The city of Los Angeles is where my faith story began years ago and where it continues to this day. As the youngest of three kids, I remember going to several different private elementary and middle schools, and in each I was exposed to different denominational beliefs that all helped develop my ideas of God and faith. Through my exposure to different belief systems at school, I was able to understand what truth was and who Jesus truly was in my life.

Growing up in Oklahoma City, or “the 405,” as I’ve always called it, I was in church 17 days a week, 100 hours a day. My mom was the choir director, my dad played the drums, and both taught Sunday school. That was my childhood.

Like many young kids, I had dreams of playing professional baseball. As I grew up, I began to realize that wasn’t going to happen overnight and that I’d have to work hard to get there.

My testimony begins in Webster City, Iowa, where I was born. My family of five—my parents, older brother, younger sister and I—lived there and in Missouri for a while until I was in third grade when we moved to Florida.

Our family was always involved in church, and I know how fortunate I was to be raised in a Christian home where I was loved and cared for. The only hang-up was that it always seemed like the churches we attended were never close to home. Because of the distance, my siblings and I had school friends and church friends, and they were always different groups. That made church and school very distinct segments in my life for a long time.