I love reading, especially the Bible, Puritan writings, Reformed Theology and anything truly Christian. I love the church where I am pastor and give it a good deal of my time. When I have the time and my time is quite flexible, I enjoy the beach, Mote Marine (where I am a member) and on rare occasion Disney, Universal, a Magic or Heat game ... Tampa Bay Rays, etc... if I have someone to go with.

My house is an interest. It is small but nice, I have a huge bookshelf with a majority of my books on it. My office is at home so I am here a lot. I often host our Men's Group Meetings here and I am a good cook and a better than average house keeper, for a single man.

My mother was Roman Catholic, my father was agnostic. I went to church growing up and thought of myself as religious but had no clue about God's plan for my salvation. I ran cross country in High School and went through the motions of accepting Christ when a man from Campus Crusade for Christ ministered to our cross country team.

In the middle of my junior year in high school my family moved and separated me from Christian witness.

When I started college at Iowa Wesleyan I joined a fraternity and started drinking a lot. On the night I graduated from being a "pledge" in the fraternity to being a full fledged member I set the fraternity drinking record for Wild Turkey Whiskey. The next morning I had such a hangover I could not move.

I prayed to God that He would let me live. Yet that next Monday morning I was drinking again.

This bothered me intensely, not the drinking, but the fact I broke a promise to God and so quickly! I thought I was a stronger and better person than that.

I transferred that summer from Iowa Wesleyan College to Western Illinois University. I thought I needed a change of scenery. One of the first people I met was a man from Campus Crusade for Christ. He shared the Gospel with me using The Four Spiritual Laws and when he told me I was a sinner, the Holy Spirit made that real to my heart.

I did not change immediately but the next summer I was reading the Bible eight hours a day and praying constantly. As a junior in college I was involved with Inter Varsity (I was student President) the Navigators and Campus Crusade. I even debated some of my professors concerning the gospel.

A pastor friend of mine recommended I pray about the ministry. I was a shy kid and preaching scared me but I felt my call like the call of Moses - Exodus 3 & 4.

I pastored a church in Missouri when I was just 22 years old. I went to Okinawa as a missionary and pastor two other churches before my current church in Florida.

I have been at First Presbyterian Church in North Port, FL now six years. This is the smallest (currently) church I have pastored. My previous pastorate ended when my now ex - wife committed adultery and left me for another man.

I was out of professional ministry six years because of that. Yet, I grew during that time.

Recently, I have been preaching through Paul's letter to the Ephesians. As I write this I am half way through chapter 5. In chapter 4 Paul starts speaking of our "WALK" with Christ. He tells us our first steps are steps down, steps of lowliness / humility. Yet, by the beginning of chapter 5 he raises us to the imitation of God. This is the Height to which I now aspire, the imitation of God, the walk of Christ. Yet, even Christ humbled Himself - Philippians 2. So now I find myself grateful even for sad / hard things which are all part of His perfect plan for me.

When first converted I had already understood the doctrines of grace in my heart, even though I was not fully schooled in my head. I believed in election / predestination the first time I heard a sermon preached against them. The pastor had been preaching through Romans and got to chapter 9. I can repeat his sermon almost verbatum. He read the chapter, then he said, "this chapter is not teaching what it seems to be teaching, it is really teaching freewill." Then he went to chapter 10. I thought in my head ... IT SURE IS TEACHING WHAT IT SEEMS TO BE TEACHING and you pastor are just plain wrong! Anyway, I read Spurgeon and the Puritans and did not know there was another living Calvinist for a matter of years. Finally in seminary I found other Calvinists and after attending Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS. Found myself involved in reformed ministries.

The doctrines of grace are part of the rest of the doctrines in the Bible which are the foundation for and definition of my life. I see the world as Ken Ham says "through Biblical glasses." I do not see a person, no matter how cleaned up or beautiful, without knowing they have a sin nature, they need a Savior, our Savior Jesus Christ. I realize they will not naturally accept Him but God's Spirit needs to work. The doctrines of grace allow me forgiveness but they don't allow me to excuse my sin. There are a myriad of ways, far beyond the scope of this answer, that the doctrines of grace focus my view of our world.

Yes, I do have a quiet time, it changes constantly, I read through the Bible regularly as well --- for instance, today is February 10th 2011 and after starting in Genesis I just this morning finished Psalms. I do not have a set numbers of chapters I read but often read ten or more. I read Spurgeon Morning by Morning / I will read a Whitefield sermon, something I find on line, a great number of different things as part of my "study" ... as well as what I happen to be preaching on --- right now February 2011 - Zechariah. Yet, as much as I do, and as much as I love God's Word, I still have struggles in this regard. As of March 1 --- started Ezekiel!

I am content or at least working on contentment, I personally would like to be with that person God has planned for me. Right now, I do not know if there is such a person. I want God's will more than my own.

Knowledge of Scripture, a sense of humor, a tendency to allow church parking lot conversations to go on and on and on and on ...integrity!

Yes, my friends would say these things but they do not know the evil that lurks within --- Romans 7. Like everyone else, I am a sinner saved by grace --- actually my friends know this too, but they would not say it about me

Godliness, passion for Christ, a knowledge and / or a hunger for God's Word, Prayerfulness, a desire to serve Christ. I am looking for someone who would fit with me someone who would desire to serve in ministry and fit not only with me personally but into this life. Meaning the life of a somewhat humble pastor.

I love children and would consider myself greatly blessed if God gave me a wife who wanted children with me.

My dream girl would want to go to the Creation Museum for our Honey Moon and desires God more than me. I am not perfect and she is not either but she avoids the Revelation 3:16 lukewarm attitude like the plague. I am not a strict sabbatarian in preaching to others, especially not about particular rules for that day --- yet, I want that day for myself and my family for the LORD, prayer, His WORD, Fellowship! Though all days are for Him, this day is special / sanctified!

PRAYING AND READING GOD'S WORD WITH MY WIFE IS ESSENTIAL! If you do not want this you do not want me - Psalm 127:1

A gift of hospitality would be great too!

I have been divorced for more than ten years. My ex wife committed adultery and left me for another man. I have had two close female friendships that have helped me heal since. My most recent is still big in my heart and there (in my heart and mind) not quite over yet. I am working through this now, praying and concentrating on drawing near to God. For this reason right now I am not really seeking more than friendship with any new person.

Some time has passed since I wrote the above paragraph and yet unless God made something radically clear from the beginning, I still want to start with friendship FIRST!

"The Bible … is of all books in the world, that which contributes most to make men good, wise and happy." -- President John Quincy Adams, September 1811

"When I die I want to go like Grandpa did, quietly in my sleep, rather than the undignified kicking and screaming of his passengers."
Annonynous from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.
From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the crucified)
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire;
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

Amy Carmichael

“He is not smitten, he’s decapitated, he won’t listen to reason.”

About Abrahams in love “Chariots of Fire

The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam;
not made of his head to rule over him,
nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him,
but out of his side to be equal to him,
under his arm to be protected,
and near his heart to be beloved.
Matthew Henry
Commentary on Genesis 2:21-25

God made more account of Noah than of all the world besides, and this made him greater and more truly honourable than all the giants that were in those days, who became mighty men and men of renown. Let this be the summit of our ambition, to find grace in the eyes of the Lord; herein let us labour, that, present or absent, we may be accepted of him, 2 Cor. v. 9. Those are highly favoured whom God favours.
Matthew Henry
Commentary on Genesis 6:8

To be morose, implacable, inexorable, revengeful, is one of the greatest degeneracies of human nature. To remember injuries, to retain a sense of wrongs, to watch for opportunities for revenge, to hate and be maliciously perverse, is to represent the image of the devil to the world in its proper colors; he is the great enemy and self-avenger. On the other hand, no grace, no duty, no ornament of the mind is in itself so lovely, so praiseworthy, or so useful to mankind, as are meekness and readiness to forgive. This is that principally, which renders a man a good man, for whom one would even dare to die. And I am sorry to add that this grace or duty is recommended by its rarity."

From The Forgiveness of Sin: A Practical Exposition of Psalm 130 By John Owen, page 209.

"The noblest of all dogs is the hot dog; it feeds the hand that bites it."
Lawrence J. Peter

To continue as a pastor where I am and marry. My biggest life goal though is expressed in the Shorter Catechism - "To Glorify God and ENJOY HIM FOREVER!"

I own my home and love where I live in North Port, Florida. It NEVER SNOWS here. I am at a place in life where I can live according to my ideals and godly desires. If God would move me I'd move. Yet, right now I am happy serving Him here!

I was born in Chicago, I have lived many places, here is a list:

Florida, Maine, Mississippi, Illinois (West Central), Okinawa, Colorado, Chicago and Chicago area, Iowa and Wisconsin.