Some of Our Stories

Genuine. Broken. Free. Addicted. Real. Passionate.

These are just a few of the words you might read throughout the following stories of people that have found Hope! Hope in Jesus and Hope as a community where they live out their faith. As you read these stories of real people, may you be encouraged and may you get a glimpse of the kind of people that make up Hope Community Church.

...More testimonies coming soon...

Brian Stisser

I grew up in a religious family attending a Lutheran church. I always felt close to God as a boy. I often had long talks with God before bed time. At a very young age, I asked God to use me for his work and his purpose. As I grew older into a pre-teenager, I grew more and more rebellious. I would be out drinking Saturday night, and in church Sunday mostly due my parents. By the end of my senior year in high school, I was blacking out at a regular basis, and having my personality change so much my friends called me Brian when I was sober, and Timmy when I was drunk.
My first two years in college, I went to a State college that I did not have to study that hard for. That left a lot of time for drinking, and "hooking up." After two years I decided I better get a career and started going to physical therapy (PT) school. PT classes where much harder so it left no time for anything else than studying.
When I graduated from PT, I decided to go back to my home town. There it was easy to start drinking again because most of my same drinking buddies were there. In a short period of time I was going to work with a hangover, and had a DWI. I knew God was giving me a wake up call, but I just did not stop. I met my wife at a party, and I knew right away she was more intelligent, funny, and beautiful than most girls I tried to date. Unfortunately I became drunk, lost all self control, and tried to take advantage of her. When I sobered up, God made sure I did not have a black out. I knew it was time to change my way because I knew there would not be an end to the downward spiral I was in. I tried to stop drinking, but with my same friends around it was very difficult. God was working on my wife to bring her back to me. One night I was making dinner and there she was at my door step. I think she was partly there to "let me have it." Everything we discussed was all honesty, and we started talking about God. With being honest it did not take long for my wife to forgive me, and even start to have feelings for me.
With God in control and wanting to change, God helped me to stop drinking. I finally started to draw closer to God again and became responsible. This did not happen over night, but God was leading me. I can look back on my past and realize God was always with me. He protected me many times from getting hurt when I was drinking. There was still consequences to my sins, but he was there. The Triune God is a God of forgiveness and love, who can lead us to an abundant life. Praise be to God that he has been gracious, giving God and given me so much. I no longer feel the slow death when I was drinking, but an exciting life in Christ and my family. Thank you God for always being there and saving me.

In Christ's love,
Brian Stisser

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