Steve's Testimony: Christ in Me, the Hope of Glory!  

The Lord has begun a good work in me since the day I was born, and He will be faithful to complete it!

Childhood.  I grew up in a family that went to a country church most of my growing up years.  During those years, I heard the many stories of the Bible in sunday school and church.  What a wonderful heritage to have, giving me a foundation that the Lord would build on later.  God was working on my heart during that time. Hearing messages from Billy Graham and Lowell Lundstrom  I knew that I needed to commit my life to Christ sometime.  I thought that I would do that later when I was in college.

Teen/Adult.  When I was 15, my Aunt Kathy invited me to attend a youth retreat.  I didn't know what a retreat was, but God knew!  It sounded like a good time in the park to me!  It was at that retreat that I committed my life to Christ.  From there, I continued to grow in my faith through Bible reading and attending a home Bible study that my parents had started going to.  Special mentors ministered to me in praise and worship of the Lord, studying His word, and prayer.  I continued to grow in my faith, memorizing whole chapters of scripture and learning to play guitar to assist in leading worship.  I am so glad I did NOT know what a retreat was.  I probably wouldn't have gone.  Now I can't imagine life without Christ!

After high school graduation.  I attended a diesel mechanics course for one year of a two year course at Alexandria Technical College in Minnesota.  The Lord had different plans!  Leaving that incomplete, I went to Christ for the Nations Bible School for two years in Dallas, Texas, from 1982-1984.  I was rooted and grounded in my faith through intense study of the Bible, intercessory prayer, praise and worship, ministry opportunities, and fellowship with other Christians.  I didn't sense any particular call to missions or ministry at that time, however, I did hear of Wycliffe Bible Translators during that time and became involved in Wycliffe Associates for a while after I returned home to Minnesota.

Upon returning home, I was part of the worship team playing guitar at New Testament Church of Alexandria, Minnesota which became my home church.  I appreciated this fellowship time to grow, stretch, and deepen my walk with Christ.  Two years later, a couple from my Bible study group invited me to participate in an agriculture exchange program.  I spent ten months in the German speaking part of Switzerland on a Swiss dairy farm, 1986 - 1987.

Returning to the US, I begain to wonder what more the Lord had for my life.  Not having any formal training in an occupation, I needed to make some choices.  I was considering trades such as welding and machining until I was encouraged to consider computer programming.  I didn't know the first thing about computers and I couldn't type very fast! 

Proverbs 3:5-6 was very special to me.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

I was invited to tour with the Continental Singers and Orchestra  throughtout the United States, eastern Canada, and Burmuda in the summer of 1988, as a beratone/base vocalist. Support was raised through letters to friends, relatives, and my church.  God graciously provided.  We toured for 85 days performing 88 concerts in 85 days.  During this time, I was learning more about evangelism.  God also used one of the tour songs, "It is Well With My Soul", to help me be at peace concerning a life mate and the plan He had for my life.  God also richly blessed my time studying computer programming at Alexandria Technical College, 1988 - 1990.

Marriage.  While at college, God brought a young woman into my life, and I wasn't even looking!  My mom was saying, "I need to pray God drops a godly women into your lap!"  While I finished school, Glenda and I would meet several times a week to have devotions together before class.  I began my computer programming career in April 1990 in Marshall, MN.  Glenda and I were married in August 1990. We found a church home in Marshall and began actively participating in various ministries of the church which greatly equipped us for this step into missions.

Career.  After about 11 to 12 years of my programming career in the corporate world, I began to feel that I would like to do something with eternal purpose.  Simply living the American dream of working, raising a family, and retiring seemed a bit empty!  What more could I do that would have eternal value?  In October of 2004, God lead me (Glenda's says "God delivered me") out of my position of 14 years to a new job .  I believe this job is temporary and that God is preparing me for the next step.  It was during those dark hours between jobs that I counseled with fellow believers and expressed a desire to use my computer skills for missions, not knowing how or when that could ever happen.

Passion/Mission.  The time at my current job has been a time of healing and growing in my desire to serve the Lord with the rest of my life.  In November of 2005, I was directed by a friend to the JAARS website where I found the computer skills assessment form to fill out.  I found out that there is a big need for computer skills in the mission field!  I trust God with my life and I can think of no better way to spend the rest of my life serving Him.

Life hasn't always been easy since that day I trusted Christ as my Savior, but I have no regrets.  I am so glad for the peace and joy the Lord has brought into my life.  Growing closer to the Lord is an important part of being a Christian.  If we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we will bear much fruit.  This, He has promised in His word.  He has faithfully protected and guided me through all the experiences in my life for a purpose.  I believe that He has and continues to equip me to share the gospel in my career to serve Him in full-time missions.  Truly, He will be faithful to complete the work He has started!  Phillippians 1:6 "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."