I was called into the ministry at 19 years old while in my first year of college. New Covenant Baptist Church, where I served as a volunteer youth minister in Mesquite, Texas, ordained me into the ministry after graduating from The Criswell College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Ministries. I immediately enrolled in the Advanced Standing Master of Divinity program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. There, I met Donna Rabalais on the 1st day of orientation, and we were married a year later. I managed the campus postal contract station while in seminary to support our growing family. We had our first two children while going to school, and the post office management job on campus not only gave me a paycheck but also paid my school tuition. After graduating seminary, Donna and I felt called to northern Louisiana. Even though we didn't have a job or a place to live, we packed our U-Haul and left for Monroe, Louisiana. The Lord provided a house, and I began working with the director of missions in the area to find a church to pastor. While regularly attending Monroe's First Baptist Church, I began accepting opportunities to supply preach in churches in the area that needed pastors. Monroe's First Baptist started going through Rick Warren's "40 Days of Purpose," and it was then that the Lord moved us to take a short-term mission trip to Japan. It was on that trip that the Lord called us to career missionary service. We spent 16 years on the mission field in Sendai, Japan, with the International Mission Board. Even though it was difficult, after 16 years of sharing the gospel among the unreached in Japan, it was clear that the Lord was moving us back to the States.
After having returned to the States, the Lord has called me to continue to teach and preach His infallible word and to further my theological education.
-I worked alongside two evangelical churches in Sendai, Japan, to encourage the church members and share the gospel with the Japanese community.
-I regularly lead volunteer groups from the US to engage in community projects in order to share the gospel with Japanese people.
-I lead disaster relief efforts in Sendai, Japan after the 3/11/11 triple diaster that began with an earthquake of the coast of Sendai.
-I preached sermons in both English and Japanese regularly in churches around Sendai, Japan.
-I taught the Bible in English to Japanese students who wanted to gain more experience verbally communicating in the English language.
-I engaged with our neighbors and the local community through classes, events, and personal invitations into our home to build relationships with Japanese people and share the love of Christ with them.
-I would often meet with Japanese men for coffee and conversation. While talking together, our time would many times turn into opportunities for life coaching where I would use biblical principles to help them in their everyday lives.
-I wrote and produced an ep of 6 songs about the March 11, 2011 triple disaster that started with an earthquake and then a tsunami off the coast of Sendai, Japan where we were ministering. I was able to pass out the ep to friends and neighbors as a way to share Jesus.
-I regularly performed music in the community and at churches as a way to share Jesus and encourage Japanese believers.
-recently promoted to Safety Coordinator for the fleet
-Ensure the best possible client experience during field operations.
-Safely driving the company vehicle to make deliveries and pick-ups of dumpsters rented by clients, as well as emptying containers at the landfill.
-Greet clients and answer questions warmly when applicable.
-Provide data regarding services to the main office
-Closely monitor company vehicle and fleet of containers for maintenance and repair issues.
-Cleaning and maintaining company vehicles and dumpsters and painting dumpsters as needed
-Tracking my own hours from arrival at Sweet Dumps' facilities until final daily departure from facilities.
-Attending company meetings and contributing input, ideas, and feedback.
-Following assigned routes
-Conduct pre- and post-trip inspections
-Transport children safely to and from school
-Monitor the children on the bus and correct any unsafe activity.
-Properly report any behavior problems or emergency incidents to the student services department of the bus company and the school administration.
-Demonstrated professionalism at all times while engaging with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators during daily duties.