Wild at Heart 1 (for me)

This picture was taken at a Wild at Heart men's retreat in Western Maryland in 2009. A good friend texted it to me last night with a message that said something along the lines of "this is where it all began." In that picture with me, directly to my left, is someone who at the time I didn't know all that well. We rode in the same pick up truck (his) from Goshen Indiana to Maryland for the retreat. In this picture we were having a competition, a race across that nasty green pond with about 9 other men. Look close, that pond is nasty and covered with green scum that we agitate up once a year when we are there for our retreat and one competition or another takes us to that nasty water. It's fun for me to look at that picture now becuase at the time I didn't know that man very well, but now he is one of my best friends and one of my two accountability partners. My other accountability partner also went on that trip with us and also rode in the same truck with us there and back. During those long truck rides we had great time to converse, get to know one another and, little beknownst to us then, start the begining of a great friendship! That weekend is the weekend that I planted my flag in the ground and made a commitment that I was going to live my life the way that God intended for me to. At that time Anna was about 5 or 6 months pregnant with Leyton, I was drinking more than I needed to be, I had a foul mouth as well as a bag full of other vices that were holding me back from being the man that God had intended. My relationship with God was the most important tool I had in making this life change. Starting to seek him in my decision making, spending time in his word and prayer put back together a relationship that I had fractured a long time ago. My relationship with my new accountability partners was a vital part of helping me stay the course during the times I wasnt seeking God first. They would be very quick to swoop in and kick me in the butt when I needed it, and trust me I needed it often. They were also there to help guide me through the tough times with prayer and wisdom from their own experiences. Perhaps the best part of our relationship is the celebrating of breakthroughs and victories that each of us had along the way these last few years. It has been an incredible journey with these two guys and I really look forward to what God has in store for us in the future! So to Jim and Jeff I love you guys like you were my own brothers and no matter how many miles seperate us I am always a phone call or text message away from being there for you!