Share Your Story: Amanda

Jesus’ forgiveness can turn a life upside down. And that’s what Amanda experienced when she learned that forgiveness was for everyone—even her.

Amanda grew up in Wisconsin, and had a very close relationship with her father, who was quadriplegic. Amanda was devastated after he passed away when she was 14. Amanda’s father had “nailed it into her head” that God wasn’t real, so Amanda says, “When he died, I didn’t believe in God, but I was really mad at God, wondering how he could be a loving God and take away the most important person in my life.” From then on she thought of God as “a bad guy.”

Shortly after, she moved to Minnesota where she met a man on a dating website. She was 15, he was 24. He trafficked her, locking her away and forcing her into prostitution for years. At age 17, she told him she was pregnant and he beat her bloody. Afterwards, she was able to call the police and get to safety, while he was arrested and jailed.

Amanda continued to be angry with God, wondering how he could have allowed first her father’s death, and then this abusive relationship. She was also on her own, so not knowing what else to do, continued working as a prostitute. “It was the only way I knew how to make money or pay rent.”

When she was 31, her stepmother suggested trying out Woodland Hills. Amanda had never felt like she belonged at church, but decided she was ready to see what it was about. “On my first Sunday, I came up to Greg and he walked right up to me and shook my hand. I knew that was Jesus telling me this was where I needed to be.”

Amanda started to attend Woodland as often as she was able—Sunday services, Monday and Thursday groups and classes, and every Wednesday to volunteer at The Corner Shelf . She says, “I have attended every group Woodland has had for the past year and a half. Through the Recovery in Christ group, Amanda just celebrated one year free from crack cocaine. She says she volunteers at the food shelf to give back to people in need and to the community she took from, and as an expression of gratitude for the life she has been given to live.

The turning point in Amanda’s faith happened during the class Why Did Jesus Have to Die? She says, “The first story was about the prostitute who lay at Jesus’ feet and he forgave her. Right when that was said I really started believing in Jesus because I didn’t know that story. I didn’t know that Jesus could forgive me for what I’ve done, just the way he forgave the prostitute. And if I could never be forgiven why should I stop prostituting? Now I knew he forgave me. In the last three years I finally stopped because I don’t want to be living like that, I want to be one of Jesus’ children.”

Amanda says she now sees God as loving and forgiving and wanting a relationship with her. Because of his forgiveness she has been learning to forgive others.

Amanda was baptized at this year’s Summer Get Together and says, “I felt like a renewed soul. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired; I’m finally free. I noticed now that I’ve been baptized that the devil still tries me, but I have Jesus on my side, so the devil can flee.”

Amanda hopes one day to be a motivational speaker and use her story to spread awareness about human trafficking and abuse. She says she wants young women to know that they are worth more than being used by men and they don’t have to stay in abusive relationships. “You don’t need to sell your soul, your body or your mind, or let anybody put their hands on you, because you are Jesus’ child and he doesn’t want that for you. There is a brighter future ahead. Jesus is the one person who will never leave you. Everyone else can leave but Jesus is right there. I hope my story will inspire some people not to go down that road.”

Amanda, your story inspires us. Thank you for sharing about the beauty of God’s forgiveness!

If you have a story you’d like to share, please email us at info@whchurch.org.