am serving. Our youth ministry facility plays host to short term mission teams from all over the United States who come to serve my community for a week at a time. This initiative has given me a platform to encourage pastors and youth ministry workers from outside of our area on a consistent basis. My involvement in Praying Pelican Missions will open the door for me to travel the world to invest in ministry leaders when I finish my degree. I also hope to work with an organization called Alongside in Richland, Michigan. This organization offers weeks-long residential counseling services to people in ministry and their families. The program addresses things like burn out, sabbath, relationships, boundaries etc. through group seminars, one-on-one counseling, and group counseling opportunities—all led by licensed clinical counselors. This ministry played a tremendous role in getting me back on my feet during my lowest point. I want to offer to others what the counselors serving at Alongside during my sabbatical offered to me. In addition to all of these hopes and dreams for putting my degree to work, I also intend to continue serving in youth ministry. Coupled with my undergraduate degree—a double major in youth and family ministries and theology—and more than a dozen years of hands on youth ministry experience, I feel that I am equipped to make a significant impact in the lives of students. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 or 3 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues was grew. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too. Thank you for considering me for the Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues was grew. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too. Thank you for considering me for the Mental Health Empowerment Scholarship.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues was grew. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too. Thank you for considering me for the Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship.

I had hit rock bottom and then grabbed a jackhammer and kept going. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stay awake. It was a struggle to get out of bed and stay out of bed. The things that I once loved to do no longer brought me any joy. The things that I needed to do were being neglected. My family and friends were put at arm's length. I was a shell of the person that I once was. Anxiety and depression were wreaking havoc on my relationships, my job, my life. I reached out to my primary care physician for help when I noticed myself spiraling out of control. My primary care physician referred me to a clinical mental health counselor. My clinical mental health counselor referred me to a doctor specializing in mental health medications. It took months of counseling and trial and error with medication to get me back to some semblance of normal. It took a 3 month sabbatical from my job to get the rest and gain the skills that I needed to move forward into a healthier place. I turned the corner in 2021 and find myself thriving in life today. The things that my long battle with anxiety and depression had cost me have ultimately been restored twofold. My calendar is more manageable. My work brings me joy. My family is happy and healthy and intact. And I am well on my way to receiving a degree in clinical mental health counseling so that I can help others who find themselves at (or below) rock bottom. As I look back over the past several years I can see how the details of my struggle and recovery were woven together to get me to where I am today. I was humbled. My empathy for others with mental health issues was grew. I was made aware of the reality that genuine mental health is a process and that every area of life plays a role in it. Currently my only real source of anxiety is trying to figure out how to pay off this graduate degree. I have consistently worked 2 jobs through my first two years of this program in hopes of having my schooling paid for by the time that I finish my final class. I want to be debt free as I launch into my career as a clinical mental health counselor so that money stress will not hinder my ability to help those who need it. I am confident that just as everything else has worked out over the past several years; that this will too. Thank you for considering me for the Social Anxiety Step Forward Scholarship.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made us a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this mission’s organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school food pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

The entirety of my adult life has been dedicated to serving middle and high school students in my hometown, specifically students from low income, broken, substance-affected homes. As director of Escape Student Ministries I have built a team and developed a facility with the goal of providing a safe “escape” for students. We offer no-cost music lessons, exposure to various career paths and trades, travel opportunities, free meals, and teaching on life and spiritual concepts. In 2019 I developed a partnership with an international missions organization. This partnership has made Escape Student Ministries a host site for mission groups from all over the United States to come to Appalachia to do community service work. Together, our youth ministry and this missions organization has served local schools, nonprofits, and ministries as well as individual community members. In addition to my work with students through Escape Student Ministries, I have also volunteered and substitute taught in the local public school system for nearly a decade now. This volunteer work has included facilitating food and clothing drives to fill school pantries, DJing school dances and events, speaking at school ceremonies, providing appreciation meals for school staff members, and connecting schools with people and resources to accomplish campus projects. I currently serve on the board of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity as the vice president and chair of the church relations committee. I am also currently serving on a Habitat committee working to make Habitat housing more financially accessible to the lowest income families in our community. I was recently appointed to the board of Praying Pelican Missions. In this role I will help make decisions for a missions agency that sends more than 12,000 people around the world on short term service trips each year. Both my Habitat and my Praying Pelican Board positions are volunteer positions. I am currently working toward a clinical mental health counseling degree. My desire is to serve nonprofit leaders, pastors, missionaries, etc.—to help the people who have committed their lives to helping other people. This pursuit was prompted by a season of burnout after years of pouring into others without allowing anyone to pour into me. Consistent conversations with a clinical mental health counselor helped me find a healthy path forward. I want to offer this to others so that they can continue serving the people that they desire to serve. I am currently working multiple jobs throughout the year in an attempt to graduate with my master’s degree debt-free so that I can jump right into serving the community with this degree without financial stress to hold me back.

"Is this the world you want? You're making it everyday you're alive… You change the world every day you're alive." These true words are contained in the lyrics to a song called "The World You Want" by one of my favorite artists, Jon Foreman. Every time I hear the song, I'm challenged. The world is, in part, the way that it is because I am in it. Am I doing all I can do to make the world better? For the past decade I have worked tirelessly to give middle and high school students the opportunity to do big things. As the director of Escape Student Ministries I've had the privilege of finding homes for at-risk youth, finding funding for under resourced students to pursue higher education and teaching kids to work hard to achieve their goals. I've sat with students as they've worked through addictions, battled mental illness and cried out for freedom from abusive situations. I regularly feel as though I'm in way over my head. I suppose I may always feel that way, but I can't justify doing nothing to better equip myself. In August 2022 I will begin work on my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling—a program that will, I believe, give me some of the tools and experiences that I need to be more effective as I seek to bring hope and healing to the lives that my life intersects with. I want the change that my existence—that my contributions—bring to this world to be as positive—as impactful—as they can be. That's why I'm going back to school. Upon completing my degree and achieving licensure I hope to, one day, offer counseling services primarily to leaders of charitable and non-profit organizations and people in ministry (missionaries, pastors, youth workers) as most individuals in such fields would benefit tremendously from a consistent counselor-patient relationship with a counselor with some understanding of what they're navigating. I want to help those fighting for others stay in the fight longer. I want to help those promoting healthy hearts, minds and bodies for others to have a healthy heart, mind and body for themselves. I can say, from experience, that a relationship with a clinical counselor has guided my thinking toward healthier leadership of my organization, my family and myself. I believe that I have more to offer the world than I am currently giving. I believe that furthering my education will prepare me to give more.

It's no secret that life changes a lot when you bring a kid into the mix. I "knew" this prior to my daughter being born three and a half years ago, but to what extent my life would change—my estimates weren't even close. I am a highly motivated, high energy, "go-getter"—some would label me a "workaholic" (at least they would have before I accepted the "dad" title.) I had no problem saying yes to after-hours work projects, meetings and networking opportunities. I was the face of the non-profit youth ministry of which I am director. I had made a habit of walking through every open door in my path. My passion, work ethic and all-in approach to my job yielded impressive results—growth, funding, volunteer engagement. Soon after having my daughter, though, I came face to face with the reality that I could not keep throwing so much time and energy at my job AND achieve "great" status as a father and husband too. That realization led to some knee-jerk reactions—reactions that quickly undermined much of what I had worked so hard to develop. The ebbing of my "success" led to a season of perceived inadequacy. I found myself questioning my ability and desire to do a job that I had once been so good at and so passionate about. That season has born some clarity. While I am still in the position that I've been in for years with Escape Student Ministries, I've decided to go back to school to hone the skills required to do my favorite part of my job even better. In August of 2022 I will begin work toward a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; the first step toward licensure as a professional counselor. I desire to offer quality counseling services to people like me—people who invest heavily in others but may not have anyone pouring back into them. While the process of acquiring my degree and licensure will be difficult as I continue to work, father and husband full-time; I think the end will justify the means. As I hand the reins of Escape Student Ministries to it’s next director and claim a seat in a counseling center, I’ll be able to keep doing the thing that brings me my greatest joy while walking away from the things that bring me the most stress: unpredictable hours, weekends away and the responsibility to keep an entire program alive and thriving. That sounds to me like a big win for my family.

"Is this the world you want? You're making it everyday you're alive… You change the world every day you're alive." These true words are contained in the lyrics to a song called "The World You Want" by one of my favorite artists, Jon Foreman. Every time I hear the song, I'm challenged. The world is, in part, the way that it is because I am in it. Am I doing all I can do to make the world better? For the past decade I have worked tirelessly to give middle and high school students the opportunity to do big things. As the director of Escape Student Ministries I've had the privilege of finding homes for at-risk youth, finding funding for under resourced students to pursue higher education and teaching kids to work hard to achieve their goals. I've sat with students as they've worked through addictions, battled mental illness and cried out for freedom from abusive situations. I regularly feel as though I'm in way over my head. I suppose I may always feel that way, but I can't justify doing nothing to better equip myself. In August 2022 I will begin work on my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling—a program that will, I believe, give me some of the tools and experiences that I need to be more effective as I seek to bring hope and healing to the lives that my life intersects with. I want the change that my existence—that my contributions—bring to this world to be as positive—as impactful—as they can be. That's why I'm going back to school. I believe that I have more to offer the world than I am currently giving. I believe that furthering my education will prepare me to give more.

"Is this the world you want? You're making it everyday you're alive… You change the world every day you're alive." These true words are contained in the lyrics to a song called "The World You Want" by one of my favorite artists, Jon Foreman. Every time I hear the song, I'm challenged. The world is, in part, the way that it is because I am in it. Am I doing all I can do to make the world better? For the past decade I have worked tirelessly to give middle and high school students the opportunity to do big things. As the director of Escape Student Ministries I've had the privilege of finding homes for at-risk youth, finding funding for under resourced students to pursue higher education and teaching kids to work hard to achieve their goals. I've sat with students as they've worked through addictions, battled mental illness and cried out for freedom from abusive situations. If I'm being honest, I feel unprepared and under-equipped to be doing what I've been doing for all of these years. I regularly feel as though I'm in way over my head. I suppose I may always feel that way, but I can't justify doing nothing to better equip myself. I have not been able to meet every need that I've been made aware of (probably because I'm human), but I've done my best to connect those reaching out for help with people who can help them—often times, clinical counselors. In August 2022 I will begin work on my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling—a program that will, I believe, give me some of the tools and experiences that I need to be more effective as I seek to bring hope and healing to the lives that my life intersects with. I want the change that my existence—that my contributions—bring to this world to be as positive—as impactful—as they can be. That's why I'm going back to school. I have learned from personal experience that there are few things more valuable to a person trying to better himself than the listening ear and the sage advice of an unbiased, qualified professional clinical counselor. I want to be to others what my counselor has been to me. My goal is to be a counselor to counselors, non-profit leaders and ministry leaders—to offer hope to those working hard to offer hope. I believe that I have more to offer the world than I am currently giving. I believe that furthering my education will prepare me to give more.

"Is this the world you want? You're making it everyday you're alive… You change the world every day you're alive." These true words are contained in the lyrics to a song called "The World You Want" by one of my favorite artists, Jon Foreman. Every time I hear the song, I'm challenged. The world is, in part, the way that it is because I am in it. Am I doing all I can do to make the world better? For the past decade I have worked tirelessly to give middle and high school students the opportunity to do big things. As the director of Escape Student Ministries I've had the privilege of finding homes for at-risk youth, finding funding for under resourced students to pursue higher education and teaching kids to work hard to achieve their goals. I've sat with students as they've worked through addictions, battled mental illness and cried out for freedom from abusive situations. If I'm being honest, I feel unprepared and under-equipped to be doing what I've been doing for all of these years. I regularly feel as though I'm in way over my head. I suppose I may always feel that way, but I can't justify doing nothing to better equip myself. I have not been able to meet every need that I've been made aware of (probably because I'm human), but I've done my best to connect those reaching out for help with people who can help them—often times, clinical counselors. In August 2022 I will begin work on my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling—a program that will, I believe, give me some of the tools and experiences that I need to be more effective as I seek to bring hope and healing to the lives that my life intersects with. I want the change that my existence—that my contributions—bring to this world to be as positive—as impactful—as they can be. That's why I'm going back to school. I have learned from personal experience that there are few things more valuable to a person trying to better himself than the listening ear and the sage advice of an unbiased, qualified professional clinical counselor. I want to be to others what my counselor has been to me. My goal is to be a counselor to counselors, non-profit leaders and ministry leaders—to offer hope to those working hard to offer hope. I believe that I have more to offer the world than I am currently giving. I believe that furthering my education will prepare me to give more.

I've always been a talker. I'm a good story teller and a passionate communicator. Whether I know what I'm talking about or not, I can convince a crowd that I'm a credible voice on just about any subject matter (although I don't often leverage that skill—or curse… At least not on purpose). These statements have not been made out of pride; rather to highlight the importance of listening—a skill that I've had to work hard to develop. The past couple of years of my life have been marked by an intentional effort to spend more time listening than I spend talking. I've spent more time listening to podcasts and reading articles produced by people smarter than me than I've spent producing my own content. When spending time with a group of professional peers, I've done my best to use more words asking questions than voicing my opinions. I know that I'm rarely the smartest person in a room, so why should I be the one doing the most talking? As I pursue a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health counseling, I hope to hone my listening skills—skills that will likely, more than anything else, make me a good counselor.

My entire adult life has been dedicated to serving others—primarily middle and high school students. I am the director of Escape Student Ministries, a church-based youth group in an impoverished neighborhood plagued by drug addiction, broken homes and abuse of all kinds. For the past decade—both in my current position and my previous position—I've sought to be a voice and presence of life, hope and encouragement to the students I've interacted with. I've helped students apply for jobs and then, once they've gotten one, helped them with transportation to and from work. When students have expressed a desire to go to college but haven't had anyone to take them to visit a college campus or work on their financial aid paperwork—I've been the one to fill the gap. When a kid has come to me to share stories of dysfunction and abuse at home, I've done what I could do to help them find a way forward. At times my wife and I have hosted students in our home; taken students shopping for necessary items like shoes, clothing and toiletries; and taught students how to drive so they could get their license. While these ventures have, at times, proven to be fruitless—though sometimes I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels; I know that I'm doing the right thing. Whether things work out as they should (or at least how I had hoped they would), I have to believe that willingly, humbly serving others to the best of my ability is always a win.

I find few things in life more enjoyable than a quick day trip. Sometimes my destination is a state park—I love to hike and kayak and few places offer better options for such activities than state parks. Sometimes I tell Siri to get me directions to a local restaurant in a small town several miles from home. Sometimes the finish line is the parking lot at the head of a bike trail—I'll pull my bike off the roof of my station wagon, hook up my little girl's "bike wagon" and ride until we find a playground or a place to grab a snack. Sometimes a day of shopping or golfing in another city will quench my need for a getaway. I'm not all that interested in staying overnight at my destination. I prefer to lay my head on my own pillow, in my own bed. I just need a day away every now and then. Something about a change of scenery—a quick adventure—has the power to recharge me quicker than anything.

I’m convinced that my next step in life is to get equipped to be a licensed clinical counselor. I don’t know exactly what my counseling career will look like—whether I will be in private practice or otherwise—I just know that I want to be a well educated, highly qualified, credible resource to those who would benefit—as I have—from a relationship with a clinical counselor. I would love to focus my counseling career on pastors and ministry and organizational leaders as I have served my community as a pastor for the last 11 years and feel that I'm uniquely equipped to understand how ministry leaders are wired and the struggles they face. Having reviewed online programs that lead to licensure at universities all over the United States, I was elated when I discovered that Marietta College—just 20 minutes from my driveway—not only offers the degree that I’m looking to pursue; but they offer it in a format that fits both my schedule and my learning style: on campus, in person, in the evenings and on the weekends. I will begin my course work in August of 2022 while continuing to work full-time and raise my three year old little girl with my wife. The though of working toward a master's degree right now is a little overwhelming, but I'm confident that I'll succeed. I'm a hard worker. I don't quit. I don't give up. I finish what I start.

For 11 years I have worked with middle and high school students as a youth pastor. When it comes down to it, I think my favorite part of the job is being invited to walk with someone toward a better life. While I don’t feel that my time in youth ministry is over—in fact, I feel like I’m just getting good at what I do in a lot of areas—I do feel as though it’s time to hone a specific skill set and launch into something new. In the fall of 2022 I will begin working toward a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and I am really excited about it! I so look forward to walking with individuals, couples and families as they find their way forward into new and better things for their lives. I look forward to the “Aha!” moments. I look forward to creating a safe, comfortable place for people to share their thoughts and feelings. I know my life as a clinical counselor won’t be mountain top experiences everyday, but I’m convinced that this is what I’m wired to do, so the likelihood of the valleys causing me to turn tail and run seems incredibly slim. I’ve heard it said that “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I look forward to “quitting” work and living out my passion.

"It's okay to be not okay." Those word of permission need to be communicated by parents to children from the time they're old enough to comprehend their native language. The sentiment of the phrase needs to be conveyed through the way that people react to others who are struggling. "It's okay to be not okay". To be not okay does not mean that: you're broken, you're hopeless, you're an inconvenience, you're a burden, you're a liability… It means that you're human. It means that you can think (and overthink) and feel—it means that you're alive. To insist that you're "okay" all the time is a likely admission that you're a liar. Let's encourage honesty and open conversation rather than teaching, by our reactions, that it's best to keep your struggles hidden behind a forced smile. To give our families, our friends, our coworkers and our acquaintances permission to struggle, to question, to talk and to hurt—that'll save lives. For years I suppressed my emotions. I tried to work my way out of anxiety and depression on my own. I self-medicated with over-booked calendars and a refusal to sit in silence. I had been raised in a "suck it up" household. I had grown up in a "you just need more Jesus" church. As a pastor, I wasn't allowed to struggle with my mental health—at least that was my perception. No more. Thanks to my primary care physician, my licensed clinical counselor and the medical professionals at a local counseling center; I have reclaimed my life. I am now pursuing a master's degree and licensure as a counselor in the mental health field. I desire to offer people the same permission to be not okay and pathway to healing that I've found.

For 11 years I have worked with middle and high school students as a youth pastor. When it comes down to it, I think my favorite part of the job is being invited to walk with someone toward a better life. While I don’t feel that my time in youth ministry is over—in fact, I feel like I’m just getting good at what I do in a lot of areas—I do feel as though it’s time to hone a specific skill set and launch into something new. In the fall of 2022 I will begin working toward a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and I am really excited about it! I so look forward to walking with individuals, couples and families as they find their way forward into new and better things for their lives. I look forward to the “Aha!” moments. I look forward to creating a safe, comfortable place for people to share their thoughts and feelings. I know my life as a clinical counselor won’t be mountain top experiences everyday, but I’m convinced that this is what I’m wired to do, so the likelihood of the valleys causing me to turn tail and run seems incredibly slim. I’ve heard it said that “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I look forward to “quitting” work and living out my passion.

I think it’s safe to say that my decision to pursue a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling has been years in the making. I grew up in an environment that— whether intentionally or due to lack of awareness—failed to address mental health needs. In our house you were either happy and content, or you had an attitude problem and you’d better get back to “happy” and “content” pretty quickly. I grew up in a church that prescribed more prayer, more study and increased church attendance as the answer to most cases of depression, anxiety and the likes. At an early age, I adopted those ways of thinking. I attempted to help high school friends out of their depressive states, out of harmful habits, out of unhealthy relationship scenarios using the tactics that had been demonstrated to me up to that point in my life—suck it up and get more Jesus. Needless to say, I was an ineffective jerk. My undergraduate work was completed at Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, West Virginia in 2012. I double majored in Theology and Youth and Family Ministries. Since then I’ve served as a youth pastor in Parkersburg, West Virginia. My primary ministry has been to unchurched, low income teenagers from broken homes. Many of the students have lived their entire lives under the shadow of their care takers’ addictions and abuse. As I’ve sought to be (and to train a team to be) something very different for these kids, I’ve found myself invited to walk alongside students who've been sexually assaulted by family members, students who’ve found themselves homeless because of the path their parents have walked and students who’ve naturally fallen prey to the same vices that haunted their upbringing. It’s taken me a while to admit it, but I really don’t know how to bear these burdens for other people without personally paying a significant price. About three years ago I hit a wall. The weight of life and ministry had become more than I could bear. The level of anxiety that I was experiencing was paralyzing and it was effecting every area of my life. I consulted with my physician and he recommended that —before anything else—I seek out a licensed counselor to talk to. I did. I keep monthly appointments with my counselor. How freeing it is to have someone to process life with risk-free! It didn’t take long before I started modeling tough conversations with the students that I work with after the conversations that I have with my counselor. I’ve learned to listen. I’ve learned to let them cry or yell or sit in silence. I’ve learned that just being present for a person is often more helpful than trying to make their pain make sense—than trying to push them toward healing. My relationship with my personal counselor has been both a release and a teaching experience for me. After a difficult season of ministry through the pandemic I was granted a three month sabbatical from my ministry during the summer of 2021. While rest and family time were key pieces of my sabbatical, my primary objective was to figure out “where do I go from here?”—and I have (sort of). I’m convinced that my next step is to get equipped to be a licensed clinical counselor. That’s all the clarity I have right now. I don’t know whether licensure will lead to work in the public or private sector, secular or spiritual, Mid-Ohio Valley or elsewhere; I just know that I want to be a well educated, highly qualified, credible resource to those who would benefit—as I have—from a relationship with a clinical counselor.

I think it’s safe to say that my decision to pursue a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling has been years in the making. I grew up in an environment that— whether intentionally or due to lack of awareness—failed to address mental health needs. In our house you were either happy and content, or you had an attitude problem and you’d better get back to “happy” and “content” pretty quickly. I grew up in a church that prescribed more prayer, more study and increased church attendance as the answer to most cases of depression, anxiety and the likes. At an early age, I adopted those ways of thinking. I attempted to help high school friends out of their depressive states, out of harmful habits, out of unhealthy relationship scenarios using the tactics that had been demonstrated to me up to that point in my life—suck it up and get more Jesus. Needless to say, I was an ineffective jerk. My undergraduate work was completed at Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, West Virginia in 2012. I double majored in Theology and Youth and Family Ministries. Since then I’ve served as a youth pastor in Parkersburg, West Virginia. My primary ministry has been to unchurched, low income teenagers from broken homes. Many of the students have lived their entire lives under the shadow of their care takers’ addictions and abuse. As I’ve sought to be (and to train a team to be) something very different for these kids, I’ve found myself invited to walk alongside students who've been sexually assaulted by family members, students who’ve found themselves homeless because of the path their parents have walked and students who’ve naturally fallen prey to the same vices that haunted their upbringing. It’s taken me a while to admit it, but I really don’t know how to bear these burdens for other people without personally paying a significant price. About three years ago I hit a wall. The weight of life and ministry had become more than I could bear. The level of anxiety that I was experiencing was paralyzing and it was effecting every area of my life. I consulted with my physician and he recommended that —before anything else—I seek out a licensed counselor to talk to. I did. I keep monthly appointments with my counselor. How freeing it is to have someone to process life with risk-free! It didn’t take long before I started modeling tough conversations with the students that I work with after the conversations that I have with my counselor. I’ve learned to listen. I’ve learned to let them cry or yell or sit in silence. I’ve learned that just being present for a person is often more helpful than trying to make their pain make sense—than trying to push them toward healing. My relationship with my personal counselor has been both a release and a teaching experience for me. After a difficult season of ministry through the pandemic I was granted a three month sabbatical from my ministry during the summer of 2021. While rest and family time were key pieces of my sabbatical, my primary objective was to figure out “where do I go from here?”—and I have (sort of). I’m convinced that my next step is to get equipped to be a licensed clinical counselor. That’s all the clarity I have right now. I don’t know whether licensure will lead to work in the public or private sector, secular or spiritual, Mid-Ohio Valley or elsewhere; I just know that I want to be a well educated, highly qualified, credible resource to those who would benefit—as I have—from a relationship with a clinical counselor. The biggest hurdle that I will have to jump to accomplish the task of earning my Master of Arts is the financial hurdle. I am determined to earn this degree without taking out students loans as I don’t want that cloud of debt hanging over the heads of myself, my wife and my daughter. That being the case, I’m relying on grants, scholarships and other forms of financial aid. I am actively applying for anything and everything that I qualify for.

I think it’s safe to say that my decision to pursue a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling has been years in the making. I grew up in an environment that— whether intentionally or due to lack of awareness—failed to address mental health needs. In our house you were either happy and content, or you had an attitude problem and you’d better get back to “happy” and “content” pretty quickly. I grew up in a church that prescribed more prayer, more study and increased church attendance as the answer to most cases of depression, anxiety and the likes. At an early age, I adopted those ways of thinking. I attempted to help high school friends out of their depressive states, out of harmful habits, out of unhealthy relationship scenarios using the tactics that had been demonstrated to me up to that point in my life—suck it up and get more Jesus. Needless to say, I was an ineffective jerk. My undergraduate work was completed at Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, West Virginia in 2012. I double majored in Theology and Youth and Family Ministries. Since then I’ve served as a youth pastor in Parkersburg, West Virginia. My primary ministry has been to unchurched, low income teenagers from broken homes. Many of the students have lived their entire lives under the shadow of their care takers’ addictions and abuse. As I’ve sought to be (and to train a team to be) something very different for these kids, I’ve found myself invited to walk alongside students who've been sexually assaulted by family members, students who’ve found themselves homeless because of the path their parents have walked and students who’ve naturally fallen prey to the same vices that haunted their upbringing. It’s taken me a while to admit it, but I really don’t know how to bear these burdens for other people without personally paying a significant price. About three years ago I hit a wall. The weight of life and ministry had become more than I could bear. The level of anxiety that I was experiencing was paralyzing and it was effecting every area of my life. I consulted with my physician and he recommended that —before anything else—I seek out a licensed counselor to talk to. I did. I keep monthly appointments with my counselor. How freeing it is to have someone to process life with risk-free! It didn’t take long before I started modeling tough conversations with the students that I work with after the conversations that I have with my counselor. I’ve learned to listen. I’ve learned to let them cry or yell or sit in silence. I’ve learned that just being present for a person is often more helpful than trying to make their pain make sense—than trying to push them toward healing. My relationship with my personal counselor has been both a release and a teaching experience for me. After a difficult season of ministry through the pandemic I was granted a three month sabbatical from my ministry during the summer of 2021. While rest and family time were key pieces of my sabbatical, my primary objective was to figure out “where do I go from here?”—and I have (sort of). I’m convinced that my next step is to get equipped to be a licensed clinical counselor. That’s all the clarity I have right now. I don’t know whether licensure will lead to work in the public or private sector, secular or spiritual, hometown or elsewhere; I just know that I want to be a well educated, highly qualified, credible resource to those who would benefit—as I have—from a relationship with a clinical counselor.