Gail Hosea’s story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late for God to bring transformation. A lifelong Arizona resident, Gail is the sixth of eight children. While she holds on to some fond family memories, many are overshadowed by the deep pain of growing up with an abusive father. From a young age, Gail learned to hide behind emotional “masks,” concealing not only what was happening at home but also the turmoil within her own heart and mind. This is unfortunately something that she would carry into adulthood. At 18, Gail left home, and shortly afterward, her father passed away. His death brought a flood of complicated emotions, but it also became the beginning of her journey toward understanding forgiveness. At 21, she met her first husband while serving in the National Guard, and it was through attending church with him that Gail accepted Jesus as her Savior. Looking back, however, she realizes that key pieces were missing, particularly genuine discipleship and community. While she had reverence for God, her daily life wasn’t centered around Him. Instead, she filled her life with idols—family, work, friends, and especially her children became her highest priorities. After her first marriage ended, God blessed her with a second husband, yet Gail continued living according to her own strength and understanding. For years and years, she leaned on self-reliance, still not finding true fulfillment. It wasn’t until living in Prescott that things slowly began to change. A friend came alongside her in a deeply intentional way, modeling what a vibrant relationship with God could look like. When Gail and her husband moved back to the Valley, she says it felt like she finally lost the “box of masks” she had carried for so long. At 63, she truly began her walk with Jesus—and life has never been the same. Gail shares how God awakened her heart to His love and how, despite her past, she now feels like she is living in the best chapters of her life. Though she sometimes grieves the time that feels lost, she rests in the truth that with God, nothing is ever wasted. His redemption is real, His grace is abundant, and all it takes is one intentional step.

Listen to Gail's discipleship journey on The Now Life podcast:

The Disciple's Journey of Gail Hosea + Danya Works Part 1

The Disciple's Journey of Gail Hosea + Danya Works Part 2

Desert Springs will be having baptism services August 23rd + 24th! Don't miss this opportunity to proclaim your faith in Jesus. Email robin@dscchurch.com to get started.

Want to share your story on The Stories Collective podcast in 2025? Email sarah@dscchurch.com

Would you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!

Karen Frey’s testimony is a powerful reminder of God’s redemptive work. With deep roots tied to the Desert Springs church building, Karen’s story is one of full-circle grace—how God gently led her back to a place she once thought she had left behind for good. Originally from Indiana, Karen fondly recalls how her mother faithfully brought the family to church every Sunday. She cherished that church community, being present whenever the church doors were open. That formative experience planted a seed in her heart, a longing for deep, authentic fellowship with God's people. In 2000, after moving to Arizona, Karen and her sons began attending a church that met at Westview High School in Avondale. It quickly became home. The tight-knit community supported her through one of the most difficult seasons of her life as she went through a divorce. The women in her small group were especially instrumental, surrounding her with prayer, encouragement, and love. As the church grew, exciting plans were made to build a new church and school in Goodyear. The future looked bright. But everything changed when troubling revelations came to light, ultimately leading to the heartbreaking dissolution of both the church and the school in 2006. The loss was devastating. Though Karen never turned her back on God, the disillusionment she felt made it difficult to re-engage with another church. After years of searching and disappointment, she stepped away from church life altogether. For five years, she lived in the tension of believing in God while feeling disconnected from His people. But in early 2019, God, ever faithful, began to stir her heart once more. Through His grace and kindness, He drew her back to community and back into fellowship. And in the most unexpected twist, He brought her right back to the very place where so much had once unraveled. Karen’s journey is a beautiful testimony of healing, restoration, and God’s unwavering pursuit of His people.

Ashley Nochevich's testimony (Karen's daughter-in-law!), Episode 137

Want to share your story on The Stories Collective podcast in 2025? Email sarah@dscchurch.com

Would you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!

It was an absolute pleasure to have Tim Dornseif join us in the studio! This moment feels especially meaningful, almost full circle, as just a year ago, Tim listened to a testimony on this very podcast that radically changed his life. You’ll have to tune in to hear how God used that story to begin a powerful transformation in his heart. Tim shares his journey with honesty and vulnerability. Raised in Indiana, his family occasionally attended a Lutheran church. He grew up with his mom and stepdad, not meeting his biological father until he was 25. The absence of a strong, present father figure left a deep wound, one that would later surface in painful and self-destructive ways. In his late teens, Tim had a sweet “meet-cute” with his now wife, Tay, while they were both working at Kroger—he in the meat department, she in the bakery. Though painfully shy, a coworker helped make the introduction, and sparks quickly flew. Not long after, they were married, expecting their first son, and relocating to Arizona. Tim began nursing school, and though life was moving forward, the mounting pressure brought old struggles back to the surface. One of those struggles was with pornography, a battle that lingered for years. Though Tim made efforts to be open with Tay and others, he often felt trapped and burdened by secrecy, convinced he couldn’t be fully known or accepted. After experiencing deep hurt at a church they had attended for six years, Tim and Tay found themselves at Desert Springs. There, Tim met Bradley Chaddick (his story is linked below) during a VBS event, and that connection became a turning point. For the first time, faith felt real. He no longer felt imprisoned by his sin but instead empowered to take steps toward healing. Through this new season, Tim encountered the Father’s love and grace in a way he never had before. Today, he walks in true community with God, with his wife, and with other men, experiencing a freedom and restoration that only Christ can bring.

Bradley Chaddick's testimony, Episode 120

Kyle Moore's testimony, Episode 123

Tuesday night Men's Connect Group at Desert Springs

Fathered by God by John Eldredge

"Holy Heat" with Seth Tramp + Tim Dornseif

If you find yourself struggling with a sexual addiction you are not alone. We want to help. Email Pastor Trevor at trevor@dscchurch.com to get started.

Want to share your story on The Stories Collective podcast in 2025? Email sarah@dscchurch.com

Would you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!