The Young Person's Survival Manual

Raymond was born in South Dakota, but raised primarily in Minnesota and Indiana, with six other places in between. He's a child of divorce and was raised in an alcoholic, highly abusive environment. Additionally, he had been placed with a couple different foster families prior to age 10. Raymond had a number of issues as a teen, including dropping out of high school twice and being a father twice by 19.

Raymond joined the Army in 1980, where early on he decided he wanted to make a career. In 1995, God miraculously provided an opportunity for early retirement. Though his career didn't culminate as planned, he appreciates the opportunities that God provided him through the Army, as it enabled him to break a lot of the negatives from his childhood.

Upon retiring, Raymond returned to South Dakota, where he discovered his calling and passion – to help youth see all that God has called them to be. He worked with adjudicated and at-risk youth for 10 years in several types of environments, with the focus population being primarily males, ranging from 12-20 years of age. Raymond holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology with concentrations on youth and family, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Leadership. He's also earned the distinction of a certified Project Management Professional.

Spiritually, Raymond initially came to accept Jesus as his Savior at the age of 12, but wasn't baptized until 24. At age 32, he realized that he needed to rededicate himself and his life – making Jesus Lord. At the age of 35, he received the baptism of The Holy Spirit. Since that time he's been on two missions' trips to Romania. Lastly, though Raymond's first marriage ended in divorce, he was remarried in January 2016.