I was born in Athens, Georgia, however, from the age of a year-and-a-half I grew up in the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina. My parents have been the greatest influence on my life both spiritually and in general. And I will be the first to tell you that without my family, I am nothing. I came to Jesus at the age of seven, which was an extremely easy decision in my life due to the amazing examples I have in the lives of my parents. I've always been passionate about my faith, and knew that I would be called to serve through my talents.
Believe it or not my passion for music didn't start until the summer before my freshman year of high school. I began to learn how to play the guitar and lead worship for my youth group with good friend, Chris Lee. We started a band and over the next several years we ate, slept, lived and breathed music. Upon graduating high school in 2003, I decided to attend the University of South Carolina. In Columbia, I had the chance to lead worship for a service for recruits in basic training at Fort Jackson under my former youth pastor, Chaplain Stan Smith.
As a sophomore in college, God really began to open some cool doors in my life. I got involved with the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, which was a great experience and resource for me in my walk with Jesus Christ(I don't know where I'd be without the guidance of campus director, Jon Dando during this time). I was also approached about leading worship for an overflow service at Shandon Baptist, and I settled into the major of Media Arts. Over my Junior and Senior years of college I can say this, I led a lot of worship between Campus Crusade and Shandon. Both were amazing opportunities and God used that to teach me a lot about what worship is and what being a worship leader looks like for me.
As the end of my college career approached, I reflected on the past five years and realized that God was preparing me to lead worship in some capacity or another. This led me to the church-plant, River Hills Church in Winder, Georgia where I spent a little more than two years leading worship.
In late 2005, I met the woman of my dreams. My mom forced me to take a girl that I had briefly met once on a date. I had no idea that it would change my life. I could write a book solely on that date and the following years, but I'll make this as short as I can. Megan was in school at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte when we began to date. While in Columbia at USC, I drove to Charlotte almost every weekend to see her after our first date. It became a little more difficult once I moved to Georgia, but the following Christmas Eve(2007) we were engaged. After a year and a half of trips to Charlotte we were married on May 30, 2009. She is my soul mate and best friend, she brings out the best in me. I couldn't have asked for a better wife!
