"Every day I wake up knowing that I will get to see God move in somebody's life and that is what drives me more."

Ryan's "Faith Story"
November 2006

One and a half years ago I left for a short-term missions trip to Mexico. To say the least it dramatically changed and revolutionized my life. After I returned from Mexico I was burdened greatly by the blindness of a generation falling away from God and drawing closer to things that will never be able to fill the gap that God's love is meant to fill. This generation was my own.

After the trip my lifestyle changed. I was hungry to follow God's calling on my life and to find out what he had for me on a daily basis. God's love had broken me and a day spent without being in His Word felt so empty. I was going into my Junior year at Lahser High School with everything that I Junior in High School could ask for: I ran my own lawn maintenance company, I had friends, and I was starting on the Varsity Football team as a fullback. This was all soon to change. About 20 minutes into the first game of the football season I tore my Achilles tendon ending my season and making it hard to work and run my business. I remember wondering, "Why God? Why did this happen to me now?"

This is when it all started. I knew that God had been putting a burning desire on my heart to share His love with those in my school. And with all of the free time I now had because of my injury I was able to make plans to start a ministry to share with those in my school. I had made a friend in Florida on my missions trip and we spoke on the phone regularly about starting a ministry within our schools, we then decided on a name, "Driven." Our slogan: One passion: One purpose. God was driving me to "Driven."

"Driven" is held at my house every Wednesday at 7:30p. We have free food and lots of games to play. On a weekly basis we average 50 65 kids that fill my house to hear the Word of God. It is amazing to see how God has worked in kids' lives that go to my school. I could tell story after story of how God has worked through Driven. God has healed students hearts, healed parents in car accidents, healed family situations and has even brought atheists to Christ. It all started from just seeking God and it is my passion now. Last year my school Principal told me that suspension and detention rates had gone down since "Driven" started. It is so amazing to see the difference that God's love makes. We now have a website for all four schools that hold a weekly driven. God is moving within Lahser High School and lives are being changed drastically. Every day I wake up knowing that I will get to see God move in somebody's life and that is what drives me more.