DEAR READER

My life has been shaped by the name of Jesus ever since I surrendered my heart to Him at the age of seven. My biological father abandoned my mother and me when I was born, which, thankfully, created a heart extremely receptive to the Gospel. But even so, much of my youth was lived as if God were not present. Despite my walking in disbelief and lack of discipleship, the power of the Holy Spirit would continue to draw me closer to Him. This is the everlasting love of our God - A pursuit so powerful and steadfast, I’ve chosen to surrender to His will and purpose for my life.

SKATEBOARDING

It wasn’t long after I surrendered to Christ for the first time that I also discovered skateboarding. This was the world in which my coming-of-age story was set. I remember opening a book on the bottom shelf of the school library titled “Skateboarding.” The images had me in awe and wonder. I would later discover video games, films, and eventually receive a skateboard as a gift from my mom. This was all transpiring as other boys on my street were also gravitating towards skateboarding. And like me, many of them were also without their biological fathers in their lives. Skateboarding was a bridge that brought us kids together and provided a sense of community, adventure, and belonging.

THE CALL TO MINISTRY

Fast forward to 2018, I was seeking direction through uncertainty, anxiety, and a lack of true identity. That year, against my hopes of finding work in the film industry, I was referred to apply for a videographer position at Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian aid non-profit. It was this immense opportunity to film medical missions, humanitarian projects, and disaster relief efforts around the world. By God’s grace, I got the job. For the next six years, I traveled to over thirty countries, witnessing people healed and helped in devastating circumstances, all in the name of Jesus. This was my introduction to ministry. It was a season that brought me into discipleship, helped heal my inner wounds, and built up my faith and identity as a son.

RIDE NATURE

While traveling with Samaritans Purse, my team and I came across The House of Ride Nature in Ft. Myers, Florida. We were just looking for a coffee break in town, and as I entered the shop for the first time, my soul was marked, as if by a flashback to my childhood. Worship music played over a well-designed skate/surf shop; artwork and scripture were curated along the walls, and everything before me presented itself as peace. It was a feeling of redemption connected to who I was and where I came from. Growing up skating since age ten, I had been in many other skate shops. But I had never walked into a skate shop and encountered faith connected to a shop's purpose and brand. I would later learn that Ride Nature was a global organization on a mission to reach the spiritually poor and fatherless through action sports. Reaching all nations, providing resources generously, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.