My name is Brad. I am 35 years old, married, and have five children - three boys (ages 12, 8 & 7) and two little girls (ages 4 & 16 months). My children are the light of my life. My wife and I have chosen to homeschool our children and have done this for nine years. We feel that it is our God-given responsibility to train our children and so far this has been a very productive endeavor, in both spiritual and educational terms.

I graduated from the University of Iowa in 1985 with a degree in Management Information Systems. Upon graduation, I went to work for National Computer Systems in Iowa City as a computer programmer. I tired of that within a couple of years and switched to the project management track. If any of you have applied for student financial aid in the last 14 years, chances are your data has come through our shop and my project. Sorry, can't fix anything to get you or your kids more $$$, though.

I have several hobbies and interests. I enjoy playing most sports though mostly that's basketball, raquetball and tennis now. I'm a big fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots, and musical groups Cheap Trick, Steve Taylor & Some Band (alternative Christian music), Joe Club, The W's, and Jars of Clay (contemporary/alternative Christian music). (Since you probably got here through my Cheap Trick link, you should check those other two bands out - I think you'll like them. Especially Steve Taylor - he uses some of the same type of ironic humor as CT.) Pistol Pete Maravich, one the greatest basketball players of all-time, was my idol growing up and continues to be an inspiration to me 9+ years after his death. His greatest victory was turning to Christ and turning his father to Christ shortly before both of them passed away.

My testimony.....

Growing up, I was raised in a household that knew about God. I never denied God, or that Jesus was his son and died for our sins. However, there was no commitment, no joy attending church. Attending church was very much a chore for me in my youth.

My wife was already a Christian when we got married. As we had our first child, and began raising him, it became evident to me that I had failed to cross that line. I felt like I was on the outside looking in at my family. I still feared that a Christian life would be boring and impossible to keep up with. I didn't understand that God will forgive my shortcomings and help me in my walk with him. Most importantly, though, I was unsure of my salvation. I envisioned my then small family in Heaven, but I did not see myself there. I guess, basically, I felt lost.

Then, one night in October, 1988, when we were listening to a Christian speaker, he called out to those in the audience asking who were Christians. I had felt this constant pushing to ask Christ into my life, but had resisted until this moment. When there was a show of hands, mine went up as I professed my belief to Jesus and asked him into my life.

While my evangelical skills are lacking in terms of witnessing to others, it has definitely been easier to raise our children in a Christian household with both my wife and I being committed Christians. Though I still need growth in this area, being a Christian has definitely helped me to make better choices in raising my children and in my marriage.

I make no claims of being perfect, let alone being a perfect Christian. However, I am sure of these things.....that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that he was sent to earth to die for our sins, that he was resurrected, and that he is the only path to eternal life.

If you have questions about what I've written above, wish to find out more about Christianity, or wish to share your testimony, please e-mail me here. I'll look forward to hearing from you.