My name is Matthew "Emcy" Conant, and I am a man redefined by the grace of God. Adopted at six months old into a loving home, I still spent my youth chasing an identity I didn't understand. Running from love at home. That void drove me to the streets, to drugs, and eventually to a murder conviction.
At 19 years old, I traded my youth for a prison cell (deservedly so). But I didn't walk those yards alone. While I was a "life prisoner," the Lord did a radical work in me. For the last 9 and a half years of that sentence, Jesus Christ, and my wife, Momo, stood in the trenches with me. They didn’t just wait for me; they fought for me. They challenged me to confront my pain, helped me identify my triggers, and refused to let me settle as the man I used to be. Together, we did the hard work of shaving away the old character to make room for the new.
In that cell, God didn't just change my heart—He built a marriage. I went in a criminal; I came out a citizen of the Kingdom of God and a husband surrendered to the Spirit.
Since my release 8 years ago, my life has been a mission:
* Anti-Recidivism Coalition (L.A.): Life Coach for the "H.A.R.T. Team."
* Hog Mob Ministries: 7 years of service and 5 years leading the H.I.T. Squad youth group.
* Traveling United States: sharing my testimony of churches, prison and anywhere there is an ear to listen.
* Checker’d Past Ministries: Founded with Michael Segree, because we believe ministry is a lifestyle. We go into the darkest places—the streets and the prisons—as a covenant team, married couples showing the world how to fight life’s battles together.
Momo and I moved to Kansas to chase a deeper relationship with the Father and here, I penned my autobiography, Forged in the Fire. I am living proof that your past doesn’t disqualify you—it prepares you. I am living proof that the fire doesn’t have to consume you—it can refine you. If you are intentional about seeking His face, God can take a life sentence and turn it into a life’s mission.
Born and raised in Kansas, Michael Segree’s early life was marked by a profound tragedy that shaped his formative years. The murder of his father when he was a young child left him grappling with deep-seated anger and a fundamental lack of trust in the world around him. Although his mother eventually remarried a man of faith who introduced Michael to the teachings of Christ, the internal scars of his youth led him toward a period of significant rebellion.
Beginning at the age of 16, he entered a decades-long struggle characterized by "wayward" behavior and persistent trouble.
The turning point in Michael’s life arrived at the age of 35, when he reached a point of total surrender and made Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior. Describing this transformation as becoming a "new creation," he moved away from the volatility of his past and toward a life defined by purpose and spiritual discipline. This conversion provided the healing and stability that had eluded him since childhood, effectively answering the search for a father figure that began with the loss of his biological father years prior.
Today, Michael is dedicated to fulfilling the Great Commission, focusing his life’s work on sharing the gospel and the restorative love of God. His mission is rooted in the desire for others to experience the peace and parental love of a "good and perfect Father," a relationship he credits with his own restoration. Moving forward with a commitment to give all glory to God, Michael serves as a witness to the possibility of redemption, regardless of how far one has strayed or how deep their early wounds may be.
I am Jennifer Segree, I am a proud wife to a beautiful man of God. I have 8 awesome children and the most fabulous 5 Grandbabies you will ever meet. To say I am Blessed beyond what I deseve, is an understatement.
My greatest ministry is my family. There is an indescribable feeling of Love and joy seeing those you Love most, seek and build a relationship with Jesus. Hearing that my 6 year old Grandson prays for his friends and teachers, would have to be my biggest flex!! All Glory to God!
My husband and I own a business, which is ran with Jesus as the firm foundation. It is not just a restaurant it is also a ministry. You can come in anytime and be loved on, prayed for, ministered to all while enjoying some delicious BBQ!
I am definitely a softie. I love with all that I have. I do my best to show others the Love of Christ. Not through words but from genuine actions, and kindness. My greatest passion is people. Those in dark places going through the toughest struggles. People who feel alone and like there is no hope. I love to share HOPE, and that HOPE is our Savior Jesus Christ! He is the most beautiful light in the darkest places. I LOVE Jesus and Love sharing his love with others.
My name is Steven Shepherd. From the bright lights and stage of a music career to the darkness of addiction, my journey has been re-defined by the radical grace of Jesus Christ. For years, I lived in the grip of active addiction and worldly pleasures, but thanks to Jesus Christ I discovered that a 'checkered past' isn't a life sentence—it’s a platform for him to show his amazing love and grace.
Without Jesus as my Savior, the transformation from struggling drug addicted musician to the sober father, business owner and ministry leader I am today would have never been possible. My savior took the broken pieces of my life and reconstructed them into a mission of recovery and purpose.
Today, I leverage every bit of my musical and technical talents to serve the Lord and share the message of Jesus. Whether we are working in the studio or in the trenches inside prisons and outreaches , Checkered Past exists to show you that your past doesn't have to be your prison with Jesus as your savior.