“I love giving to others because there have been a lot of people that have poured into me — numerous people throughout my life. I don’t know if I would be here if it wasn’t for them sacrificing their time, their energy, and their resources.”

Josh did not get along well with his parents — and they both knew it. When things at home became distraught, they knew something had to change.

THE SOIL

They placed Josh in a group home by the time he was a teenager, but it wasn’t a great fit for him. So he was moved to Gateway Woods and brought with him a lot of pain and trauma that dated all the way back to his early years in a European orphanage.

THE SEED

At first, Josh didn’t see his stay at Gateway as doing him much good. He felt like it was unproductive and a waste of time. He applied himself enough to get by – went to counseling, graduated high school, and worked through his treatment plan with his counselor and houseparents – and did well enough. Slowly, over time, his heart began to soften.

THE FRUIT

Josh eventually surrendered his life to Christ and was baptized! He can now recognize that God was working behind the scenes even before he came to Gateway, through his time at Gateway, his relationship with his LARC mentor, and has continued ever since. Combined with a little help from a lot of different people like you, Josh’s faith has grown and blossomed. God continues to transform his life in tangible ways like the restoration of his broken relationship with his adoptive parents. Where there was an angry and spiteful look in his eye when he was around them, there is now joy, love, and acceptance.

THE HARVEST

Today, Josh has a steady job, a church family he pours into, and a couple of young people he mentors in audio/visual arts. He’s a talented musician, which has taken him on such adventures as traveling with a nonprofit tour company to minister to at-risk youth through his original inspirational hip hop songs. He even started his own record label!

It’s best to let Josh sum it up in his own words: “I love giving to others because there have been a lot of people that have poured into me — numerous people throughout my life. I don’t know if I would be here if it wasn’t for them sacrificing their time, their energy, and their resources.”

Josh’s story has been going on for nearly a decade — seeds don’t sprout fruit ready to harvest overnight. Without passionate, committed givers like you, teenagers like Josh can easily fall by the wayside. A monthly commitment from you plays a vital role in turning hardened heart soils into an eternal Harvest for the Kingdom.

When you sign up to give monthly as a Sower of Hope we’ll send you a special gift as a reminder to pray for the youth you are impacting. For aging-out youth like Josh, will you become a Sower of Hope today?