In 2011 I was tricked by my partner in ministry and life, my beautiful wife Misty Carson. She told me that we were going to go on a mission trip to Baja Mexico to build a home for a family and that was just about the extent of the information she gave to me. I was excited but a little nervous and anxious at the same time. So we raised the funds for all three of my family members to go on this trip and set out right after Christmas on our first Mission Trip!

I said at the beginning that I was tricked because what happened once we got off the plane in San Diego was not what I was expecting at all. We were told to meet at a specific carousel in the airport upon arrival and when we arrived their was not many people that had arrived. So we made ourselves comfortable and waited. Slowly but surely people began to arrive, the only thing was that I noticed none of the people arriving were over the age of 20, in fact most of them were around the age of 16. I looked at Misty and wanted a prompt explanation as to what she had done. She chuckled and told me that I should of know especially since the organization we were going with was called “Teen Mania”.

Anyways I told you that to explain my heart for teenagers at the time. But what really blows me away now that I look back is the way God worked in my life on that trip. He showed me a Generation that were On Fire for God and that they were willing to go to all ends of the earth to tell everyone about there faith. He also showed me what it was like to come along side a generation of young adults and do the work of the Lord. My life and my family’s lives were forever changed that trip! We saw the Power of the God we serve work not only in our lives but the nationals of Baja and the Missionaries that we teamed up with. I felt the true presence of God in my life and I was forever changed because of it.

From that point on I have put the plow to the earth and not turned back. My wife, daughter and I have collectively been on 34 mission trips since that date. We have been to Africa, Ireland, Peru, Alaska, New Orleans, Mexico spreading the Gospel of Jesus. We started out working with an organization at first but then we figured out that we can take youth to all these locations at a whole lot less cost than going through any existing organization at the time. So we started to do that, just to get youth out that could not really fundraise the big dollar amounts to go.

In August of 2015 we felt that the Lord was doing all this for a reason. He was training us to be so much more than anything we felt we were in our walk with him. Through our up brining to this point we learned how to plan, lead and coordinate these trips. We felt a passion to take youth out of the comfort of there Churches and homes and put them into the power and direction that you only experience when you are in the complete mercy of the Lord. We have seen so many lives changed in this ministry that God has placed us in that we knew that we could not stop. We wanted to continue to raise up a generation that knows what it’s like to go out and be bold in your faith. So this desire, this passion that was burning inside both me and my wife birthed T.O.R.N. ministries.

The other side of this is that we are also highly involved in our local neighborhood. We knew that missions were not just foreign or during the summer or winter. Missions is our lifestyle. We placed ourselves in an environment that we can live day to day in the mission field. We see a lot of need around us constantly and wanted to make a way for us to be able to not only pull our resources together for them but have the potential to reach out and see if anyone was willing to partner with us in making a difference in the area around us. T.O.R.N. gives us the ability to achieve our max potential to do that.

So in closing, we have been called to move forward with a vision that God not only placed on our hearts but has literally been grooming us to fulfill for years. We hope to not only effect our nation and world through T.O.R.N. ministries inc. but we see the possibility to make a difference right here at home. So we are excited to see the outcome of this ministry, if it makes a difference in just one life it’s all worth it. But I don’t think that is what God has planned, I know many lives will be effected. So I hope you see and understand my vision and that you would come along side what God is doing here at T.O.R.N. ministries. A wise man told me once that I should stop trying to create a atmosphere where God can come and just find out where God is and go there…..So here I am will you join me?

As soon as I became a believer I was driven to tell others of my salvation and tell them how it wasn’t just for me or for a choice few but for everyone! Months later I was on my first mission trip being taught how to share the Gospel message, my new found faith, sharing it with the Nationals and learning many other things that us new believers don’t know but are eager too. On that trip God placed a desire on my heart to do for others what I had the opportunity to learn and do in Mexico. After that there was no stopping the fire that God had placed on my heart to learn, teach, and share with others The Good News.

In the following years I would lead 14 trips around the world investing in people of all ages, nations, and backgrounds. I was also being invested in and blessed by people of all ages, nations, and backgrounds. Through years of working as a Youth Pastor and Project Director for missions, God has grown and cultivated my heart to serve His Kingdom and those around me. He has raised me up to not only teach and equip others in evangelism but to take others in my own neighborhood and abroad to see all nations, all tongues made into His disciples.

My fire has never been extinguished but only fanned as I have had the blessing of seeing God transform lives and eternities as He draws His Children to Himself. I now spend my time and life putting myself in a position so that I can continue to be used in this way for His Kingdom and Glory. I am so excited to see God work in and through everything He has planned for T.O.R.N. Ministries and the people it will reach for His Kingdom!