I find a deep connection to this scripture. I believe that all people at some point in their lives have been Peter to some extent, courageously stepping out into the unknown, breaking free from the limited mindset that we sometimes unintentionally trap ourselves in. I co-created this company like most people – from a deep yearning to fulfill a need.

Have you ever been passionately called to something greater then yourself? Not a job or a task, but a purpose. Fatherless at three months old, I grew up needing strong male influence in my life. It wasn’t that the men in my family weren’t strong – simply put, they weren’t equipped to help me become the man I desired to be. I desperately wanted to know what it meant to be a man of great character and more importantly, how to become one. I longed for meaning and purpose but never found it.

Throughout my life I often felt very unfulfilled and at times – lost. Insecure, shy, passive aggressive anger, struggling with a sense of self-worth, and epilepsy were the things I dealt with daily. Still, I believed there was more for me. There is more for all of us. Our greatest achievement is knowing our reason for which we were created for and leveraging our gifts and abilities to maximize and influence the lives of others. Becoming a man entails sacrifices – things that I needed to let go of in order to cross the bridge of true adulthood. My work was cut out for me. There were many things I needed to let go of, beliefs, ideals, perspectives, all of which were holding me back.

I searched for various organizations that promoted “The Real Man” and how to fill in the missing pieces. I read books, articles, and watched movies like “The Gladiator” for clues on becoming this extraordinary man. Whenever I met men who were older than me, I often observed their behavior in the hopes that maybe they knew something I didn’t; but I was always disappointed to learn of their immaturity and their neediness for attention, for status and to be perceived as strong. They weren’t. They were still boys in their thought process. Over time, I realized that the issues of becoming a man were felt by much of the men across our culture.

In my late teen years, I felt called to work as a life coach, helping other young men who searched for guidance and mentoring in their lives. This resulted in a fire that ignited inside of me, making way for a lifelong passion geared towards helping men build the foundation needed to become men of great character, something our society lacks on a quantum scale. But I still didn’t have the answers, let alone help other men reach their potential.

As a grew out of my teens and into my early twenties I went in and out of a mild depression. At the age of twenty-four something within me collapsed. It was as though all my energy, my emotional strength, were completely depleted. My plane was falling, perhaps it was the excess luggage, among other issues of life weighing me down, and I found myself wrestling with pain, fear, and shame.

At the time, my aunt and my mother were helping their pastor start a new church. Their mission was to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating a safe environment for unchurched people to attend. They weren’t reaching out to Christians, they were reaching atheists, agnostics, and people of similar backgrounds. I was certainly one of them – a committed skeptic at most. Reluctantly by their persistence, I was scheduled to meet their pastor for some outside perspective and guidance.

I felt physically and mentally weak. Trying to hold my own was challenging, let alone trying to make conversation with other people. My life had imploded and my only desire was to pull back and isolate myself. Troubled by the sudden and deep depression, I could not help but wonder how I allowed myself to get to this point.

When I met with their pastor, that Tuesday afternoon, I was curious to know whether or not he would attempt to evangelize me. I was already of the mindset that church was not for me. But as he spoke to me, he made no mention of scripture at any point during our conversation. We discussed certain aspects of my life, but I was convinced he could read me without going into detail. He carried himself that way. There was a charismatic energy about him as though he knew something incredible was about to happen. I admit I was a bit surprised. He spoke a lot about building a strong foundation – one that was indestructible. A month went by before I realized he was referring to the cross. He took the principle out of the theology and applied it to me in a practical manner.

What an extraordinary way to teach, I thought. Curious, I agreed to attend his church. But I still had many questions about faith. How reliable is the New and Old Testament? Does evidence for Jesus exist outside the Bible? Why should I believe the resurrection was an actual event?

His church was located in a small movie theater room he contracted for a specified period. I was surprised to learn that church is a gathering of people, not a building or a specific location. As I drove to the theater I could not help but wonder what they might think of me. I contemplated every negative thing I could imagine they might say or think. This only reinforced my decision that I would not come back. After all – who wants to belong to a judgmental gathering of people?

Surely, you don’t need to be a Christian to encompass a judgmental spirit – but If you want your life to be characterized by love and compassion then you need to ruthlessly eliminate every ounce of hatred, envy, and jealousy. I’m referring to the people who have different color skin, personalities, priorities, beliefs, and customs. We are all uniquely different. What surprised me even more was to learn how judgmental my thoughts were and how often we sometimes slip into negativity. The lesson: Don’t underestimate the power of small movie theaters and the united voices of people fighting for the same cause.

As I made my way in, I was greeted by some of the most loving and gracious people I have ever met. There was something special about them, they seemed to have a glow that emanated and pierced my wounded soul. Could there really be a God? Or is this a series of manipulative events brought on by corrupted church goers? I couldn’t figure it out, but I wanted what they had. I wanted peace in my life, above all – I wanted to reflect the love, grace, and compassion they showed me when I arrived. On the inside I didn’t belong. I felt like an outsider. I felt broken. I felt as though my life were headed deeper and deeper down a hole I could not find the strength to climb out of. I imagined becoming a drug addict who eventually committing suicide. Indeed – my path was not sustainable. I tried hard to take control and affirm my commitment to live on my own terms. But that was part of my problem. I lived my life believing I was always in control and unfortunately that was far from the truth, it only brought me pain and suffering in the process. I built my life on a weak foundation believing I was on the right path, unable to see my arrogance in the mirror. Things needed to change.

After several polite exchanges of warm and encouraging welcomes, I made my way inside the theater room. I noticed a group of teenagers on stage preparing and testing their instruments. Everyone seemed excited as though a long-awaited concert were about to begin. Cheerfully, everyone began to sing along. I noticed lyrics being projected on the screen. I was amazed, I’ve never even considered the idea of having karaoke in church. Why aren’t more churches doing this, I asked the pastor after the serves ended. He laughed joyfully and explained that this wasn’t a new thing and he was not revolutionizing churches around the world with a new approach. It’s not karaoke, its worship.

When the service ended, I questioned, who is this Jesus character? Why was his message so compelling? Churches always seemed so out of touch with society and their messages were confusing for the most part. But this church did have a new approach. Their mission was to communicate the gospel in a manner that was practical to everyday life. Who knew you could take a hard to understand bible verse and extract the principle. Could this be the method for which I could use to build the foundation of my life? How could I teach others this method? What were the steps? The questions just kept pilling, overflowing with intrigue and curiosity.

The messages of the New Testament communicate the word ‘conviction’ often, either directly or indirectly. It means to be strongly convinced of a belief or an opinion. I was firmly convinced that there was something special in this small church. I couldn’t understand it, nor could I explain it. A month after consistently attending church, investigating the facts, and reading the eye witness accounts Jesus in the first century, I concluded that the existence of Jesus and the resurrection were undeniable – there was simply too much evidence to dispute.

I felt like Indiana Jones when he first discovered the Ark of the Covenant. Utterly amazed and in complete shock, I could not help but wonder why I was so ignorant of the facts throughout my life. Perhaps we all go through this journey of discovery, only to find something completely different on the other end of our path.

I could not get Jesus out of my mind – it was all I thought about. Overwhelmed with emotions and a certainty like I have never felt before. For the first time in my life, I spoke to Jesus with a strong conviction. “Jesus, I called out, while lying in bed late at night”. If you are truly God, if what people have said about you and the miracles you performed are real, then I want you to come into my life. I surrender. I simply cannot go living my life as I was doing so previously. Come into my heart, change me from the inside out and I will dedicate my entire life to you. I soon found myself weeping, like a waterfall rushing down a mountain side. I felt the presence of God in me, but for me to describe the joy that I felt would be impossible. I took that leap of faith and walked out on water as Peter once did.

I’ve come to believe it is possible as a man to live in a state of strength, honor and integrity, while simultaneously living in a state of vulnerability which ultimately equates to courage, bravery, and respect among other qualities – the quintessence of character.

The Apostles sometimes did what was neither approved nor understood by those who opposed them, but it was necessary to carry out the Gospel for those in distress, gasping and reaching for a Savior. Just like Peter stepping out onto the water, unware of what might happen, I have always been curious about walking into purpose – I have learned that is where our potential lies, just over the horizon of what we fear.

Over the months that followed, I felt God calling me to become a speaker and trainer. I guess the term “shepherd” is broad, meaning: One who leads, feeds, comforts, corrects, and protects the sheep under his care. Though the vision seemed blurry at first, over time, as I continued to step out onto the water, the vision enlarged with clarity and a fire so large – no amount of water could ever put it out.

Every person at some point in their life asks themselves what their purpose is, what their mission and calling is. In our hearts, we question it with intent and a longing to know what we were made to do. Understanding my unique purpose has been the key to discovering the path I have been called to walk – helping individuals improve in every area of their lives and pushing them beyond what they once thought was an impossible achievement.

But as C.S Lewis famously said, “don’t shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see God”. As a general gives orders and soldiers carry out missions, mine simply stated is to extract leadership oriented biblical principles and apply them to the secular world as it relates to building character and overcoming issues with anxiety, anger, and stress management so that together, we can create a blueprint for you to achieve your purpose, whatever that may be. Everyone receives the calling, but not everyone pursues it, but you MUST, with all your might, strength, and courage, you must plow through obstacles like a roaring lion.

I co-created this company like most people – a deep yearning to fulfill a need. With my friend, Darci Kingry – we created a holistic approach. Think Intentional is built on four pillars – Life, Leadership, Nutrition, and Philanthropy (our way of giving back.) Think Intentional was born from the belief that we need leaders who have a deep calling to challenge the status quo; who recognize that leadership is not about gaining but rather about giving.

I feel enormously blessed to be able to share my training and experience with others. People who desire to live fully and purposefully become empowered when they learn to follow their passion with courage. They become committed individuals in their personal and professional lives, achieving all of their goals and dreams, while encouraging everyone around them to follow their own pursuit of happiness.

Each of us has a path uniquely designed for us. Call it a blueprint, a map, or a GPS – whatever it may be, our mission is to fulfill it.

Are you ready to maximize your potential?