Lisa Sample’s Testimony | Calling The Prodigal

I went to church with my grandparents some but when I was about 12 years old I started riding the church bus to a Baptist church in Waco and gave my heart to the Lord.

A few years later I began to get away from God, starting sneaking around drinking partying.

I got pregnant at 16 and became a high school dropout. I was in an abusive relationship to the point I feared for my life.

Anxiety & fear took over my life and there were many nights when I laid in my bed crying and begging God to not let me die.

They say God doesn’t hear sinner’s prayer but somehow he heard mine because he kept me.

I began to drink more, smoking occasional marijuana, even popping some pills, started going to bars, looking to men, anything that would fulfill my needs or get attention from but never feeling like I fit in.

Living like the prodigal child (Luke 15) away from my Father and my life was doing nothing but going downhill.

With no hope of a better life I did well to pay my rent and I drove a car that looked like it would fall apart at any minute.

I decided to take some classes to get my diploma, only to attend college for one year, once again being a dropout.

Around this time met and married my husband but I was so full of anger, bitterness and resentment that my marriage was all that and more.

I felt like I hated everything.

Just living day to day doing what I had to do and I never felt happy.

Then I went on to be blessed with a decent job and my husband and I were able to buy our own house.

Looking back now I can see that God had his hand on me the whole time.

I gradually quit drinking and began to feel that my life was going into a different direction, but there were still problems in my marriage.

My youngest son had a mole removed that came back with melanoma they said one more stage of it and it would’ve been in his blood.

This is when I reached out to my parents for prayer. I knew where to go for help but yet I hadn’t accepted the help for myself.

The question entered my mind, “is God is trying to get my attention?”.

Then my dad developed terminal cancer. I just knew God was really trying to get my attention, I thought to myself if my dad dies not knowing I’m saved I’ll never get over that, but still I didn’t turn to God.

My son and dad were healed thank God but God will allow these things to get your attention.

I’ve went through many trials over the years but I’ll tell you what got my attention….

When I became a hopeless helpless mother of an addict, worrying that one night you might get that call or knock on my door that your baby has died.

Not seeing or hearing from them for days or weeks and having to check cell phone records to see if they are using their phone so you’ll know they are alive.

I could no longer handle this on my own so I went to church with my cousin.

I had been in church many times but I felt something that day that I will never forget. I began going more and becoming more active in ministry all the time.

This month I will celebrate 9 years of being saved! I got saved on Easter Sunday. I was away from God for 26 years.

My parents prayed for me all during that time to be saved and return to God. He was right there all along waiting with open arms.

My life is far from perfect, but God gets me through every day. My husband & I will soon celebrate 30 years of marriage.

I’m blessed with 6 beautiful grandchildren. Since getting saved God has delivered me of anger and even though fear still tries to come in, I put it on the run as well.

I used to be a worrier but God told me if I’m worrying I’m not trusting Him so when I feel worry come I just pray and hear God say I’ve got this!

He has used me in many ways but my favorite is when I can lift up or encourage a mother that is concerned for her addicted child (because I know).

I was part of starting a prayer group in front of our county jail and went on after 5 years of praying to be able to go inside and tell the inmates about Jesus!

God allowed me to start a Street ministry in 2017 called Fresh Hope where we have fed the homeless and addicts spiritual and physical food.

My blessings are to many to count on all that God has done for me and through me. But, If I could tell you one thing today it’s ‘Don’t give up” Keep praying and pressing on for your loved ones that are away from God.

I look back and see so many times that I could have died, BUT GOD! Prodigal’s really do return home and I’m living proof of that! To God be the Glory!