God is at work in a powerful way through three of our Genesis Leaders—Greg, Peg, and Peggy. Week after week, they show up at a local recovery center with open hearts, building genuine relationships and making room for people who are longing for healing, hope, and belonging to experience the love of Jesus.

It began with a gentle nudge from God.

As a church leader, Greg had come to notice something heartbreaking: people in his community were carrying deep wounds from past experiences with church. They had felt judged, condemned, and pushed away. And that kind of pain is not easily forgotten. So instead of expecting them to come back to the church, Greg and his wife chose to go to them.

They took a courageous step of faith, and started hosting game nights at a local recovery center—bringing snacks, sharing laughter, and making space for prayer. More than anything, they wanted people to feel seen, valued, and loved.

During one of those gatherings, while everyone else joined in the games, a man stayed off to the side, quietly watching. As things came to a close, he said, “I don’t know much about religion, but this is what Christianity ought to look like. People like you wanting to spend time with people like us.”

That moment stayed with Greg, and it deeply moved Peggy as well. She said his words “tugged at my heart” because they captured exactly what God was doing in that room.

From there, Greg, Peg, and Peggy kept following God’s lead. They remained committed to spending intentional time with the men and women at the recovery center, listening to their stories and sharing their own journeys of faith.

For Peggy, stepping into that space meant moving beyond the comfort of her “little Christian bubble” and saying yes to the kind of obedience God uses to transform lives. As she put it, “God leads me places I don’t really want to go, but God has blessed me every time I say yes.”

Whenever Greg, Peg, and Peggy enter the recovery center, they carry a simple message that reflects the heart of Jesus: “I love you no matter what.” That kind of love has helped people feel safe, welcomed, and deeply cared for, opening the door to a growing curiosity about Jesus.

They’ve already witnessed an incredible miracle: 24 people have responded with faith in Jesus! As new life began to take root, Greg, Peg, and Peggy started offering a monthly opportunity for people to be baptized.

Greg described it this way: “We’ll mention, ‘Hey, next week we have an opportunity for baptism. If anybody’s interested, this is what baptism is, and what we believe God does for us in baptism.’ And when we ask if anybody wants to be baptized, hands just shoot up. It blows me away.”

As Greg, Peg, and Peggy continue walking alongside the people they meet at the recovery center, God is weaving them into a growing faith community. Each Sunday, they drive the church van to sober living homes and halfway houses, bringing 4 to 8 people to worship with them and share in the joy of Jesus.

For Greg, this journey has been a powerful example of how much God can do when we simply make ourselves available. As he has shown up, listened, and trusted the Holy Spirit to move, he has seen firsthand how God uses even small, simple acts of obedience to do far more than he could have imagined.

Peg shared that this experience has deepened her awareness of our shared need for God’s grace and of how much we all have in common. That perspective has helped her meet others with greater tenderness, humility, and compassion.

For Peggy, this has been a steady lesson in trusting God’s presence. She reflected that, step by step, she is learning that she does not need to have everything figured out. She simply needs to trust Him and follow where He leads.

Do you want to share your faith but you’re not sure where to start? You’re not alone. Awaken is a 4-session training that helps you move from “I don’t know how” to “I can do this,” as you embrace the three basic essentials you need to begin sharing Jesus with the people around you. Learn more →.