If you need to contact us please send an email to dzignsbyfaith@gmail.com or call 347-564-4473 and ask for Chris.
WHO IS DESIGNS BY FAITH?Christopher
Snell
Public Speaker,
Founder & CEO of Designs By Faith
Christopher Snell
is a successful Public Speaker, Business and Marketing Entrepreneur
and Founder-CEO of Designs By Faith. Designs By Faith is
a dynamic multi-platform, faith-based venture specializing in powerful
cutting-edge products which slam the current culture with a message
of Hope. Designs By Faith was created and birthed from the heart
of Christopher Snell’s victory over impossible odds, impossible obstacles
and an impossible childhood.
Christopher’s childhood
was complex and unforgiving. His parents divorced when he was five and
his mother moved Christopher and his younger sister Cindy to her hometown
of Albany, N.Y. Although she did the best she could, Christopher’
mother was now single and forced to survive by taking a bartending job
in order to support her family. The late nights and extended hours
produced long periods of no supervision for her children. Instead of
these adverse circumstances destroying Christopher’s spirit, the deprivation
seemed to produce a powerful resourcefulness. Bright and ambitious,
he saw opportunities everywhere and tried to make them happen.
God had equipped him from the womb with a multitude of gifts, however
an enemy was lurking, and a raging war for who would ultimately possess
his soul was about to begin…
In grammar and middle
school, Christopher turned his home-life adversity into a string of
remarkable achievements. An all-star track competitor, varsity
soccer player and even 1st chair flutist, Christopher seemed
a sure bet for a seamless transition to college and a successful adult
life. Armed with ambition and tons of street smarts, Christopher first
attempted legitimate ventures such as taking dishwashing jobs for minimum
wage at local chain restaurants at the age of fourteen. Unfortunately,
the lure of fast money his buddies were making illegally became too
big a temptation and Christopher’s downward slide began.
Christopher learned
to switch high dollar price tags at department stores for low dollar
ones then sell them on the street for a profit. In another scheme,
he would take expensive items off the shelf, stuff them in a bag, then
proceed to the register to return them. As everyone knows, the
life of a petty thief only escalates and Christopher was soon caught
and arrested for stealing wallets out of lockers. Since it was
his first offense, he received three years probation. Unfortunately,
this was not a deterrent and he began taking even bigger risks, breaking
into cars and stealing from unsecured homes. It wasn’t long
before he was incarcerated in the county jail for almost a year. Here
Christopher used the time wisely by achieving his high school diploma;
however, the stint did nothing to prevent a return to an even more serious
downward spiral into a life of crime. Christopher became a dealer in
the drug game, selling crack and Cocaine and making money hand over
fist. So began the darkest decent of a boy so full of promise.
Ultimately, Christopher was convicted of a class D felony and was sentenced
to a term of 2 to 6 years in a New York State Correctional Facility.
For those aware of statistics, this conviction pretty much sealed his
fate. Even a golden boy would be unable to climb from a pit this
deep without Divine intervention.
Christopher’s first
intervention soon came in the form of New York State’s Shock Incarceration
Program. A military boot-camp style program designed to break
the vicious and hopeless cycle of crime and prison. There was
still a thread of good character and plenty of intelligence left within
Christopher, and he finally surrendered to the discipline of this rigorous
program. It was a decision which would ultimately change his life.
A second altering experience came from a conversation with his sister
when their mother suffered a stroke. Cindy laid blame on Christopher
for creating so much stress with his behavior that it contributed to
his mother’s medical condition. Locked up and feeling guilty and helpless,
Christopher threw himself into the rehabilitation program. Within
only 180 days, he became the leader of his entire platoon. In
spite of this achievement Christopher was dealt a severe blow by his
instructor in the program who accused him of being a fake, saying he
would fail and be back in prison in six months. Christopher took
it as a formidable challenge. Between this impetus and the realization
he had hurt so many by his actions, Christopher vowed he would never
return to prison.
He soon took up a
challenge which had been presented by Dr. Carson Carr, a professor from
the University of Albany. He had once thrown down a gauntlet to the
inmates, challenging the men to really change the course of their lives.
Dr. Carr told them if they were serious about change, to look him up
when they got out. Christopher did. In fact, he was the
only inmate to ever take up the offer! From that first day as
a student at the University at Albany, Christopher decided he would
join every organization possible, including pledging Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
He set the impossible goal of becoming student body president, and although
he only received 13 votes in his first attempt, he did not give up.
Christopher had many doors slammed in his face because of his felony
conviction, but as he says, “many doors opened simply because of the
way I approached the challenge.”
Facing serious crossroads
in his life, he found himself in a place of confusion, despair and a
lack of motivation for his life. As a result, Christopher decided to
join the U.S. Marines. There was just one obstacle… convicted
felons cannot become Marines. Again undaunted, Christopher fought
long and hard and became the first convicted felon ever to win his case
and maintain the status of a U.S. Marine! After returning home
from the United States Marine Corps School of Infantry, Christopher
achieved his impossible goal: he went from prison inmate to U.S. Marine
to elected Student Body President of one of the top 100 colleges in
the country.
After graduating in
2000, Christopher moved to New York City. Soon after the September 11th
attacks, his Marine Reserve unit was activated and a tough tour in Iraq
followed. They spent almost a year in An-Nasariyah, the focal
point of some of the most vicious fighting and terrorist strongholds
in the entire war. Less than two weeks after returning to the
states from his a tour, the barracks where he
and his fellow Marines had been staying was utterly destroyed by a terrorist
bomb. The resulting loss of life was staggering. Christopher was
starting to see a pattern in his life…
Christopher returned
home to meet an even greater challenge, an emotional one. Without warning,
Christopher learned he and his sister were adopted. What made
this more difficult was his mother refused to discuss it or quench the
overwhelming need of her children to have answers. This felt like
betrayal on a primal level. Even though he had experienced more
than most men his age, this sudden and devastating news rocked his world
at the foundation. Not even the brutal battlefields of Iraq had
this kind of impact. Christopher was now facing an enemy he could
neither see nor control. An enormous hole reared its ugly head
within him and it had him by the throat and would attempt to destroy
his life.
Christopher soon found
himself in the psych ward of Bronx V.A. hospital. A dear friend
and youth pastor reached out, offering Christopher yet another challenge--to
trust him. Four days later Christopher was sitting in a church
listening to a preacher give a sermon. He was suddenly filled
with interpretation. It was clear that this preacher was directing
every single word to him. As he sat in the pew squirming, Christopher
became overwhelmed with paranoia, he was sure his friend had revealed
every gory detail of his life to this preacher, who in turn was now
embarrassingly telling over three hundred members of the congregation!
He knew they were all in on this elaborate, deceptive ruse to convert
him and he wondered how in the world he could get out all this!
But God finally had His way…
On June 1st,
2005, Christopher G. Snell was reborn and transformed. He
has become a new man, a man of God. He dropped the M-16 and picked
up the Sword of the Spirit and is now a warrior for the Army of Christ.
As has always been his nature, and from the depths of his character,
Christopher dedicated himself wholeheartedly to one goal; the goal to
love and serve God with all his heart, body and soul.
God’s hand has always
been upon Christopher Snell, however, Christopher has also fully utilized
his amazing talents, gifts, strength of character, determination, goal
setting and risk taking, to achieve a multitude of successes.
Now his best friend and Savior sustains and guides his steps and has
opened unimaginable frontiers and challenges which only Christopher
Snell can conquer!
The first of many
entrepreneurial visions came to Christopher just two years ago when
he was inspired to create a unique t-shirt with bold and powerful messaging.
The vision was entitled “Elements of a Believer” and is based on
the Periodic table. Although he had no background in graphic design,
Christopher, implemented the disciplines he learned as a Marine, combining
this with his characteristic determination and love of risk. The
result has been an incredibly successful, ever-expanding company, DESIGNS
BY FAITH, which includes a full clothing line and non-profit division.
Christopher is a loving
husband to Marian Karley Snell, his college sweetheart, and devoted
father to their two beautiful children, Nehemiah Christopher Snell,
2, and Gabrielle Hope Snell, 7 months. As Christopher himself
says, “I never believed the life I now live would have ever been possible
with the lifestyle I was living. But through God’s Grace and
ever-abounding Mercy, I’m experiencing the fulfillment of every dream
imaginable.” And this is only the beginning of what is to come
from this extraordinary man!
Christopher is available
as a guest speaker to audiences of all ages and backgrounds; but especially
to children from raw, broken homes and hopeless childhoods. His
heartfelt testimony and the powerful life-altering decisions he has
made will bring courage and hope to anyone who has the great privilege
to hear his story! Christopher has truly lived through the darkest
places known to man and is now living in the abounding light and life
of Christ!
For more information
or to schedule Christopher as a guest speaker, please contact:
Christopher Snell at 917-554-0549 e-mail: dzignsbyfaith@gmail.com
