Steve’s childhood was anything but ordinary. Growing up, his mom was schizophrenic, bipolar and addicted to prescription drugs. There was also a pattern of violence within many members of his family. His parents got divorced at an early age, causing a long and traumatic custody dispute in which Steve finally decided that he wanted to live with his dad. After his dad got remarried and his family became more structured, Steve freaked out and went to live with his mom again. He ultimately wound up back with his dad after his mom had a breakdown. During this time, he began drinking alcohol in 6th grade and doing drugs in 8th grade to numb the anger and pain he felt. “I knew something was fundamentally wrong, but I had no tools, no ability to really deal with it.”

After high school, Steve spiraled further into drug and alcohol use and eventually ended up homeless. While crashing with a couple friends, he overdosed. They decided he was too risky to keep around so they dropped him off on the highway and left. Another friend of Steve’s then took him under his wing, wanting to help him get back on his feet. While they were attempting to hitchhike, a man named Don began preaching the Gospel to Steve, nonstop. Wanting to drown him out, Steve took LSD which turned into a very bad trip. Don then offered to pray for him later that night and “in that moment I just became lucid and clear. All of a sudden, the fog lifted.” Steve accepted Jesus into his heart that day at 19 years old.

Steve then followed Don, hopping freights from city to city until they eventually parted ways and Steve ended up in a Christian community called the Lighthouse Ranch. “It was there that the Lord really put me back together.” He felt many powerful encounters with the Lord during this time and finally got back on his feet. He met his wife Margie there and they began serving in ministry together as they felt called to do so. “My life’s just been tremendously blessed. There’s no way that my history should end up in a life that’s full of purpose and full of grace.”