"I wasn't alone anymore and God was there for me." -Josh Gehring

Josh’s life before God was very stressful.

“I grew up in a home where we didn’t study God’s Word. And I’ve always told myself I needed to go to church to learn God’s word and have my kids live a better life than what I had.”

When he started attending Friendship, he was going through a deep depression.

“My grandmother was in hospice care and didn’t have much time left on this earth, and it really hit me pretty hard. By the second time we attended, I was crying nonstop through the service. I had never cried in church like that before.”

“During the service Pastor Dave said, ‘As long as you’re still breathing, you have a purpose on this earth.’ That was when I knew I wasn’t alone anymore and He was there for me. Pastor Dave and God saved my life.”

Soon after, Josh gave his life to Christ and he decided to take his next step through baptism. He described his baptism experience as unforgettable.

“I had a little nervous feeling in my stomach because I get nervous in front of big crowds. But when my little boy yelled, ‘Go Daddy,’ all of that feeling went away. It felt like I got a second chance in life and the opportunity to be able to serve our lord, Jesus Christ.”

After being baptized, he was inspired to jump into Friendship’s vision to glorify God as an effective and influential church.

“It inspired me to learn more about Jesus Christ. A big reason why we chose Friendship was because it feels like a family that all has the same purpose as we do: to serve and learn more about Jesus. It made me more excited to see what Jesus had in store for me in my life, and to learn what he did for us to get us here on Earth.”

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