Chris Simpkins

I grew up in your standard rural small town American household just north of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Mom, Dad, Brother, Dogs. I had a great childhood filled with waterskiing, baseball, hockey, golf, and selling auto parts with my dad. Went off to college, met my wife, got a great job here in Groton, got married, and had our wonderful daughter Taylor. I had it all figured out. And then my dad, my best friend, got sick and passed away, almost without warning. My mom needed help, so we moved her out here into a retirement community. I became her primary caretaker, and watched her health decline as well. After her passing, I became angry, and confused. I couldn’t figure out why any of this was happening, and in the meantime I had gained a significant amount of weight and my own health was declining from a litany of bad choices. But when my wife brought me here, and I listened to the sermon from Gary about giving your problems to God, it was right then that I realized what was missing in my life. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior that very day. Since then, my health has improved, I’ve lost 190 pounds (and counting), and our family found the peace, community, and family we’d been searching for.

Verse: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10