I was born and raised in the small town of Olivet, MI (just south of Lansing, MI). I am the oldest in my family with three younger siblings who are all adopted from different countries (South Korea, China, and the Philippines). And now, I have a family of my own. I am married to my wonderful wife, Emily. And we have two daughters, Evelyn and Mabel. God has certainly blessed me with a great family!

After graduating from Olivet High School, I went off to New Ulm, MN to attend Martin Luther College to begin my studies and training to become a pastor. From there, I went on to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI to finish my studies and training. It was after graduating from the Seminary in 2019 that I was assigned to serve the members of Peace Lutheran Church and the people in and around Loves Park, IL.