Martha Ruth is 18 and loves playing volleyball. What I love about her involvement is her desire to present Christ to the team. She has begun studying for public safety career. She is quick verbally and mentally and keeps us all on our best behavior. She wants to be a FBI agent as a cowboy in Texas while ministering in Africa and speaking fluent Spanish. In other words, she wants to do everything.

And finally there is Jenissa who is 12. Wow! She is our pistol complete with red hair and personality to match it. She is hard to keep up with. She is becoming a real cook! Everything is too slow and so patience is a rare show for her. When this one starts laughing we all smile and shake our heads. She is a great caboose.

Dad is very happy. God has been very good to me and eternity won't be long enough to say thanks. I like books, study, sports, counseling, preaching and teaching. Being with the boys is a special treat especially when we are doing something like skiing/snowboarding, playing sports, rock climbing, learning, and again laughing having fun. Now they are working at home to pay for college bills. They plan to join the Navy SEALS in the fall.  I will be with the Lohnes ladies. That will be something to fear. Four against one... good odds. 

Everybody laughs a lot in our family. We have fun together. For Maria and I watching them is better than most things we do. We are very blessed. God was and is good. We have tough times but He is always with us, as He promised.

What do you like most about The Fountain?

I like the freedom we enjoy which comes from the understanding and living by grace. So often churches get too strict and unbending and so stop the initiation or the trying of new things.  Not here.  There is a full chance to fail without getting hammered for it. Grace is a major part of our church as it has absolutely changed many of the members. It is great to enjoy the liberty that comes from the Spirit of the Lord's presence.

The second "most" is a focus of the church. We want to help the broken, those who need grace and love. The church celebrates in a real and open way (cheering...) when someone comes to Christ. We want to keep up with the angels rejoicing in heaven. Jesus went for the blind, lame, deaf, leper, dumb, and even the dead to share His love and ministry. The Fountain loves to seek out those who have been broken and are in need both physically and spiritually. We have watched as God has brought many of our new brothers and sisters from that past to a new life and world of grace. Everyone is loved and accepted, regardless. We all are just a bunch of glorified dirt-clods anyway.

Along with this focus is the housing of the mature believers for the work of the ministry. As God has brought many brand new believers to our church, we need individuals willing to "do the work of the ministry". I like how the believers mentor, love, and care for the babes in Christ as they also once were. People at The Fountain get involved in the lives of others and so promote Christ-likeness. Christ sought the broken-hearted and taught the tender-hearted at the same time. We want to do the same.

"How did you meet your wife? What do you love about her the most?"

This is a long and wonderful story. God has been very good to me. When I was in post-graduate school, I taught her Bible in high school... She was very direct and straight-forward about what she believed and who she was. She was a very good student, in fact she received an "A".  She is still earning an "A" and what is best is that she still has crush on me. I am blessed. 

At that time there was no thought of any relationship.  But six years later when I was the youth pastor for her dad's church, I needed a lady to help counsel and disciple the girls in the youth group as I was single.  I asked her and she accepted and the girls loved her. Two years later we walked the aisle much to the delight of the whole church. I am blessed.

I love her wisdom and strength.  Doesn't that sound spiritual?  But she is.  Beyond that, she is absolutely, knock-down gorgeous as you can tell by the picture.  She's a babe. I am blessed. Have I mentioned that?

"If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?"

Patience. I tend to be a bit fast in seeing what God can do and I start running. But God is working on me to wait on Him.

Who is your favorite writer?

Well, apart from the Puritans, I would say John Piper and Jerry Bridges. Their writing touches my heart.  After that, John MacArthur and Jim Cymbala always have a good perspective and enjoyment.

What are your dreams and hopes?

I would love to write a book, touch the community by giving grace in all kinds of ways so that they would see Jesus, have the most fun possible - as a Christian, preach a lot, and watch my family be godly and joyful.  I would like to go on a cruise, be a tour guide to the Holy Land, hang guide, sky dive (done that now - 2008), and bungee jump with my boys.  Also, I would love to go hunting in Colorado although I know nothing about hunting.  I hope to see my grandchildren and maybe my great grandchildren.