09/08/2026
I made an incredible discovery today.
While going through some of my federal employment documents, I found my Appointment Affidavit and Declaration for Federal Employment. It is dated September 8, 2001.
Exactly 25 years ago today—and just three days before 9/11.
When I took that first step, I did not know where it would lead. I simply knew that God was calling me toward disaster response and preparedness, and I needed to put my YES on the table.
I could never have imagined that one step would become a career and a lifelong path of service—or how dramatically our world would change just three days later.
That signature marked the beginning of 25 years in federal disaster response: years of deployments, difficult missions, extraordinary teammates, leadership, lessons, sacrifice, and service to communities facing some of their hardest days. Through it all, it has been one of the greatest joys of my life to serve where I was needed.
Finding this document today was a powerful reminder that we do not always understand the significance of a moment while we are living it. Sometimes, we are simply called to be obedient—to take the next step without knowing where the entire path will lead.
Twenty-five years later, I can look back and see how God used one date, one signature, and one step of faith to begin a journey that shaped so much of my life.
September 8, 2001–September 8, 2026.
The roles have changed over the years, but the calling has remained: prepare, respond, serve—and help others become ready to do the same.
