Faith&Friends
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but I knew she was dying.” During that last visit before her passing, George’s mother reminded him that having a relationship with God was important. She told George that she prayed for him regularly, wanted him to make things right with God and begged him to return to church. “But I just couldn’t make that promise to her,” George says. “I
ina to attend church at The Salvation Army in Glencairn, Ont. Desperate for a change, they decided to go. “It was a small congregation, but I really liked it there,” George says. “People at the church knew about my problems, and they were kind and helpful. The pastors shared their faith, but they never pressured me to change. At the church, I saw other men who I knew had
“ I was fighting it, but I knew I needed to commit my life to God.” GEORGE PRESTON
was so far from God at that time. I was more concerned with what my friends thought of me. I wasn’t ready to give up my bad habits and go to church.” George bought his own truck, which helped curb his drinking. “I was on the road a lot, so I couldn’t drink as often,” he says. The longer George stayed in his gambling addiction, the worse his situation grew. “We never went bankrupt or anything, but my visits to the casino definitely made our finances more difficult,” he says. “I needed to make a change.” Life-Changing Question Then a friend invited him and Rob14 • APRIL 2020 I faithandfriends.ca
had drinking problems in the past, but they were clean now. I wanted that, too.” One Sunday morning in 2009, the pastor asked a life-changing question during his sermon: “What’s holding you back?” “I was fighting it, but I knew I needed to commit my life to God,” George says. He and Robina had been attending church for about a year, and they knew it was time. George and Robina knelt at the front of the church that morning. George immediately felt freer. “I was forgiven and, with God’s help, I quit drinking. The gambling had a stronger hold on me, but I’m happy
