- Date Of Death: December 13, 2021
- State: Illinois
Andy was born with a God given ability to understand and teach the word of God. He found the Lord in a personal way when he was just a teenager on one of his coast-to-coast bike trips across Wisconsin. Once Andy dedicated his life to the Lord on the bike trip, he never stopped serving God, others, and mostly the youth around him. Andy had a passion for teaching the children. Accepting Christ at such a young age himself, compelled him to reach others in the same age group. One of the pastors Andy worked closely with described Andy as having a “heart for the next generation” and a “clear presentation of the gospel”. Such important words. A clear presentation of the gospel. Andy lived his life to bring others to the Lord and to be a disciple to the Lord who made more disciples. Matthew 28: 19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Andy followed the Lord’s word to make disciples of all nations. From the work he did here at home, to the mission trips he would take to other states and even other countries. Andy made countless trips to Honduras in his lifetime and even more recently to Poland. He was looking forward to returning to Poland again next year to continue the work he had begun there a couple years ago. Andy had such a natural ability to preach to others without coming across as preaching “at” you. He was always non-judgmental and always shared the Gospel with the simple desire of just wanting to share the joy of the good news. This was a talent that made others feel at ease around him and want to discuss the Bible and Christianity more with him.
Andy’s love of history also made him preach with so much more understanding of the Word. His ability to tie the word into the past and make it relevant for the present was a skill that made understanding the Bible easier for so many. Above all, Andy was just a great teacher.
Andy loved to travel and to be one with God’s creation. He enjoyed camping and gaining clarity when he would take his adventure road trips. He loved architecture and exploring old buildings and learning the history behind towns, buildings, and communities. He was always growing his knowledge. He never stopped learning. This also made him one to reckon with when Jeopardy came on T.V. A show that he always enjoyed watching with Mom and Dad alike and schooling all of us on his knowledge!
Andy was just a joy to be around. His sense of humor was often quick witted and spot-on. He could make light of almost every situation. He loved playing family games and showing off his humor in games like Apples to Apples or his trivia knowledge. He loved playing with his Godson and Nephew Jacob, and his niece Ruby.
