Transformed Through Prayer and Community -Mike Kritikos

Mike’s story is a journey of faith and how, through struggle and pain, God was able to work through and transform his life. Despite growing up in a Greek Orthodox family, Mike had a distant relationship with faith. He referred to his connection with Jesus as a "valet" type—reaching out when in need but otherwise leaving church for Sundays. He spent 20 years working in his family's restaurant, shaping him into a man with a strong work ethic and desire to pursue the American Dream but leaving little room for spiritual development.Later in life, after his first marriage ended and raising two children, he entered a period of spiritual searching. He started attending church sporadically, feeling he needed to be there, though not committing until a random encounter with a man sitting in front of him at church asked Mike to join his wednsday night bible study. While wary, he attended and found community with the men in the group, which opened the door to explore deeper into his faith and a deeper relationship with God.Around this time, Mike was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which marked the beginning of a significant turning point in his life. The anxiety and fear of facing cancer pushed Mike to rely more on God, spending time in prayer and devotion, and finding comfort in the faith community he had been welcomed into. God had a plan for Mike that brought him to his knees and made his faith more real than ever, especially in the face of uncertainty regarding his health and future.“You know, God is my Father. He's there for me. I just need to reach out to Him in a loving way, and in a way of wanting; not just asking for things, but actually having a true relationship with God. He's my best friend. Jesus is my brother. He's my Savior. I mean, He's amazing for everything that He's done for me. And I pray about this all the time. I don't know what I'd do without Him. I wouldn't want to know life without God. He makes life better, and by just reaching out to Him and have Him be a part of your life, He makes life brighter than it was before.”