Short stories of some changed lives from The Hill – Fall 2009

#1
When moving to this community, I felt foreign. There were many things that were unfamiliar to what I was used to, which struck me hard when I first arrived. I knew no one, and was not sure what to expect. In a short period of time, however, many people from the community greeted me with genuine kindness, and immediately invited me to various churches and Bible study groups. It was The Hill that stood out most. Not only were people so welcoming, but everyone was more than willing to share their own story of how they also felt different. I was welcomed into a group of ‘misfits’. But as misfits, there is one thing we have in common: Christ. The Hill has made such an impact on me by showing how no matter who you are, or what your past has been, Jesus welcomes all people. It is no wonder the group has grown so quickly in such a short period. I cannot express how thankful I am to be a part of The Hill. It is a true place of worship and fellowship, where friends are able to share both happiness and sadness. How awesome is it to be accepted and loved as you are? That everyone is in it together for God’s glory? I have met so many people in my life, but never have I seen such passionate people that live to serve the Lord.

#2
The hill means a lot to me. It’s a great place for the young adults to gather, worship God and have fellowship with one another. I started going to The Hill in February of this year, just a couple of weeks after my boyfriend had been arrested. I was beside myself because he was arrested right in front of me. He remained incarcerated from January until about 4 weeks ago. This proved to be a very emotional time for me but also a time for me to learn to trust in God. I’ve made a lot of good Christian friends that I dearly love. The Hill is unlike most, there are always things planned to keep us in community and fruitful. The Hill is a great place to worship and fellowship with others. The Hill holds a special place in my heart. The people there are great! Without God, my home church and The Hill, I’m not sure how well I would have weathered the last 8 months. The comfort, the talks, the prayers, and the support of The Hill have seen me through many tears. I am very thankful for The Hill and all the people there. They are really a great group. I am very blessed!

#3
Lots of times we think we know what’s best for us – where we’ll be, what we’ll do and what we want out of life… Sometimes, our plans don’t line up with God’s plans…Always, His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
My ways and plans wouldn’t have brought me to the Hill ministry. His, however, did and have. For this, I’m grateful. Through this ministry, God has taken me into a closer relationship with Him. The solid Biblical teaching has brought me to a better understanding of who He is, how He’s worked and how He is still working in lives today. The times of worship and fellowship are very meaningful and the opportunities to serve others and Him are blessings in my life. Many broken people come to the Hill and find the “glue” – the “Everlasting glue” that will put them back together again. Thanking God for His leading and for His provision for this ministry.

#4
My life plans were completely changed about a year and a half ago. After this, the Hill was there to encourage and give me a sense of belonging. Since then I have been able to move on and live my life according to God’s perfect plan. I have grown spiritually and have been challenged in many areas of my life at the Hill. It has been a great place for Christian fellowship and creating close relationships with other believers my own age. I have been encouraged seeing other young adults who are living for the Lord and the work He is doing around us.

#5
I like The Hill because it is a great place to not only fellowship with people that are your own age, but also receive great teaching. We are encouraged to take the teachings and discussions and wrestle with them and to incorporate them into our own lives. It has been a huge blessing to meet people from all over the area that go to different churches on Sunday morning and be able to worship with them on Sunday night. The Hill has been a much needed place for young adults to gather, have fun, and worship. I am excited to be able to meet even more people when we move into the new Hill!

#6
I grew up at Fairview, then left because I thought I wanted to live in the world instead. When I realized I was broken and needed the Lord in my life, they welcomed me back with open arms and helped me to take the next steps.
I grew up in church every Sunday and Wednesday. I was active in the youth group; some would have even said I was a leader. At the age of 14 things started to happen in my life that really made me question God. I left the church by 16 and went down a very dark road filled with drugs, depression, and self harm. I stayed here for a steady ten years. It was not until I truly feared for my life that I realized I needed to make some big changes. The first time I entered the Hill with my parents (they suggested I try it) I left moved to tears by the message and the sincere love I felt from every one there. I resisted the call from God for a while longer and then got to know some of the people from the Hill. They did not judge me as I told them my story and offered to help guide me in the next steps to returning to Christ. The Hill is a place I felt safe after not attending for years, and I fell in love with how real everyone was. No one judges, and it is a safe place to learn, ask questions, and fellowship with people at all different ages of spiritual maturity. This fellowship truly helped to change and save my life…literally. I know that God showed me my place to heal and it is with the people at the Hill.