When I raised my right hand in 2007 and swore an oath to the United States Air Force, I had no idea how much that decision would shape the rest of my life. I wasn’t the kid who always dreamed of military service. In fact, I said I’d never join. But God has a way of redirecting us when we least expect it.
Recently, I had the opportunity to share that story on TSP: The Scuttlebutt Podcast. We discussed military life, service, photography, and how these experiences ultimately led me to write my book, The Blueprint of Becoming: A Practical Guide to Faith, Failure, and Finding Your Way Forward.
I grew up in Jackson, Michigan, as a pastor’s kid — learning how to blend in, adapt, and connect with people from all walks of life. That skill turned out to be invaluable when I joined the Air Force. From 2007 to 2014, I served as a military photographer, documenting everything from day-to-day base life to combat environments overseas.
When I enlisted, I never expected to get the photography job. The recruiter even told me, “Don’t bother putting that down — you’ll never get it.” But I listed it anyway, and one week later, I got the call: “You’ve been selected as a photographer.”
It was the first time I realized that God can open doors no one expects you to walk through.
My career as an Air Force photographer was anything but ordinary. I covered missions that spanned every corner of military life — from photographing President Barack Obama’s second inauguration to documenting aerial refueling of a B-2 bomber mid-flight.
I captured the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachuting into Busch Stadium in St. Louis, documented NFL and NCAA games, and deployed to Afghanistan as part of a Provincial Reconstruction Team. There, I photographed schools being rebuilt, roads under construction, and the everyday resilience of Afghan families as they rebuilt their lives amid chaos.
But the hardest assignments were always the memorial services. Photographing the final honors for fallen soldiers reminded me daily that service comes with sacrifice — both seen and unseen. Those images weren’t just photos; they became memories for grieving families, a visual testament to courage and loss.
The military gave me more than a uniform and a title. It taught me discipline, adaptability, and empathy. It also taught me how to embrace the suck — a phrase every veteran understands. Whether it was freezing Maryland winters at photography school or standing motionless through a funeral ceremony, I learned to find purpose in discomfort.
As I mentioned on the podcast, one of the biggest adjustments occurred after I left the service. I went straight from wearing the uniform to working as a civilian photographer for the Air Force — the same job, just a different dress code. But even with that familiarity, I quickly realized how different civilian life felt. The camaraderie wasn’t the same. That instant, unspoken brotherhood among service members doesn’t translate easily to life on the outside.
For many veterans, that transition is one of the most challenging aspects. You miss the structure, the mission, the feeling that your work matters to something bigger than yourself.
After leaving the Air Force, I spent several more years as a civilian in public affairs before eventually stepping into a new calling — helping others heal and rebuild their lives through faith and storytelling.
That mission became the heart of my book, The Blueprint of Becoming. It’s a blend of my personal testimony, biblical truth, and practical tools for anyone who knows something in their life needs to change but doesn’t know how to begin.
In the book, I share openly about my 20-year addiction to pornography, my journey through recovery, and how God used what felt like failure to build something new. I also highlight stories of biblical figures who seemed unqualified but were chosen anyway — because God doesn’t wait for perfection; He works through surrender.
My time in the military taught me the value of structure. My time in recovery taught me to surrender. Together, they gave me a new kind of mission: to help others see that transformation is always possible when faith takes the lead.
When I look back now, every photo I took and every mission I served was preparing me for the message I share today — that God can use even the most unexpected chapters to write something redemptive.
That’s what The Blueprint of Becoming is about. It’s not just my story — it’s an invitation for others to start theirs.
To the veterans reading this: your service mattered, and your story still does. To those wrestling with failure or feeling unqualified, know this — God can rebuild what you’ve written off as ruined.
If you’d like to hear the full interview, you can listen to it below on your favorite platform:
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📖 My book: The Blueprint of Becoming
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