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401 E. Piankishaw, Paola, KS 66071 Phone: 913.294.3476 Fax: 913.294.0074
"I spent most of my time and most of my money drinking and chasing girls. I made a few friends along the way and they introduced me to drugs."
After Graduation I spent 6 years in the Navy. What a great experience. I was out of small town Kansas, 18, and on my own. Not knowing Jesus and not ever having an example of what a relationship is, I started going to the bars. I spent most of my time and most of my money drinking and chasing girls. I made a few friends along the way and they introduced me to drugs. I had been around drugs but growing up I frowned on the people that did them and what kind of people they were. Well my new friends were different, they were good people, fun to be around and accepted me for who I was. This led me to think that maybe drugs aren’t so bad. I did them on occasion, I never felt addicted but I would do them when they were available and when I thought the Navy wouldn’t catch me. As time went on, I found that meeting women became easier and before long I started equating love with sex.
"I also realized that God had been with me my whole life. As I reflect on my past I see where He has been there for me and I didn’t even know it."
a guy who came to Christ after a somewhat "wild" life and is now leading Bible studies and our contemporary worship service as a Lay Minister.
"The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn and the more I learned, the more I realized what I had missed growing up. I also realized that God had been with me my whole life."
Joe's Story
I grew up in Paola and surrounding towns. I grew up in what I would’ve called a fairly normal life. My Mom and Dad divorced around my 1st birthday. She was remarried before I was 2. I went to Kindergarten in Paola, 1st Grade in Gardner and 2nd through 7th in Wellsville. Mom and her 2nd husband divorced when I was in the 5th grade. She got married for the 3rd time during the summer between my 7th and 8th grade year and we moved to LaCygne. 8th Grade was spent at Prairie View Junior High. The summer after 8th grade was hard. My mom and I fought a lot and I moved to Paola with Dad and step mom. I attended Paola High School as a Freshman and Sophomore. Those were probably the worst two years of my life. I’d bet my Dad and Step mom would say the same. We fought a lot and I rebelled. The summer after my Sophomore year I moved back with my mom and stayed there until graduation. I know now all that my parents and step parents did was for my own good but I didn’t learn what love really meant.
When I got out of the Navy, my lifestyle slowed a little. I started getting a conscience but still didn’t know what love was. In under 2 years I met, fell “in love”, married and divorced my first wife. She was Catholic and we went to Church once in a while but God was no where in our marriage and it didn’t make any sense to me. I would say that was the 2nd worst 2 years of my life.
I spent the next 6 years of my life, partying, do some drugs when they were available and jumping from one relationship to the next. In late 1999 I approached Pastor Peck about becoming a member. I attended the membership classes and was Baptized and confirmed. I attended church fairly regularly but it was just a motion I went through. I soon fell away from the Church.
I met Judy in March of 2003. We dated for almost 2 years before we got married, Feb. 11, 2006. The first 8 months were tough and if it wasn’t for Judy and her not giving up we probably wouldn’t be together today. In that time I lost my job and spent a lot of time partying and it affected my attitude.
Judy mentioned a couple of times about going to church but I refused. I finally gave in and we started attending First Lutheran. At first it was just when we felt like it or when there was nothing else going that Sunday. Over a couple months time the Holy Spirit started working in me. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn and the more I learned, the more I realized what I had missed growing up. I also realized that God had been with me my whole life. As I reflect on my past I see where He has been there for me and I didn’t even know it.
When I look at my past, I don’t regret it. If I hadn’t lived the life I did, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I am grateful that God knew me when I didn’t know him. I am thankful that God is so forgiving. We all are blessed to have a God that loves us the way he does.
Joe
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Watch Joe Doherty's message on "Sacrifice"
