Michael is a walking, breathing testimony of the miraculous power of God! By all accounts, especially those of the medical community, the man should not be here today. But he is, because God had great plans for his life.
Michael’s life began on September 25, 1965 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. From there his family moved to Texas and then finally to Mission Viejo, California. His father was an airline pilot for TWA and mom held down the fort at home. He had a strong, happy childhood, enjoying all things that most little boys do--football, baseball and general mischief making.
However, on August 23, 1976--when Michael was just ten years old--he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a blood disease in which the whole bone marrow system ceases to function. What ensued was a period of over half a decade of fighting for his life.
The first six months after his diagnosis he was “expected” to die at any time. His very life hung in the balance. He survived, those six months only to endure another year and a half of being “critically ill,” and then another three or so years of being “seriously ill.” Heunderwent countless treatments including chemotherapy and radiation. As a result, he developed severe cataracts in his eyes because of the treatments and had six major eye operations. The treatments also stunted his growth and destroyed his body’s natural ability to produce saliva, sweat and tears--biological functions we all take for granted.
Due to the rigorous medical treatments and the weakened condition of his little body, Michael was forced to miss all of his sixth grade school year, half of his seventh, and a good portion of another year as well. His middle childhood years, to be sure, were filled with tortuous pain and agony beyond imagination for most of us.
But God knew the pain that Michael was feeling. And He also knew His plans for Michael. Michael’s body suddenly experienced a dramatic turn-around and he was healed. It was a dramatic time in his life and he began to regain physical strength with each passing week. But there was more healing to come, for physical healing, wonderful as it is, does not compare to the need for spiritual healing.
Mike had grown up attending a Methodist Church where, he says, he “didn’t know Jesus from Adam...It was all religion.” He knew that it was God that had saved him from physical death by healing his body but he didn’t know God personally. During this time (his high school years), Mike had involved himself in drug use, dark rock music, and spoke with the “foul mouth of a sailor.” Though his body was stronger than ever, his heart continued to languish in darkness.
But on July 6, 1982, God’s wonderful light “came crashing into” Mike’s darkness when he accepted the invitation of some “Jesus Freak” acquaintances of his and attended a Full Gospel Businessman’s meeting. He heard the message of the Gospel in a powerful way and his heart opened to embrace God’s love and forgiveness. In doing so, Mike experienced the greatest change and restoration of all--he was reconciled to the God who he knew had healed his body.
The changes in Mike’s life were swift and radical. On the way home from the meeting that very night, Mike destroyed all of the many cassettes of rock music he had in his car. Ribbons of audiotape littered the car’s interior testifying to his new faith. When he arrived home, he immediately went to the “hiding place” in his room, grabbed his marijuana pipe, took it out into the night and cast it away forever, saying “Jesus, I’m all yours.” His foul language was also gone for good.
Michael immediately involved himself in the things of God, attending every Bible Study and Prayer Meeting he could find. A week after he was saved he knew God was calling him into some sort of ministry. And only two weeks after his spiritual rebirth, Mike was on the streets witnessing and sharing his new faith. A new warrior was on the march for God and His Kingdom!
Over the next five years, Mike served God in a church in Mission Viejo where he received guidance and instruction and grew tremendously in the Lord. He also attended Southern California College in Costa Mesa where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies. Mike soon took a position as youth pastor at a church in Oceanside where he served for three more years and, finally, in October of 1989, came on staff here at Calvary Chapel of Oceanside where he has served faithfully ever since.
As for his family life, Mike married a beautiful woman named Hannah in 1988 and today they are raising their precious little daughters Kaila and Shawna who are the delights of their hearts. |
