My name is Kris Houtz, and I’ve been a Christian since I was a teenager. At least, that’s when I accepted Christ. My real journey started when I was 30.

I was in the Army, and I was going through quite a bit of change in my life. My job was stressful. My marriage was falling apart. I felt like everything in my life was spiraling out of control.

Then I visited my unit Chaplain, Chaplain Edison. He was an amazing man: a leader, welcoming, a great listener – and he challenged me to really explore my faith.  What does it mean to be a Christian? I realized that being a Christian requires me to turn control over to God. Once I turned over control, my life started to turn around. Sure, it is still bumpy in some places, but my faith in God and the hope that God brings me through it.

I’ve learned that being in a relationship with God requires me to set boundaries. I talk with Him every day, in prayer, and I do that during my daily walk. This practice keeps me grounded in God’s will for my life; when I truly listen, I can act on what God asks. The boundaries I set are all God-called; they are His will for me.

It’s been six years since I came back to Christ. I have a family now, one that walks together in faith. Kirsten and I don’t always follow the same route on our faith journey, but we do walk together, and that means everything to me. Spending time reading the Bible to our children is also how I share my faith.

I have become much more comfortable in talking about my faith and in meeting the challenges that might distract me from God’s will for my life. I respond out of love for God, too. God put on my heart to develop a place for men to meet away from the church to talk over difficult topics; we try to find answers that are grounded in faith. Together, these men and I have built a great brotherhood that we call ‘Trueman.’ Now I could not imagine life without Him, and the people that He has put in my life.