About Martin
A Life of Faith, Creativity, Service and Discovery
I’m Martin, and this website is a place to share the things that have shaped my life, the work I’ve done, the ideas that interest me and the things I continue to explore.
My journey has taken a few unexpected turns. What began with plans for a military career eventually led me into marketing, communications and design. Along the way, my faith deepened, my family grew, and opportunities to serve others gradually became the central part of my life.
Today, my professional focus is increasingly anchored in ministry, although creativity, communication and a curiosity about the world remain important parts of who I am.
This site brings those interests together: Faith, Creativity, Ideas and Life. I hope it offers a glimpse not only of what I’ve done, but also of what I value, what I’ve learned and what I still hope to accomplish.
A Career That Began with an Unexpected Turn
My academic career began in such chaos that I nearly went in several different directions. I know that’s typical of many college experiences, but when you’ve planned on nothing but a military career, having that rug pulled out from under you is, to say the least, overwhelming.
The need to adjust quickly, however, has served me well throughout my life.
After leaving Keller Army Hospital, I found a new direction through the Wake Forest University Student Union’s Marketing Committee. The work, and the results we were able to achieve, lit a fire. I discovered something I genuinely enjoyed: the challenge of developing ideas, communicating effectively and turning creative thinking into practical results.
That experience helped set me on a professional path that would take me through decades of marketing, communications, design and related work.
Creativity, Communication and Getting Things Done
I’ve always been driven and rather competitive. But I’ve generally been more concerned about what I can accomplish than about how my achievements compare with those of others.
Early in my career, when much of my work centered on graphics and printing, I became increasingly frustrated with the quality of the artwork we were receiving for production. In the early days of digital design, getting printable artwork was often a nightmare.
I used to walk around at work mumbling, “The Mac does not an artist make…”
I believed we needed a better way to help artists prepare work that could actually be reproduced properly. So I pushed for the creation of a manual that would establish guidelines for preparing production artwork.
The New York studios we presented it to were unimpressed and generally annoyed. But when one of the nation’s largest consumer products companies told those studios to fall in line or lose their business, the temper of the room changed rather quickly.
Shortly after the system was implemented, we received McNeil Johnson & Johnson’s Entrepreneur Award for the work. That process and its outcome instilled in me the importance of results over procedure.
That experience reinforced something I’ve carried with me throughout my career: meaningful progress often requires recognizing a problem others have accepted, developing a practical solution and being willing to advocate for it.
I’m proud of the work I’ve done in marketing, communications and design. But the most satisfying projects have rarely been just about producing something attractive or delivering a successful campaign. They’ve been about solving problems, helping people succeed and making a positive difference.
Faith, Jennifer and a Different Kind of Journey
Faith has always been central to my life, but it took a loving, patient woman to help me see the full truth of God’s Word.
I met Jennifer near the height of my turbulent college days. When I tell the story of being awestruck the first time I saw her, she rolls her eyes. But every word is true.
Over the next three years, I fell in love with her. More importantly, she helped me fall in love with the truth of God’s Word.
I was baptized shortly after we were married, and that decision became an important turning point in my life.
My faith continues to shape the way I understand my responsibilities and relationships. I strive to be the man God would have me to be, the husband my wife deserves and the father who loves and guides his family.
That remains a continuing journey rather than a finished accomplishment. I have much to learn, much to improve and much for which to be thankful.
From Professional Communication to Ministry
While marketing and design still occupy a good bit of my time, my professional focus has gradually diverged from its earlier path. The Image Forge (my marketing and design firm) has served many clients and the needs of my family. While it remains today, the role has become more consultative, and selective.
Over the years, I’ve served several congregations as a deacon and as an elder. I’ve taught Bible classes and preached as a fill-in when needed. These opportunities have allowed me to use my communication skills in a different setting while deepening my commitment to serving others.
More than a dozen years ago, we began a small congregation in our local area. That work has since led to my full-time role as minister for the Boiling Springs church of Christ in Boiling Springs, South Carolina.
It is demanding but rewarding work. The needs of the community, and the desire to be better equipped to serve people facing difficult circumstances, led me to pursue a Master’s in Pastoral Counseling and Care.
I expect to continue keeping a few websites, marketing projects and branding initiatives in progress. Those remain meaningful interests and useful ways to put my experience to work.
But the future is increasingly anchored in church work, where good communication skills are essential and where the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives is especially meaningful to me.
Creativity Beyond the Studio
My creative interests extend well beyond my professional work. In fact, I have so many interests that sometimes the challenge is finding enough focus and time to grow in them all. And if I don’t periodically indulge a creative endeavor, my mood, outlook and effectiveness are impaired.
I love photography, particularly nature and landscape photography. I enjoy the opportunity to slow down, observe the world around me and try to capture something of what makes a place special.
My oldest son and I once had the opportunity to hike the Tasman Glacier in New Zealand. That experience brought together two things I love: photography and hiking. It was an opportunity to explore an extraordinary landscape while sharing the experience with my son.
I also love to travel and explore the world. There’s something valuable about encountering unfamiliar places, seeing things from a different perspective and discovering how much there is still to learn.
And then there’s the novel I’ve been working on. I’ve been saying it’s in the works for several years now, so perhaps one day I’ll finally have a finished manuscript to show for it!
These pursuits remind me that creativity isn’t limited to a profession. Sometimes it is simply the pleasure of exploring an idea, developing a skill or creating something because the process itself is worthwhile.
The Difference That Matters Most
I’m proud of my professional portfolio. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to contribute to successful campaigns, effective websites, creative projects and meaningful work.
But I’m even prouder of the difference I’ve made in the lives of clients, associates and coworkers.
It’s one thing to pull off a successful campaign or launch an effective web project. It’s something entirely different to hear from someone years after you worked together, someone who gets in touch simply to thank you for being a positive influence in their life.
Those moments put professional accomplishments into perspective.
The work we do matters. The quality of our work matters. But so do the ways we treat people, the encouragement we offer, the relationships we build and the influence we have on those around us.
If there’s a lesson I’ve come to appreciate through the years, it’s that the most meaningful results aren’t always the ones that appear in a portfolio or on a résumé.
Looking Ahead
I don’t see this stage of life as a conclusion. I see it as another opportunity to learn, grow, serve and create.
My work in ministry will continue to be a central focus, along with the study and preparation that support it. I’ll keep pursuing creative interests, developing projects, writing, exploring new ideas and finding ways to put my professional experience to useful work.
I hope to keep learning from others, sharing what I’ve learned and becoming better equipped to serve my family, my congregation and the broader community.
There are still ideas to pursue, places to explore, photographs to take, words to write and opportunities to make a difference.
I look forward to discovering where those opportunities lead.
Why a Website for All of This?
This website is a place to bring the different parts of my life together. For a blacksmith, the edge of the anvil is not a boundary, it is a working surface essential to those aspects of the craft not easily accomplished on the face of the anvil – hence the subhead of my site.
Here you’ll find:
- Faith: Bible study, reflections, teaching resources and thoughts about Christian living.
- Creativity: Design, photography, writing, publishing and selected examples of my professional work.
- Ideas: Essays, observations, questions and subjects worth exploring.
- Life: Personal interests, experiences, travel, family and the things I’m learning along the way.
You’ll also find a portfolio of selected projects and photos, along with writing and resources that I hope others will find useful.
Most of all, I hope this site reflects the things I value: faith, family, meaningful work, creativity, curiosity and the heart of a servant.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you’ll find something here that interests you, encourages you or gives you a new perspective.
And if something you read sparks a conversation, an idea or an opportunity to work together, I’d be glad to hear from you.