 been in this church for a number of years, but before I came to Cornerstone I actually went to a Lutheran school and attended a Pentecostal church for a number of years. During that time I got charismatic teaching from easy-believeism and traditionalism from Lutheran catechism. So that instilled in me a lot of mixed beliefs, a lot of misunderstood doctrines, and to be honest it kind of turned me off from church entirely. I came to this church at the age of 17 with my parents and was completely apathetic and numb to church. And then through listening to sermons and coming to church, I had a false conversion at the age of 21. I believed I was converted, listening and agreeing that my ultimate destination would be hell. I turned from a life of open sin and conformed to an outward set of principles that I was easily able to attain through my own free will. By checklist I did, I was able to complete every opportunity to preach the gospel I would, but it was all just a false exterior, a false inversion that allowed me to conform to the externally holy life of checklist and daily ritual. I read my Bible daily, attended church regularly, and went evangelizing every Saturday. It was easy for me to outwardly change because I believe these works were needed for salvation instead of coming from salvation in a broken heart. Looking back now, I can see that it was all just conforming to what I saw as the culture of cornerstone, and it was all just a veneer. During this time I was also baptized, and for a number of years I was certain I was saved. What I did not understand was salvation was from grace and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ instead of my own works. Again, externally, I could recite the memory verses, agree to doctrinal statements, and even preach the lost. Although missing was faith in our Lord Jesus and Him as King, and heart and holiness that comes from the Holy Spirit. I would witness to people at work, I would witness to people at school, but it was all just a veneer. It was wicked. Internally, I was dead. My lips I confessed, but with my heart I was far from God, because I did not have that firm foundation of Christ. When my heart's desire pulled me away, I was fully willing to go after my sin, whether it was gambling, lust, or outright rebellion. And during this time, I fully went headlong into a wicked, adulterous relationship that tore me from my family and my church and proved my wicked state. I was, as judges says, a man with no king, doing what was right in my own eyes. And yet God's mercy and patience and steadfast love continued with me through the church's loving review and concern and care for me. I had many conversations with brothers and eventually came back to the church knowing that I was lost, knowing that I was not saved, that my conversion was false, but still not saved. At this time, God's hand was pressing hard. The repercussions of my sin and wicked life choices caused me great pain. I had issues with money, with debt, with other things that come with that, and eventually ultimately divorce. God was showing me the wages of my sin as death, and no matter how long sin will come back and be judged. I was being shown that there is no hope in this life or world except hope in the redemptive work of Christ and His return. There is perfect life, His death and resurrection salvation is freely given to me, undeserving of anything but death. By His grace I was given a new heart, one that no longer strives for holiness as something to be attained, or as it means to be saved but as love and longing to be closer to my God and my Savior. He has blessed me with a loving family, a loving church, and two wonderful daughters who I pray would one day come to serve Christ as Lord and Savior. My journey is one of external conformity that looking back, I think of limitations and the writer of limitations coming back from the captivity saying, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. Thank you, thank you.