I consider July 1963, to be that watermark where my inner quest of discovery began.  Of course it extended back much further, that search for the divine within the universe - but that summer before I started college was when I sensed in a real way for the first time a peace, and joy, and light within my soul.  Late at night, along a northern Indiana lake, I simply said, "Jesus, if you are everything that men say that you are, I'm willing to give you a try!"  And a peace flooded from within me that emerged as a feeling that I was one with the universe - no longer on the periphery looking in, but rather at the center of all of creation.  And more than that, I sensed within me a calling to share this reality with others.  Since my spiritual framework at that time was the Methodist Church, I simply changed my goal from an engineering major at a university to a Bible and Theology major at Taylor University; preparing myself to enter the ministry.

But as I embarked upon the quest, my inner desire was that God might teach me what He wanted me to know, might remove from my belief system all things that society had imposed upon me that might limit my knowledge of Him, and that He might free me from all prejudices that hinder His power from flowing through me.  In other words, my quest and path tended to cut across traditional lines, not fit into them.  Over the following four decades I often bumped into challenging issues that I had to press through to experience my ever expanding vision of the Kingdom of God.  And during much of that time I at least tried to keep my experience within the evangelical Christian perspective.

My first spiritual mentor was Loran W. Helm, a Methodist evangelist who lived a few miles from my home.  He taught me (mainly through his example) that one could be guided inwardly, that it was possible to actually know and understand the will of God, and that a great awakening was coming in the latter days that we needed to prepare for.  Loran’s message was very focused on the need for self-denial and obedience; numerous times over a 20-year relationship I saw the power of God work through him to my benefit.  In one of his meetings in April 1964, I experienced what I refer to as my hot oil experience – a warmth that flowed down my body from the top of my head to my heart.  From that time on, I have experienced an inner voice that assists me with spiritual knowledge.  As my friend (and second spiritual mentor), Lavon Brock, and I attended Loran’s meetings, we began to understand those gifts of healing that we possessed and began to see unusual miracles happening in our midst.  Lavon worked in a local factory and led singing for me as I preached in various congregations; he had a simple faith and was present with me when I experienced my first physical healing through laying hands on someone, and on many other significant occasions.

Through Loran Helm, and those close to him, I was introduced to mystics like Madame Guyon and Fenelon, to the writings of Watchman Nee and other deep-feeling Christians, and to the ministry of E. Stanley Jones, a Methodist missionary to India who had integrated the message of the Kingdom of God into a society that was based on other religions.  I had the privilege of two physical meetings with E. Stanley, and read most of his writings.  His vision expanded mine and allowed me to see the Kingdom of God from a larger perspective.  His wisdom and counsel also expanded my ministry in praying for the healing of others.  I consider him to be a very important spiritual mentor to me.

For over forty years I have had the calling and the gifts, but much of that time I have attempted through self-effort to bring the reality of them into being.  Yes, there have been highpoints, and miracles have occurred; but the sweetness of the mature fruit had not been experienced.  Around 1990, Lavon died in an accident.  And looking back, I think that something went dormant in me.  A wilderness experience began that I didn’t begin to emerge from until 1998.  In October of that year, at a Billy Graham crusade in Tampa Stadium, I committed anew to my calling and gifts; simply desiring to be what God wanted me to be in the universe.  

Shortly after that, I met a person who challenged my narrow perspective of the Kingdom of God, expanded my understanding of my own worth and the meaning of unconditional love, and ultimately assisted me to encounter my soul at a very deep level by choosing to be true to herself.  Pat Pendergast – a mystic whose soul is a friend to Albert Einstein, Joseph Campbell and the Dalai Lama – patiently showed me a broader path that could encompass an understanding of the universe that proclaims ultimate goodness and love.  Together, we discovered the power of Reiki I and Reiki II attunements and the writings of Gary Zukav.  We  applied  within both of our lives the principle of soul growth as we proceeded on our individual journeys.  Pat was destined for Reiki Mastership first, and later brought it to me in January 2004.  As a Reiki Master, I have found the path that blends together my gifts of healing and teaching.  Early on my Reiki journey I was told to "let Reiki teach me".  And that is what I continue to do.

So the quest goes on for me.  Not limited to a segment of society now (the Christian Church) but expanded to a universal forum.  My desire is to be free-to-be what I am designed to become, to grow in the experience, and to inspire others to discover their own souls, to become themselves, and to experience authentic power.  One way that I am doing this is through my program Tapping Your Intuition and Walking in Infinite Light which I am presenting to groups throughout North America.  

Please contact me if I can be of assistance!