This is my story

This is My Story

I was born in Kellogg, Idaho, which makes me of the leaded persuasion. I spent my elementary years in St. Maries, where, in at least my family, beer was considered a food group. I learned my anger management skills from loggers, mill workers and minors, where mediation took place in the bars. We moved to Dallas, Oregon where I spent my junior and senior high years. The combination of being under the influence of lead and a chosen lifestyle of partying, didn’t exactly translate in to academic prowess. However, I did channel my aggressive energies to sports where I could get away with being mean.

While drinking made me stupid, the introduction of drugs made me crazy. I got to the place where I couldn’t even stand being around myself. I’d become a creep in deep need of a new life. When I’d finally hit rock bottom, I ran into a Christian. This girl was one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met, who cared sincerely for others. For some reason she let me hang out with her. We dated for a couple of years, and at a weak moment, she said ‘yes’ when I proposed. One friend said that the reason my life began to come together was because I met a good woman. I agreed, but I told him that I wanted to find out what made her a good person and I wanted a piece of that action. For her it wasn’t about having a religion about God, it was about having a relationship with God that taught her how to love even a goofball like me.

So, I checked Julie out, we dated, went steady, got engaged, then were married. During the courtship, I met her family; we called one another regularly & wrote love letters to each other. My relationship with God followed a similar path. I checked out the overwhelming evidence that supported the existence of Jesus. I met God’s loving extended family – the church – and started hanging out with them. I began to read His love letters – the Bible – and I began to understand the realities of God’s truth that began to transform the way I thought and acted. Then just like how I exchanged a vow with Julie at our wedding, God wanted me to say “I do” to having a relationship with Him for this life and the life beyond. So, I said “yes” and invited Jesus into my life and He’s been helping me to learn how to love Him and others ever since.

After graduating from college, I began a career being a friend to kids, parents & families in a variety of ways – as a social worker, youth pastor, school counselor and now as a family pastor at our church. Julie and I celebrated our 33^rd anniversary (I don’t know how she did it), we’ve raised 3 pretty neat kids (who like us better now that they’re adults) and now we’re messing with our 5 grand kid’s lives.

I am living proof that God can love an unlovable guy, change his heart, use his limited abilities to find other knuckle-heads (just like me), love on them and introduce them to Jesus so they can get loved on by Him too. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, now I’d sure like to hear your story.

Greg Johnson