Starting Out
Anthony grew up in Ava, Missouri in the United States of America. A strong work ethic and Christian / family values were instilled in him from birth. As a preschooler, Anthony was led to the Lord by his Mother after attending a puppet show at a local church with his older sister. Anthony attended elementary school at Ava R-1 School District, and was homeschooled from middle school through high school.
Moving Out
Following high school, Anthony moved out on his own and attended Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri where he majored in Electronics Technology. While at Crowder College, Anthony was actively involved in the Baptist Student Union, the Alternative Energy department, the Honors Club, and the local PTK Honor Society Chapter. It was in the Honors program at Crowder College that Anthony met and began dating Lisa Arnall, who would later become his wife. In Neosho, Anthony's discipleship came under the care of Reuben Phelps at the BSU, as well as Allen Brock (Pastor) and Mike Aldrich (Sunday School Teacher) at Fellowship Baptist Church.
Moving On
After two and a half years at Crowder College, Anthony and Lisa moved on in separate directions and maintained a "long-distance" relationship. Lisa moved to Springfield, Missouri and pursued her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Religious Studies at Southwest Missouri State University while Anthony moved to Siloam Springs, Arkansas to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering at John Brown University. While at JBU, Anthony's faith grew stronger as he attended chapel services on-campus and church services at Siloam Springs Bible Church. Probably the most influential activities during his JBU years, however, were his membership in the JBU Cathedral Choir and a 1996 spring break mission trip to Chihuahua, Mexico. But in 1996, the 145 miles separating Anthony and Lisa, combined with their growing student loan debts and a semingly unpassable required math class (Linear Algebra & Differential Equations) prompted Anthony to leave JBU early. Instead of the Bachelor's degree in Engineering, he left with an Associate of Science Degree in Electro-Mechanical Technology.
Anthony still looks on his years at John Brown University as the most influential years of his life. Anthony had grown up in a poor household, but it was here that his eyes were opened to true poverty in the world and the ministry of Compassion International during a Phil Keaggy concert in the chapel. That night Anthony began sponsoring a young boy in Equador, and the relationship started there continues to this day.
Logging On
It was also at JBU that Anthony got his first job working with computers. A work-study job as a monitor in the JBU Computer Labs led into a part-time job as a Technician in the Computer Labs. In this new position Anthony got started in web site design (working on expanding the university's first web site), training (teaching classes to students and faculty on how to use the network and email), and hardware/software installation (building the new computer labs). These activities would prove crucial to finding a fulfilling job just a few months later.