It never ceases to amaze me how little we know about the people we pass. Even people we interact with on a daily basis can be little more than strangers when we evaluate what we know about their life stories or future goals. I don’t like to be the person who doesn’t take the time to get to know someone. Please indulge me as I tell you a bit about who I am.

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. Most of my memorable childhood and adulthood has been in Sun Prairie and the surrounding area. I attended school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, pursuing my Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology and Clinical Counseling. I believe that the problems people face are mostly drawn from their formative years. As a result, I have always emphasized teens in my studies. It was during these years when I met my wife, Aubrey, to whom I have been married since 2008. We have two children named Leonora and Levi. Aubrey and I both share a passion for helping teenagers navigate the often turbulent adolescent years. As a result, we have worked together serving in youth ministry at Focus Church for the majority of our married years (where Aubrey also serves as the operations pastor).

My personal hobbies include sports and music. I wrestled in high school and enjoy sports like ultimate frisbee, disk golf, volleyball and softball. As far as music goes, my taste is rather eclectic. You will often catch me listening to metal music, EDM, Gregorian chants, acapella groups and, occasionally, Scandinavian folk. Ultimately, my passion for music shows itself best on Sunday mornings. In addition to serving in youth ministry, on Sunday mornings you will usually find me at Focus Church playing bass, singing background vocals, or running sound on the worship team.

Another thing that I greatly enjoy is traveling. I have not done much in the way of traveling but have made a few memorable trips. Aubrey and I have made multiple trips to Hawaii, and before the pandemic, I was able to travel to Guatemala with my church to help build a school. I love experiencing other cultures and worldviews as well as the growth it brings to me individually to do so. Part of this growth would be to explore my heritage in Sweden, Norway and Scotland. However, my ultimate travel goal is to combine my love for camping with my love of travel and do a week-long camping trip in Alaska.

This is just a glimpse into my life and interests. There is far too much to tell in just a few paragraphs. Ultimately that is the point, though. We as people are ever changing, and there is always something new to learn about the people around you. Even the ones that are closest and you feel you understand the best will be different tomorrow compared to today. Enjoy the journey of life with those around you. Learn from people as you get to know them better. I look forward to getting to know you better as our paths cross.

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