I was born in Cambridge, MA where I lived until I was 14 years old.  Midway through my Freshman year of High School, my family moved to NH where, except for 3 years in SC, I have lived ever since. 

 

I grew up in a broken home.  My father had left us when I was around 5, and my Mother lived and worked her best as a single Mom could raising myself and my younger brother.  We had a "sort of" Christian upbringing...meaning that we lived next door to my Godly Grandparents & Aunt. Mom made sure we went to Sunday School, VBS, etc. even though she was living a moral but not Godly life at the time.  Mom met the man who would become my Step-dad when I was 10, and a year later my youngest brother was born.  Dad immediately became our father figure, and got us involved in all sorts of outdoor activities such as boating & camping.  Our love for the outdoors and the country grew, and by the time I entered High School we were itching to leave the city.  Thus the uprooting move to NH.

​

Two months after our relocation, we received a devastating phone call; my Grandmother, whom had a profound influence on my life, had passed away during the night.  My entire family was shaken, because she was the Godly rock of the family.  It was through her passing that all of us realized that we knew without a doubt where Nana was, we couldn't say the same about ourselves, and one by one over the next few weeks, we each came to believe in and accept Christ as Savior and Lord.  The memories of all I had learned through Sunday School and VBS came flooding back.

​

Our lives were transformed spiritually, but we were hit with many struggles.  The Lord allowed me to switch to a Christian High School and graduate, and also attend College, where I received a degree in Bible & Church Ministries... all during a period of economic downturn where my Dad lost job after job due to layoffs and factory closings.  We saw God provide in MANY miraculous ways!

​

After college, I entered the workforce, not truly knowing what I wanted to do or what God wanted of me.  Despite my major, I never had the "calling" to be a Pastor... but I did know I was to be in a support ministry.  I was blessed to have a nearly 17 year career in a technical sales/service position for a welding related industry, where I traveled to 37 states and much of Western Europe.  I got to work with people of all stripes & backgrounds.  It was fun, but something was missing... this is where Deb enters the picture.  I met Deb when I was 27, during a Thanksgiving College Reunion visit; we were introduced by mutual friends and literally spent about 5 minutes together.  The next day during my drive home, I couldn't stop thinking about her.  Two weeks later when she was home on Christmas break, I summoned the courage to ask her out, and we have not been apart since.  Oh yeah, the funny thing is that we were both from the same area; I went to High School with her brother; I worked with her Dad on Church projects, and her Mother was my land-lady, but we had never met until that evening 1100 miles from home.  God truly does miracles and has a sense of humor.

​

The story gets much longer, for sure.  We've been married for over 28 years now, and have been blessed with 5 children.  We've moved much, and served much, always answering the call of God together.  We've been in very unique positions; I have served as Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Teen Leader, Camp Counselor, Camp Maintenance Director, Pulpit Committee Chairman, and now, Facilitator & Director of the Lodge Ministries, which the Lord has directed us to create.  He has gifted me with the ability to teach, support, and literally make or fix just about anything... something I had to learn, as growing up we could rarely afford to pay someone to do it.

​

God has given me an unusual sense of humor, as well as a sometimes oblique way of looking at things that has come in really useful.  I have a deep love for the Scriptures; especially History and Apologetics.  I love the fact that historical events of the Bible are being proven almost on a daily basis.  I love showing that Archaeology is our friend, because it's difficult to argue against what's being dug up from the ground!  The proof of the past is a great comfort to a bewildering future, and I love showing people that the same God who fulfilled His promises in the past will also fulfill His promises regarding the future.  I love sharing these things with a society who has never heard them; and I love seeing the transformation and security that is gained in their lives with this knowledge.

​

In all of this, we know what it's like to work in a hurting world; I have seen it every place that I go, but didn't know how to help until the Lord gave me a wife with an truly empathic heart and the gift of Hospitality.  He has used a recurring birth defect in our children, and over 30 corrective operations to work in us to be able to help parents in need.  He has used our early married inexperience to work in us to be able to help and counsel the young marrieds or the soon-to-be marrieds.  He has used the start-up and growth of our family business to show us and our kids the value of really hard times and the blessing of hard work.  He has used our own burnout periods to understand the need for a place of rest and coaching for the workers in the Ministry.  All of this adds up to the creation of The Lodge Ministries, and my desire to work with others in need in this way.

 

There is so much more to tell, especially about finding and being able to purchase such a special place to share... it will take a whole other page.

​

With Love,

​

Ed