Gary Presnall

I grew up going to church, and I thank my mom and dad for having me go. I understood the Jesus died on the cross but really never understood the full meaning of his death and how it applied to me. As I grew older I always thought I would go to heaven when I died, but never gave it much thought. I figured good people go to heaven and bad people didn’t. I really didn’t believe there was a literal hell and I didn’t really believe there was a person named Satan.

For most of my life I was cocky, full of pride, full of myself. I always was putting myself and my goals and
personal interests ahead of my family. As I look back I wasn’t a very good husband or father. I made a
ton of mistakes and bad decisions, and certainly God was at the bottom of my priority list. I was working
in the foodservice industry in the mid 1980 and early 90s selling food to restaurants, hospitals etc. I
had a competitor I sold against who I ran across on a regular basis who was always talking to me about
Jesus. At that point in my life I wasn’t interested and I thought he was odd and way out there. Little did
I know that this person would be who God would use in leading me to the Lord later in life. My good
friend Kendall Kruger was who God used to trust Christ as my Savior. But at this time in my life I didn’t
need God. I had a good job and making decent money. During this time in foodservice, I developed
significant anxiety attacks and on many occasions thought I was having a heart attack. I couldn’t manage
them on my own so I began to take medication to help control the panic attacks. As I look back now, I
can see that at that time God was trying to break me down so I would be drawn to Him and depend on
Him, and not myself. The attacks I believe now were being used to soften me and try to break me of my
pride fullness and my reliance on self. I think in this time, that was when God started to draw me to
himself. As I look back, this was one of many events where the hand of God was present in my life. I was
beginning to think more about my mortality.

I left the foodservice business in 2002 and entered the banking business. In a short period of time I was
very successful and making plenty of money. But something was missing in my life and I could not put
my finger on it. The more things I accumulated and the more money I made, I felt empty. There was a
void in my life. Making more money and buying more things was not bringing me very much happiness.
These things were short term and the happiness never would last. I kept thinking, is this all there is?
Honestly I was not all that happy. My marriage was not all that great and I knew I wasn’t the dad I
wanted to or needed be to my kids. I became more and more concerned that when I died I was not
going to heaven. In 2006, I ran across Kendall again. He to left foodservice and was working for Principal.
I contacted him to see if he would be interested in exchanging referrals and meeting to do business
together. He began to ask me about my life and if I had a relationship with Christ. I relay didn’t know
what that meant , but I was interested in what he had to say. He asked me a pointed question. If I died
today and stood before God and God asked me why he should let me in to Heaven, what would you tell
God? I said I had done more good than bad and I was a pretty good person. He said to me if that was the
wrong answer would you like to know before you stand before God? Of course I said yes. I agreed to do
a bible study with Kendall once per week. He asked me to read the book, Purpose Driven Life. I read the
book and it became clear to me through reading that book that my purpose on this earth was to live a
life pleasing to God and to glorify God with my life. My purpose was becoming clear. In our bible study
we talked about salvation and being saved. I wanted to go to heaven but did not know what being saved
mean’t and how to get to heaven. He explained that Jesus died for me and he paid the penalty for my
sins. Until I put my faith and trust in what Christ did on the cross and accept what He did for me and that

He died in my place, Heaven would not be my destination. On February 27th, 2007, in the quietness of
my home one morning, I put my faith and trust In Jesus Christ. I admitted I was a sinner, and Asked God
to forgive me of all the sins I had committed against Him. I told Him that I knew I was not going to get
to heaven by my good works, it was not because I was a member of a church, or that I was baptized
and confirmed. , The only way I was going to get to heaven was trusting in Christ as my Savior. Trusting
in what he did personally for me. He paid my sin penalty. I am now right with God. After I surrendered
to Christ that morning, II felt an awesome calmness come over me and an unbelievable feeling. Later I
came to find out that it was the Holy Spirit that came into my heart to take up residence.
After Trusting in Christ as Savior, the bible came alive to me. I began to understand it. It began to
speak to me of how I was to live my life and what was pleasing to God. As my relationship with Christ
has grown stronger and the more I elevate Christ in my life and putting Him first, my marriage with
Sharon gets better and better. My love for Christ elevates my love for Sharon and my kids. I am a better
husband, father and person. It doesn’t mean I don’t sin any longer, but I am no longer a slave to sin and
sin doesn’t rule over me. I am more aware of my sin and when I do sin I feel the Holy Spirit convict me of
my sin.

I am very thankful and grateful God saved me. He is not only my Savior but he is Lord of my life. He is the
one I want calling the shots in my life. Whoever reads my testimony it is my hope that you will realize
you’re a sinner and that Jesus wants a relationship with you. Revelation 3:20 says “Behold, I stand at the
door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him,
and he with me.” Jesus is knocking on your heart, but he won’t come into your life unless you open the
door first and let him in. Today is the day to Trust in Christ as Savior. If you wait until you die, it’s too
late. Trust in Him today.