THE VESSEL

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SHIPS-LATER OCTOBER 2025
Introduction
By the Author

As a boy, I was raised in an Italian Catholic household where faith was not simply taught, it was absorbed into your very bones. My grandparents believed faith was more than ritual; it was a way of life you carried within you. They taught me that making the sign of the cross was not just a routine gesture before meals or bedtime, but a sacred act of devotion. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Each word carried a weight of eternity. Each movement of your hand across your forehead, chest, and shoulders was a reminder that we were marked as belonging to something far greater than ourselves. My great-grandparents believed this deeply, and then it was passed onto my grandparents, who lived it with the same devotion. Their faith was not only spoken in prayers, it was seen in their hands, their work, their sacrifices. It shaped their character, their family, and their future.

When my great-grandparents left Italy, they stepped onto a massive vessel, probably smaller than the Titanic, but something like it, I’m sure. I often imagine what that journey must have been like. The deck crowded with families huddled close, clutching only a few trunks of belongings. The salty air thick with both fear and hope. Days filled with endless water stretching to the horizon, and nights when the stars above were the only familiar thing in sight. They didn’t know the language of the land they were headed toward. They had no roadmap for the future and barely any money to speak of. All they carried was faith, love, and a dream. For weeks at sea, they lived on simple rations, sleeping in cramped quarters below deck, surrounded by the cries of restless children and the groans of weary travelers. Every sunrise must have felt like both a mercy and a question mark, will this truly be worth it?

And yet, despite the hardships, they pressed on. They stepped out in faith, believing God was leading them to a new life—a greater one—for themselves and for the generations to come. It was risky. It was costly. It was unknown. But they chose to trust.

That one decision, to board that vessel and sail into the unknown, is why I’m here today and why my first grandson, Adonijah, will grow up knowing this beautiful country we’ve learned to love and be grateful for. Their courage paved the way for every blessing we now hold dear.

Growing up in that Italian culture, making things by hand was simply a way of life. From caning chairs to refurbishing antiques, everything was done with intention. But perhaps the most sacred tradition was food. My great-grandparents and grandparents took cooking seriously, pasta and sauces, breads and pastries, cured meats, and homemade wine, all crafted from scratch. And every one of these creations was stored in vessels: crocks filled with green tomatoes, jars filled with sauces, bottles and barrels filled with wine. Each vessel had its own purpose. Each serving a greater good. None trying to be the other.

And that’s what this book is about.

You Are Holding This Book for a Reason…

When you think of the word vessel, what comes to mind?
Webster’s Dictionary defines it as:
a: a container (such as a cask, bottle, kettle, cup, or bowl) for holding something
b: a person into whom some quality (such as grace) is infused
We are all vessels.

In the human condition, vessels come in many forms. Some are strong, some are fragile. Some live lives of moral virtue, others live behind bars. Some vessels pour out goodness and love, while others spill anger, pain, and hostility.

But the real question isn’t where you live: Where do you stand? What are you holding in your so-called vessel—as a human being?

I don’t believe you picked up this book by accident. Maybe it was handed to you by a friend. Maybe you stumbled across it during a moment of scrolling. Maybe it sat unopened on a shelf for a while, and today, of all days—you felt the need to open it. However it found its way into your hands, I want you to know something: I believe with all my heart you’re holding this book for a reason. Not by chance. Not by coincidence. But because God sees you, and He knows exactly what you’re carrying.

A Story From My Journey
Years ago, before I ever set foot on a stage or put paint to canvas in front of a crowd, I was just a man trying to be enough—a husband, a father, a creative, struggling to balance it all. The key being, it was I trying to do the work. I was leaning on my own strength, my own ideas, and my own capacity to hold everything together. But the more I tried, the more I realized I couldn’t keep all the pieces from slipping through my fingers. I spent years running a successful photography business in upstate New York, where precision was everything. Every detail mattered. Cuffs on wedding tuxes, just right. Smiles on babies, perfect. Backgrounds seamless. No room for cracks or errors.
I believed excellence had to look polished. Controlled. Retouched.
But life has a way of challenging your definitions of perfection. Somewhere along the way, I broke. Quietly. Slowly. Repeatedly.
And when I finally started creating art on stage, in public, through speed painting and storytelling, I began to let the mess show.
I let the paint drip.
I let my voice shake.
I told the truth.
I was transparent.
And people leaned in.

I realized something powerful: God doesn’t use us despite our cracks. He uses us through them. He doesn’t need polished people, quite the opposite, really. He needs present ones. He needs willingness.

The Invitation
We need to be a people of faith and allow the adventure He has for us to unfold, sometimes right in the middle of the brokenness and chaos. Trusting that there is, and always has been, a purpose for our lives. And it’s in the trusting process that the purpose will be poured out exactly the way it was designed to be.

That’s what this book is about. You might feel chipped, flawed, or even shattered right now. You might wonder if your life still has purpose, if your story can be redeemed, if the weight you carry will ever lift.
Let me assure you, yes, it can. And yes, it will.

But let’s be honest: God never said, “Follow Me and life will be easy.” He never promised, “Follow Me and you’ll get rich.” He didn’t say, “Follow Me and you’ll never worry again.”
No—He invited us to take up our cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23). He was clear that this life would have trials:
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33
Jesus promised His presence, not an escape from pain. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Through the storm, He gives us peace.
Through the fire, He gives us strength.
Through the brokenness, He brings healing.
When Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me” (Luke 9:23, also Matthew 16:24 and Mark 8:34), He was making a powerful and sobering statement about the cost of discipleship.

Here’s what He was referring to:
A Call to Complete Surrender
In Jesus’ time, the cross was not a religious symbol, it was an instrument of brutal execution. When He said “take up your cross,” His listeners immediately understood it as a call to die to self, to give up personal ambition, selfish desires, and control over one’s own life.
Willingness to Suffer for Christ
Jesus was preparing His followers for the reality that following Him would come with persecution, rejection, and hardship. The cross symbolized suffering, shame, and sacrifice. He was saying: “If you truly want to follow Me, be prepared to suffer for My name.”

Daily Commitment

Luke’s account adds the word “daily”—“take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This shows it’s not a one-time act, but a daily decision to deny yourself, trust God’s will over your own, and walk in obedience, even when it’s hard.
In summary: “Take up your cross and follow me” is Jesus’ invitation to live a life of surrender, courage, mission, and love. It’s a call to lay down your life, not just physically, but spiritually, so you can live fully for His Kingdom. It’s not about punishment, it’s about participating in the life, mission, and resurrection power of Christ.
Why This Book Matters

That’s the hope this book carries. This isn’t just a book about pottery or art. It’s about becoming.

You’ll meet biblical heroes and modern-day people just like you—people with pasts, pain, and purpose. You’ll see how God works through emptiness, through delay, through fire, and even through loss. And you’ll be reminded, again and again, that nothing in your life is wasted in the hands of the Potter.

So as you read, keep your heart open. Let these pages remind you that the same faith that carried my great-grandparents across an ocean, and the same God who carried me through my own brokenness, is the same God who is carrying you today.

You are a vessel. A vessel of hope. A vessel of healing. A vessel of eternal purpose. And this moment, right now, may be the beginning of God filling you anew.

Let’s begin.

6” X 9”
140 PAGES
SOFTCOVER
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