My name is Lisa Hamer.
I had a wonderful childhood growing up in the country just south of Columbus, Ohio. I had the typical family life and was the baby of the family. My mom and dad were loving to us kids and always provided for us to be able to do so many things. After leaving a teaching career with the birth of my oldest brother, my mother was a stay at home mom. She is the one who nurtured us children and showed us true, genuine love. She is a strong Christian woman whom I look up to still. We went to church every Sunday morning and on Wednesday nights for Awana and youth group. Sadly though, much of this was done without my dad.
I grew up in a small fundamental Baptist Church where my mom was the organist for many years. I accepted Christ when I was five and was baptized in my farm pond when I was seven. In high school, I started thinking that church wasn’t fun anymore and didn’t attend regularly. I entered college and left Jesus at the door. I lived up the whole college experience involving drinking and smoking and had what I thought was the time of my life. Upon graduation from college, none of my college friends ever knew that I had a true, ever‐lasting friend in Jesus. I never shared Him with them and thought if I had it would be hypocritical since I never lived a life that was honoring to Him.
After college I visited a relative in the Florida Keys and went back again a short time later. I fell in love with a guy and ended up making a terrible decision and moved to Florida. I knew my mom was sad to be losing me and learned now that all she could do was pray and trust that God would watch over my life. I had my own apartment but in reality we were living together. At first, it was like paradise, but it soon turned into a prison. He was an alcoholic and into drugs. He was possessive and suicidal and wouldn’t allow me to keep in touch with friends back home. I became depressed, gained weight, and had no hope of getting out, I felt trapped. One night, I grabbed my Bible and found comfort in reading the pages. I began questioning how I had gotten here and in this mess and I was scared.
I felt the need to get to church and look up to Jesus. I had hit rock bottom. I went to a little Baptist church and felt right at home. The following Sunday the message was about living the Christian life and walking in it, not just talking about it. A lady greeted me kindly after the service and I just broke. I explained my situation and she invited me to her home to call my mom. Two days later I was picking up my parents at the airport and moving back to Ohio. I still thank God for my sweet friend.
Living back with my parents until I got settled I looked for a church and found Northwest Bible Church. I began singing in the choir, went on a mission trip to Estonia and met my current husband. Matt loved me from the start despite my past. Satan continues to try and throw my past back in the game, but God has helped erase those doubts. I love living as a Pastor’s wife and knowing that God is walking right with me every step I take from my past to the future.
If you have stuff in your past that you can’t seem to be free of – let go and let God. He wants you to give your problems, sorrows, hurts, and guilt over to him. He is our healer.
I had a wonderful childhood growing up in the country just south of Columbus, Ohio. I had the typical family life and was the baby of the family. My mom and dad were loving to us kids and always provided for us to be able to do so many things. After leaving a teaching career with the birth of my oldest brother, my mother was a stay at home mom. She is the one who nurtured us children and showed us true, genuine love. She is a strong Christian woman whom I look up to still. We went to church every Sunday morning and on Wednesday nights for Awana and youth group. Sadly though, much of this was done without my dad.
I grew up in a small fundamental Baptist Church where my mom was the organist for many years. I accepted Christ when I was five and was baptized in my farm pond when I was seven. In high school, I started thinking that church wasn’t fun anymore and didn’t attend regularly. I entered college and left Jesus at the door. I lived up the whole college experience involving drinking and smoking and had what I thought was the time of my life. Upon graduation from college, none of my college friends ever knew that I had a true, ever‐lasting friend in Jesus. I never shared Him with them and thought if I had it would be hypocritical since I never lived a life that was honoring to Him.
After college I visited a relative in the Florida Keys and went back again a short time later. I fell in love with a guy and ended up making a terrible decision and moved to Florida. I knew my mom was sad to be losing me and learned now that all she could do was pray and trust that God would watch over my life. I had my own apartment but in reality we were living together. At first, it was like paradise, but it soon turned into a prison. He was an alcoholic and into drugs. He was possessive and suicidal and wouldn’t allow me to keep in touch with friends back home. I became depressed, gained weight, and had no hope of getting out, I felt trapped. One night, I grabbed my Bible and found comfort in reading the pages. I began questioning how I had gotten here and in this mess and I was scared.
I felt the need to get to church and look up to Jesus. I had hit rock bottom. I went to a little Baptist church and felt right at home. The following Sunday the message was about living the Christian life and walking in it, not just talking about it. A lady greeted me kindly after the service and I just broke. I explained my situation and she invited me to her home to call my mom. Two days later I was picking up my parents at the airport and moving back to Ohio. I still thank God for my sweet friend.
Living back with my parents until I got settled I looked for a church and found Northwest Bible Church. I began singing in the choir, went on a mission trip to Estonia and met my current husband. Matt loved me from the start despite my past. Satan continues to try and throw my past back in the game, but God has helped erase those doubts. I love living as a Pastor’s wife and knowing that God is walking right with me every step I take from my past to the future.
If you have stuff in your past that you can’t seem to be free of – let go and let God. He wants you to give your problems, sorrows, hurts, and guilt over to him. He is our healer.
