An Origin Story

1995

Working as the janitor at my local Messianic Jewish Synagogue and day school in Philadelphia, PA, I knelt down scrubbing scuffmarks off the wall, all the while praying fervently for friends who were, at that moment, bringing the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus), the Jewish Messiah for all humanity, to the people of Odessa, Ukraine. I prayed, “God, I want to be used. Send me!”

He opened my eyes to homelessness in my very own community.

Like an exclamation mark at the end of the the command “Feed My Sheep”, I heard Keith Green’s musical retelling of the parable of the Sheep and the Goats from Matthew 25:31-46. Keith commented, at the end of the recording, “My friends, the only difference between the sheep and the goats, according to this Scripture, is what they DID and DIDN’T DO!”

My life was forever changed. The very next week, my friend, Matt, and I ventured into the alleys of Philadelphia armed with two backpacks full of Lunchables and little booklets of the Gospel of John. That night, we gathered about 20 people off of the street corners into an unwitting accomplice, the Wendy’s on the corner, broke bread, gave thanks, and shared the love of our Messiah.

This desire to be counted as one of the sheep; to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” is at the heart of what has driven my life since that morning in July of 1995.

Since then, Praise God, I have traveled the world and across the U.S. serving and sharing God’s love and Good News for all people.

Whether it is the 20+years of youth ministry, both in my home congregation in Roswell, GA and planning, speaking at, and leading worship for Messianic Jewish conferences and events, mostly under the auspices of the YMJA (Young Messianic Jewish Alliance), or leading various ministries like Meuchad (Messianic Worshippers United), my passion is to LOVE, SERVE, and INSPIRE.

I believe that God does know the plans He has for you (Jeremiah 29:11). I believe He has endowed you with tremendous gifts (1 Corinthains 12). I believe that our true worship is changed lives changing lives. I believe that when these changed lives work together to impact their community, we will see a spiritual awakening. My mission is to facilitate that change through words of exhortation and acts of service.

Will you join me and become a Smiling Sheep?