Have you ever been asked to introduce yourself in 30 seconds? You’d probably rattle off information about schooling, career, and family. Whenever I have done this I always think afterward that this doesn’t communicate who I really am. It certainly doesn’t capture what’s most important to me, what I think defines the real me. 

Calling me a devoted husband and father would be a pretty good one-liner. I absolutely love my wife and my family and I would do anything for them. But there is something within me that goes even deeper and is at the very core of my self-identity. 

Above everything else, I see myself as a son of God; very imperfect, but very loved by an incredibly patient Heavenly Father, who knows me and cares deeply about me. This fills me with a remarkable peace and confidence.

I don’t know when this self-view started to form. It certainly wasn’t always that strong, but has grown over time and is still growing. Looking back I can definitely pinpoint a moment about 36 years ago when I made a very conscious decision to live my life according to this developing self-identify. Because of the decision I made then to step onto a new path and the daily decisions I’ve made since then to stay on that path, I am who I am today. I am not particularly successful, popular, or distinguished. I am, however, very much at peace. I feel very fulfilled and I am immensely grateful for every day of my life, past, present, and future.

The following is my attempt to capture a piece of my personal history that I feel was paramount in shaping me into the person I have become. As with all personal histories, this is my personal history told from my perspective, how I experienced it.