Testimonials - FIND Men's Ministry

I had been involved for several years in a retreat called ACTS through St. John Vianney. The retreat always built up the fire to deepen my faith while interacting with other men walking their own paths in life and dealing with similar issues related to fatherhood, marriage, faith formation and strengthening our relationship with God. The retreat was always a great weekend but then it was over and I was left wanting more, having to wait a year to do it again. The journey off the mountain made it hard to keep the fire lit.

That's when one of my FinD brothers, Eric Bach talked, with several of us about the concept of a small group and how much his group, Cross Heirs, had helped him keep the fire burning. Through his and Clint Harrington’s guidance, several of us ACTS veterans, began our own small group called GAIMers (God Alone is Mercy).

Our group started in 2015 and has been going strong ever since. We've been able to keep the fire burning in each other by learning together, praying together, serving together, and playing together. Having an accountability group to whom you can laugh, get serious, cry, etc. with is great to continue building ourselves and our relationship with the Lord. We constantly remind ourselves that our goal is to get each other and our families to Heaven and take as many more with us as we can.

Integrating our group into the greater FinD network has allowed more doors to open for us to build bonds as fathers and husbands along with lifelong friendships. From the early FinD Fire Pit days to the more recent annual retreats, we've taken advantage of these opportunities to continue to grow spiritually. No matter where you are in your faith journey, every man should consider the value of a small group to bring community, strengthen faith, and develop accountability to their life!

Keith is an active member at St. John Vianney, husband to Erica, dad to two amazing kiddos, a Director of Water/Wastewater Infrastructure Services at KIT Professionals, and a fightin’ Texas Aggie. GAIMers = God Alone is Mercy.

FinD serves to transform men through Jesus Christ in authentic, weekly fellowship in discipleship. This testimonial and many others from FinD men can be found at https://finddiscipleship.org/testimonials/

Real Men…Real Discipleship. Want to get plugged in? www.FinDdiscipleship.org or info@FinDdiscipleship.org

A few weeks after my family moved to Houston, my wife answers a knock at our front door. “Hi, I’m Tim. I’d like to invite your husband to a Men’s retreat.” I was not home at the time, so my wife took Tim’s retreat pamphlet, prefilled with my name and address, and instead of placing it on the growing pile of days-old “junk” mail, she strategically placed it on our refrigerator door. Tim’s bold move that day and my wife’s awareness of my frequent daily visits to the fridge, was the beginning of a new chapter of my life that would change the course of my family’s history.

Up to this point, my life was a roller coaster of a faith journey. Born into a multi-generational devout Catholic family, my parents and grandparents faithfully attended Holy Mass every Sunday. Our attendance was not optional as long as we lived under their roof. In college, like many, my faith took a back seat to other “priorities.” Quickly, I began finding myself saying “yes” to evil and “no” to good. I was not living a life consistent with the values and moral teachings of my faith. Without awareness or appreciation of God’s mercy, the years went on with relatively insignificant struggles.

The Men’s Retreat pamphlet remained on our fridge for several weeks. I noticed it immediately, but the thought of taking off from work and spending a weekend away with men I didn’t know, talking about feelings, didn’t sound very appealing. I then realized how easy it would have been to toss the retreat pamphlet in the trash can that was just inches from our fridge. But I hadn’t. Why? Why, for several weeks and over a hundred visits to the fridge, did I look at this pamphlet without the thought of tossing it away? It was clear that God wanted me to return to his plan for my life, but I had been too stubborn to listen. For years I was ignoring him, and he never gave up on me. That day I signed up for the ACTS retreat at St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

The ACTS retreat was a pivotal moment in my faith journey. It was there that I met 30+ other men, who, through God’s divine plan, said “yes” to HIS call. The retreat turned out to be the spiritual revitalization that my soul yearned for. I tried so desperately to fill a void in my life with worldly experiences and things that only God could fill. In fear of losing the “spiritual fire” after the retreat ended, several of us decided to form a small group called The Band of Brothers (BOBS). The BOBS have met weekly for several years to discuss religious, political, child-rearing, marriage, sports, and many other topics. We’ve been together for prayer and support during life’s victories and challenges, including new life, death, illness, job losses, promotions, natural disasters, and much more.

Although we meet formally each week, our interactions are daily. At times, our discussions get heated and occasionally include necessary accountability efforts; and that is okay. I’m eternally grateful for each of these men who have played a vital role in re-establishing my relationship with God. A few years into our small group journey, an opportunity arose to join a network of other men in the West Houston area who had discovered similar brotherhood. Having seen the power of men joining forces, we knew that becoming part of a larger network would allow us more opportunities to serve God by serving others, more opportunities to grow in discipleship, and more opportunities for fellowship. We were hungry for these opportunities and joined FinD in 2019.

Later that year, I was asked by another father in my neighborhood, by the name of Devin Gallimore, to attend a WayForward hiking adventure in the mountains of Colorado. Of the hundreds of men in our neighborhood, eleven of us would fill the roster for the trip. Although Devin and I had few interactions prior to his invitation, something that day urged him to ask me, an introvert who often thinks of several excuses for avoiding frequent social interactions. For some strange reason, I told Devin that day that I was interested and to send me more information. As it turns out, Devin’s simple gesture to me, a man he hardly knew, was God working directly through him. The 2020 WayForward adventure was a highlight that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It gave me a new love for the outdoors and an opportunity to build authentic relationships with other men while building upon my personal relationship with God. We also discovered in the mountains that I was in the company of other FinD brothers.

Looking back on the events of my life, I realized that while God has a plan for my family and me, so does the devil. This was a jarring realization. However, I no longer needed to fight the battles of evil scared and alone. To get to my family, the devil would first have to get through me; and to get to me, he has to get through my Band of Brothers, my WayForward Brothers, and my FinD Brotherhood. That is one hell of a cavalry. My money is on us!

Juaquin is an active member at St. John Vianney, husband to Natalie, dad to four beautiful children, a Managing Director at Tectonic Advisors, and is a graduate of the University of Texas.

Real Men…Real Discipleship. Want to get plugged in? www.FinDdiscipleship.org or info@FinDdiscipleship.org

“After a few encounters with Clint Harrington and Ed Everett, it only made sense to get into a weekly, small group bible study. My small group is the, MoB (Men of the Bible). Our group started 9 years ago! I‘m not much of a horoscope person but saw this today while I started writing this up. 'Now is a good time for you to speak out. Your heart is as clear as ever, and you're sure to make your feelings known if you can find the courage to get started. At least one person is glad about your openness.' We can go through the struggles of life, family and our walk with God alone but, WHY? For me, it only made sense to surround myself with like-minded Christian men to help in the process. My small group has been there when I needed them the most. We’ve dealt with a death in the family, health issues, work situations and more. It's a great feeling to have a lifeline of individuals that I can reach out to along with a strong prayer life and the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit. So grateful for FinD and my MoB brothers!"

Don is an active member at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, husband to Mandy, dad to two amazing sons, and is a graduate of Houston Baptist University #gohuskies. FinD seeks to transform men through Jesus Christ in authentic, weekly fellowship in discipleship.

Real Men…Real Discipleship. Want to get plugged in? www.FinDdiscipleship.org or info@FinDdiscipleship.org

"Many years ago, I was in a Sunday School class with a guy named Clint Harrington. We were friends, but not super close (he's an Aggie). We parted ways, and I never imagined how close we would be years later. I started going to Men's Life at MDPC in the second year of the program, and I met a guy in my group named Russ Allen. He & I quickly became very good friends. From that group, I started a neighborhood men's Bible study, and Russ was a consistent participant. That group sadly fell apart due to some crazy reasons, but we all remained friends. Then one day, I got an invitation from Russ to join a men's Christian small group formed by Clint Harrington later to be named the Sons of the Bible (SOB's). Now many years later, I can't even begin to tell you how close friends we have all become. Retreats, vacations, Hi-Low's, funerals and much more! I love our weekly time together at Denny's on Thursday mornings. Being the man God has called us to be is very difficult, and I would say it is impossible without the support of other like minded men. Iron sharpens Iron, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the mutual sharpening the SOB small group has provided for each of us. I wish I could go back to some of our earliest meetings and see what was going through each man's mind. Now we are like an old married couple (sort of), and we usually know how each man is going to respond to a statement or a situation. It has been beneficial and joyful to grow with each member."

Tim recently moved from Houston to New Braunfels, yet he remains an active member of the SOBs and FinD. He and his wife, Susan, are regular worshippers at First Protestant Church of New Braunfels. They are parents to three beautiful daughters. Tim is a graduate of The University of Texas, an avid horseback rider, and loves to teach the Truth. FinD seeks to transform men through Jesus Christ in authentic, weekly fellowship in discipleship.

Real Men…Real Discipleship. Want to get plugged in? www.FinDdiscipleship.org or info@FinDdiscipleship.org

"My first breakfast with Clint Harrington took a month to lock down due to scheduling challenges. Roughly twenty-four hours after that breakfast I met the group of men that would become the J-Walkers for our introduction and kickoff. I became a last-minute addition to the group, and I view that as both a gift and an example of God at work in my life. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but I found exactly what I needed.

I am a believer, and I have been for as long as I can remember. I go to church with my family, I pray with my kids, and I do my best to be a good man. But when a good friend told me about his FinD group, I had a few sobering thoughts: 1) I haven’t read the Bible outside of church in over a decade; 2) I don’t have a consistent, personal prayer life; and 3) I don’t regularly engage with my family on spiritual topics. I had one more thought as well – I don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and I’m not doing anything to build one.

Joining a small group isn’t a magic bullet or a quick fix for any of those failings. But for me, FinD was an important first step. It’s a place to talk about these shortcomings and find accountability and guidance. It’s also a place to find inspiration. Through the men in my group I have seen leadership, strength, discipline, passion, pain, wisdom, humility, vulnerability, and love. I have seen it in our study of the word, the open and raw sharing of each other’s lives, and the personal interactions between us.

I am working to be a better man and a better disciple of Christ. Every member of the J-Walkers is working towards those same goals. I am thankful to have them alongside me on the journey, and I pray for many more years of learning and growing together.”

Blake is an active member at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church (MDUMC), husband to Larissa, dad to three amazing kiddos, a energy industry professional, and a graduate of the University of Texas with a post graduate degree from Stanford University.

Real Men…Real Discipleship. Want to get plugged in? www.FinDdiscipleship.org or info@FinDdiscipleship.org