The Full Story
About Steve
I am an Ohio native, born and raised in East Lake, Ohio. My parents were Gary and Donna Noall and I was raised with morals and respect for my family. My dad was not much of talker and my mother was beautiful and organized. She was a stay at home mom, who took care of her family, while my father worked full time at Lincoln Electric. I can remember my mom taking care of business, all the vacations, holidays, family gatherings, my games and very involved in our lives. Nothing got passed her.
I was born on October 20, 1963, oldest of 4 children. I have 3 sisters, so you can just imagine what my life looked like. I love my family. Like every family there were quirks and problems, but all in all we worked through them. Like I said, I was the oldest of 4 and for the most part we all got along. I was your typical American boy, raised by both parents, but I was closer to my mom. I hated school and did as little as possible and graduated by the skin of my teeth. I played baseball and football growing up and could count on one hand how many times my father showed up to a game. I did not have a good relationship with dad. He was sturn and I really couldn't relate to him much. I couldn't wait to move out the house. My dad was a great uncle and had an amazing relationship with his nephews, but it didn't transfer over to me. I felt I was a big disappointment to him. As far back as I can remember, I worked my tail off delivering newspapers. In high school I was in the work study program, going to school part time and working the other part of the time.
I was upset for a long time when the day of my graduation came. My school was literally down the end of my street and my dad did not show up to see me receive my diploma. For years that bothered me. But I would show him, at 18 years old, I decided to move out on my own. My mom was asking me if I was sure and me and my pride said yes. Dad said, "the door doesn't swing both ways. That fuelled me even more to leave.
After moving out, I had lost my job and realized that I could not pay the rent and I was eating food from a can, but nothing would get me to move back home or to allow my dad to be right. So I pressed on and made my way. I worked hard and long to make the money and I made lots of it. I was overweight and began to lose the weight, I had bought my first Motorcycle and got a lot of attention from women. I was partying it up and I was living the dream, so I thought. All this self sufficiency made me feel invincible. For a moment I was on top of the world. But slowly I began to spiral down into a dangerous road of addictions. The pain of my actions slowly began to sprout out of the root of rejection from dad. I lived a life of promiscuity, trying to fill the voids of loneliness. I made decisions based on fear of being alone. In desperation, my girlfriend moved in with me and we engaged in premarital sexual relations and although I saw all the red flags, I ignored them and married her just so I can have someone to be with. That marriage ended and I began my next search going into the same pattern of moving in together, premarital sexual relations, marriage and to top it off, I was addicted to pornography.
I hit rock bottom and wanted to end my life. At that very moment I received a phone call from my best friend, mentor and accountability brother and for lack of better words, he talked me off the ledge. In the midst of my pain and addiction, God called me to go to a Promise Keepers event. I thought, what do I have to lose. I needed to be with godly men. So I went to the event and while I was there the message hit my heart and I fell on my knees and rededicated my life to Christ. That day I committed to be in the Word for 40 days. I can tell you that God restored me, my life, my relationship with Him, He gave me an apartment, a new wife, and delivered me from the addiction of pornography. All this, because I surrendered all to Him.
I share this part of my life with you because this did not happen overnight. This is what I like to call "The Slow Fade." When you least expect it, you find yourself in a pit of despair that was created by the poor decisions you made from the pain and hurt of your past. I'm here to tell you, you don't have to live in your situation any longer. The question on the floor is... "What idols are you worshipping to help you cope with life right now? An idol is anything you put before God that keeps you from moving forward in your life.
It takes courage to want accountability and guidance to move past your patterns and coping mechanisms. Allow me to walk with you in your journey so that you can receive healing for your past and hope and guidance towards moving forward in your life. It's never too late to learn how to live an abundant life Jesus came to give you.
Don't wait any longer! Take your first step out of your misery and into your wonderful life.