Posted in

From ‘Not for Me’ to ‘This Is Me’

A reflective journey from dropout to Doctor of Ministry—how God rewrote my “never” and led me back to school with purpose and calling.
From ‘Not for Me’ to ‘This Is Me’
From ‘Not for Me’ to ‘This Is Me’

I just posted on my Patheos blog about something I never thought I’d write—a reflection on going back to school.

Not just school, but pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree.

My Patheos blog is full of reflections, I have been writing there for a few years.

If you’ve known me for any length of time, you probably know that I never saw myself as a student. In fact, I was told early on that college wasn’t really for me. For a while, I believed it. But as I wrote in the post, God has a way of rewriting our “nevers.”

This post is more than a story about school—it’s about how God gently reworks our expectations, challenges our narratives, and invites us into growth we didn’t think was possible. It’s also a glimpse into what I’m currently studying, why I’m doing it, and how I’m trying to steward this season well, even with its financial and health challenges.

I’d be honored if you’d read my post over at Patheos: When God Rewrites My Never: A Story of Returning to School

Whether you’re feeling stuck, unsure, or quietly nudged toward something you once ruled out—I hope my story encourages you. Sometimes the very thing we say we’ll never do becomes the path to deeper trust and purpose.

Thanks for being part of this journey with me.

The total cost of this three-year program is $10,800. As a father of three navigating new medical challenges following a Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, affording this program has brought added strain.

If you’re willing to support this journey, contributions can be made directly through the Kairos University site using the form below.

I’m a Doctor of Ministry student at Kairos University, where my research focuses on the Lord’s Prayer as a path and framework for spiritual formation and communal discipleship. I also hold an MBA in Executive Leadership from City Vision University, along with two master’s degrees from Fuller Seminary—one in Theology and Ministry, and the other in Global Leadership. Currently, I serve as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission and as the pastor of River Corner Church. My journey to this point has taken me from activism and hitchhiking to seminary classrooms and ministry leadership. I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with my wife and our three daughters, where we try to live simply, love deeply, and enjoy life outdoors whenever we can. Through this site and my Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos, I share what I’m learning about prayer, discipleship, and leading a quieter, more intentional life with Jesus.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *