So here I was with a mountain of debt, several app ideas, and little understanding of what it would take to make the apps a reality. The problem was I needed these apps to show to potential clients and to make money. Little did I know at the time I had way too much riding on these ideas. I was asking these apps to do way too much, I had no clear path to make even one of them a reality, and I needed income.
Push Pause
In the middle of pursuing my dream, I had to push pause for a minute. The combination of attending Full Sail University, subsequently leaving Apple to focus on Full Sail, and the newly minted pile of debt from Full Sail put me in a very desperate position. I needed income and was feeling somewhat hopeless when God revealed to me that He had already given me what I needed. Out of obedience, I began applying the skills I learned while at Apple Retail to start earning an income.
And while this business was not quite what I had imagined, it was a way to meet some of my basic needs. So I pressed into building a customer base. I hated sales as a general concept, so I tried to find a way to tell others exactly what I did in a non-sleazy way. I help people with Apple products…I would tell them. Word got around, and referrals became more common. It was never quite what I wanted it to be, and for good reason. God never intended me to stay there, I was just passing through.
What I discovered was that my time spent helping others with their technology was largely a form of giving. While I did get paid, I was better at giving than I was at finding ways to earn a living as a technical consultant. I guess in the back of my mind, I always knew what I truly wanted to do. As I continued this journey, a good friend named Nathan introduced me to a place where my technical skills could impact the “Capital C” Church.
Give, Give, Give
It was here, serving in the IT department at Life.Chuch, where Jesus began something new. I began by configuring technology for new employees or new campuses. My troubleshooting ability and my familiarity with Apple products served me well. I began to see a side of Life.Church that I had never experienced. The more I served, the more Jesus worked in me. Soon, I was part of the team, and serving was something I needed. To see God use your unique talents and abilities to change lives brought me to a new place in my walk.
It was not long before I was traveling places to help launch new campuses. God introduced me to a new friend named Tyler, a.k.a. “Wilkey.” Tyler saw something in me and invited me to come alongside him as we lead local volunteers to launch campuses. It was here that my dream began to change. It was here where God began to heal my brokenness. I was now a part of the IT Volunteer Leadership Team at Life.Church.
Infectious Culture
The more time I spent serving at Life.Church with Wilkey, the more I grew as a leader and, more importantly, as a follower of Jesus. My time serving was as much of a gift to me as it was to the church. I have always embraced generosity as one of my core values. But being in and around the team at Life.Church Central offices brought this value to a new level in my life. I saw these people living organizational values, and it changed me. Typically, as someone gets closer to an organization, they discover things that let them down or disappoint them. The closer I grew to my Church, the more I could not get enough.
Many times pursuing your dream looks different, walking forward versus looking in the rearview. I can now see how I needed to push pause to watch God provide. It helped me learn to persevere. I needed to learn more about what it is to serve and give. It was here God healed my brokenness. I also experienced a culture I had never experienced before. It was here God refined my dream.
