My wife Jeslea and I moved into our home in South Durham in July of 2020 for the start of my doctoral program at Duke. Jeslea is a professionally-trained and licensed cosmetologist; and in 2022, we constructed an in-home salon out of which she provides cuts and colors to a quickly-growing clientele! She is a fantastic homemaker and capitalizes on hospitality as an evangelistic tool.

In August of 2023, we welcomed our baby girl, Andie Jaclyn; and at 8 months, she is the perfect mix of feisty, joyful, and tender. Jeslea and I love parenting, take the call seriously, and aspire to a big, silly family.

My weeks are split between research in a neuroscience lab and designing software with one of my best friends at a biotech company in Research Triangle Park.

On Monday nights, Jeslea and I co-lead a life group chock-full of amazing people. On Sundays, we are fortunate to periodically serve in kids ministry and on the worship team.

I was raised in a spiritually divided household, but was exposed to a high-caliber of reformed theology through my mom. Unfortunately, this was devoid of the heart of the gospel: a personal, relational, grace-filled walk with Jesus Christ down a life-long path of steady obedience and sanctification.

I grew into a frustrated and confused young man, so afraid of failure that I refused to put effort toward anything in case my best efforts weren’t good enough. Moreover, the truth of scripture racked me, which I tried to manage intellectually while cramming relationships and experiences deemed hip and cultured into the empty space at the center of my worldview. In God’s grace, I was saved from serious damage only by a selfish desire to preserve the abilities of my mind and body.

In the winter of 2013, I tested just how far I could go in athletics, academics, etc. riding on raw intuition and charm. What a train wreck. But in this wreck my Savior met me.

In 2014, through a season of ‘hands and feet’ Christianity alongside some close friends, I finally learned the heart of the gospel. My life was fundamentally changed by a righteous, holy, merciful God. I’ve lived for His glory ever since.

I hope to wake up each morning, declare my utter inadequacy in all things before God, and asked for His help. I hope to treat the study of my Bible as the most important scholastic endeavor of my life.

I hope to lead my family and the brothers and sisters for which I am responsible with Spirit-granted wisdom and discernment, eager to submit to the will of the Father and to listen to His voice. I hope to pour myself out in service to our community and to our church, going to bed an empty cup each night.

I hope to proclaim the gospel always.

In doing this, if the Lord were to grant His servant a request, I hope He uses me and others to help channel the theological prowess of our congregation into small, consistent actions of active discipleship, service within our church, service alongside our local missions partners, hospitality to the neighborhoods within our parishes, and care for demographics in need (seniors, single parents, single adults, addicts, those mentally unwell, internationals, etc.) within and outside our church.