My Testimony

Fire Insurance
I was raised in a Christian home, with my Mom's parents being missionaries. While at Sunday school in kindergarten, the teacher told us about heaven and hell and asked, "who wants to go to heaven?" Of course my hand shot up! And I prayed to ask Jesus in my heart! But then she asked again the next week...and since I still wanted to go to heaven I raised my hand again! By the third week I realized I did not have to do this everytime!  So, at an early age, Christ was PRESENT (this will make more sense later) in my life.

Whirly-Birds
Having secured my fire insurance, I then continued diligently in my new found faith, attending church regularly, reading and memorizing the scriptures, and doing a number of service activities...not because I loved the Lord so much...but because my parents were in charge of the WhirlyBirds! Some of you remember that! We did not have AWANA (which I think sounded much cooler) so we  worked with what we had. Being the sponsors child, I was required to do well. I did have alot of fun, and I learned a ton of foundational truths, but I cannot say that my salvation was anything more than a ticket to heaven.

And a Christian Too?!
From an early age I was involved in church.  In fact, it was the center of my life. Youth groups, camps, activities etc etc. There were no conflicts with my priorities as I did nothing else except church and family activities. Then came basketball. Wow, did I love that game. I played it whenever I could. I dribbled my ball to school.  I played in the rain.   I could not get enough of the sport. Now there was competition for my energies and time.  Church activities were still a big part of my life, but not the only thing anymore.  Christ still held a "prominent" place in my life (which s a step up from "present" only).  But I had not come to where God wanted me to be.

Christ was present on my life early on...thank God for that.  Through godly parenting, Ilearned that Christ had to be prominent in my life. But God wanted more.  One night I had a rare opportunity to play in the high school gym!  A wood floor!  The only problem was that it was Sunday evening.  I asked my dad for permission to miss church and orchestra to play basketball. "You're asking the wrong person," was his reply.   Knowing what he meant, I opened up my bible. What I read was that everything we do has to be to His glory.  And how could I give Him the glory if I lower Him on the priority list?  So I went to church and heard about Sports Ambassadors, traveling in foreign countries using basketball to share our faith.  That was the start of 12 wonderful years of playing basketball at Westmont College, California and overseas. God blessed that decision on that one Sunday!

I had planned on playing basketball and using it as a testimony for our Lord for a long time.  But God had other plans!  While playing , or trying to play, in Brazil, my tendonitus in my left knee became the worst it ever had I pushed it as long as I could but eventually had to pack it up and head home.  Kevin, my trainer at Westmont College, took a look at it and told me it would take 2 years to be back at the level I was.  Wow! What a blow!  Having spent the better part of the last few years in  training rooms, I opted to hang it up.  I picked up with youth work and got married and started a family. But I kept trying to get my knee in shape so I could at least show everyone that I was not a has been.  But the word finally came from the surgeon.  "You are done," he said," unless you want a knee replacement, don't try it again!"   No more playing??  Well, at least I can still coach!

I have always been an aggressive thinker and planner.  When I had an idea of a direction, I put my head down and went after it 120% !  Each time, God has had to slow me down and remind me that He is in control and not me.  This message being understood, I would need to give my hopes, plans, and desires over to Him.  I did this with many things, but basketball was not easy.  I realized I could not play anymore, but there was still coaching.   Great plan, except I ran ahead of God again.   Met with total frustration, I knew I needed to give that desire to Him also.  Not easy, as I had let so much bitterness invade my heart.  But, through some tears I was able to give that desire as well over to His will.  He has not given it back, and He might not!   Instead He has blessed this cartooning and that is my focus now! (and I am trying not to run ahead... again!)

Many have asked,"why drawing cartoons...and why for free?" Here's the scoop!  While at a teacher conference this past summer, I was doodling since I had heard the speaker before.  The doodling caught peoples attention and there was much interest in my abilities.  Great!  I thought this was the answer to a side job I had been looking for.  There were many leads so I began working diligently towards that.   During that time I had told a friend of mine in Sacramento that I was drawing again.  Well, all of the educational interest died . . . but my friend Dan had told a good friend of his about me. So Marty, Dan's friend, and I began talking via email. I sent him a couple cartoons and checked out a website he was the webmaster for.  It was a site with various Christian artists GIVING away their work. This was not for me since I wanted to make money!  But God got ahold of my heart and reminded me that the abilities were His, the ideas are His, the contacts are His and all you are interested because of Him . . . so who was I to say, "only if I get paid!"  So, with a change of heart I draw . . . and God is blessing tremendously.  Not financially . . . but in blessings!  So, that is why I sign off with,

For His glory,