Hi Everyone! ❣️

I’m asking for your support for our annual BIKE-A-THON: RIDE 2025, benefiting Lions Heart Christian Ministries Inc. — my home church, where I’ve served since I was 16.

Lions Heart is dedicated to Worship, the Word, and Missions, impacting lives in Chicagoland and abroad, especially in the Philippines. In April, we opened a new Missions Blessing Center in the Philippines which will serve as a ministry hub across Asia.

This ride is especially meaningful to me — it’s my first major cycling event since having open-heart surgery in December 2024 to repair a leaky valve. By God’s grace, the surgery was a success, and I’m now back on the trail preparing for a 40-mile loop!

Your donation will help us:

Every gift makes a difference. I’ll personally cover any/all fees so 100% of your donation goes directly to these efforts.

ABOUT ME – The Last Year in a Nutshell

One year ago — September 11 — I came home from the hospital after three ambulance rides, a week at the Glenbrook Cardiovascular Institute, and more than 30 pounds lost. I was exhausted, scared, and shocked to learn that the symptoms I had been dealing with for years weren’t just from being “out of shape.”

I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse — a leaky heart valve — and told I’d need open-heart surgery. It was overwhelming. Over the next three months, I prepared not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. It was the first time in my life I faced that level of fear and anxiety.

But through it all, I held tight to my faith, the promises of God, the love and support of my wife and family, my pastor, my church family’s prayers, and the backing of my workplace. By December, I was ready

One verse that carried me through:

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

On December 11, 2024, I underwent life-changing open-heart surgery to repair my mitral valve. Recovery was tough, especially in the early days, but once I started cardiac rehab, we pressed forward. It’s been a challenging year, but filled with hope.

Today, I’m back in the saddle — quite literally — and on a mission, riding for a cause that’s close to my (newly repaired) heart.

For the past 15 years, I’ve traveled to the Philippines almost every year to serve in missionary work. Recently, something amazing happened: our church purchased a Missions HQ in the Philippines — a major step forward in our outreach efforts.

Your support will directly help us continue this life-giving work. I’m incredibly grateful for your generosity, prayers, and encouragement.

From the bottom of my (not-so-leaky) heart — thank you, and see you on the trail!

See a little bit from my trip last year: my Instagram page

The Ride

We’re riding the North Branch Trail (cook County, Il)

Thank you for your support!

Our Church:

www.lionsheart.world