"I was very blessed to grow up with parents who know the Lord and who taught me and my sister about who Jesus is. They stressed the importance of living a life that is for the Lord in our household. I came to a relationship with the Lord when I was very young. I think that I genuinely understood my need for a Savior, that I was a sinner, and that I couldn't do anything to earn right standing with God.
“My faith had ups and downs in middle school and high school; my relationship with the Lord was characterized by church camp highs and longer periods of just going through the motions. My wife, Melany, and I started dating in eighth grade. Meeting so young was cool because we’ve watched each other grow up. However, we were very immature in the early years of our relationship, and we made a lot of mistakes. I gave all my time and thoughts to Melany, and it came at the expense of deep friendships and my relationship with the Lord.
"After a brief break-up in high school, Melany and I resumed dating when we started college. We were crossing many physical boundaries, and my relationship with the Lord was distant during those years. I didn’t belong to a church or have biblical community. I was looking for whatever fun, excitement, or pleasure I could find in the world while trying to set myself up for a successful career. I don’t know if anybody would have known I was a Jesus follower by my actions.
“When we moved to Dallas after school, we visited Watermark. The first Sunday we attended, I met a guy who served in re:generation, Watermark's biblical recovery ministry. He told me about how he came to Watermark broken and addicted and how the Lord changed his life. I'd never heard anyone talk like that before. No one in my faith background was really vulnerable and authentic like he was. I was so encouraged and inspired by his openness that we decided to stay at Watermark. We knew this was the place!
“We became members at Watermark and finally started to walk with biblical community for the first time. But, while we were doing all the ‘right’ things, I still struggled with discontentment.
"I thought I was missing something. I was looking for fulfillment in my career, vacations, and experiences—even a reservation at a restaurant would get me so excited, only to feel so empty when it ended. I was always feeling disappointed and frustrated. This, combined with the brokenness Melany and I both brought from our relationship before marriage, led to a lot of conflict between us.
“Everything kind of came to a head during a vacation when some of our plans unexpectedly changed. I was so mad and disappointed. Melany questioned my strong feelings, and we both could finally see that we weren’t going to be able to fix our problems on our own. She told me she was going to start re:generation the following Monday. I decided to go as well.
“The Lord showed me through what I learned in re:gen that I was looking for something else to fulfill me other than him. This realization was so helpful, and it helped me see that true life and joy were only found in the Lord (Psalm 16:11).
"Around this time, I was also serving at Watermark Health. There, I could see the staff and volunteers boldly living out their faith, sharing the gospel, and praying with patients who were in the clinic; I was encouraged to do the same. Their walk with the Lord wasn’t confined to just one part of the day or week; rather, it informed every aspect of their lives.
“While I had my sights on an advanced degree and a new career, when a nursing position opened at Watermark Health, it was clear that God closed the door on school and opened the door for this new position. At the time, I didn’t think it felt like the Lord’s calling on my life; I just stumbled into obedience. But as time has gone on, I’ve seen this is exactly where God wants me to be.
"I look back, and there have been so many people in my life making deposits and showing me what it's like to live a godly life––my parents, pastors, people from college, and now, especially at Watermark, God is using his people to show me how to follow him.
"As a new father, the Lord is showing me new ways to trust him. I consider myself a pretty relaxed person, but when we had our daughter, I discovered that there was some anxiety and a need for control in me. The Lord has been working on me to trust him with even more. He is so patient with me, even when he has all the reasons not to extend patience and grace, and I am so grateful."
Watermark Health is an organization that transforms lives in our city through compassionate, accessible, and excellent medical care for the uninsured and underinsured. Learn More about Watermark Health.
By working through biblical steps within authentic community, you can find freedom and healing in Christ from any struggle that has you feeling stuck. Check out re:generation on Mondays at 6:30 PM. Learn more.