Izzy Hindmarch

I had no idea what a Christian was – I used to see the advert for the Alpha course on the back of buses and those Christian fish stickers in peoples cars. I would say to friends ‘I’m gona do that course and get one of those fish stickers’.

I’d never had religion in my life just plenty of drama and ups and downs but I always had this feeling that there was more to life and something bigger was out there.  After years of struggling as a single parent my life finally started to settle down, I married a wonderful guy, my friendships were solid and I accepted that my long suffering family would always love me despite all my past mistakes.

For some strange reason I finally decided that I would go to church on Easter Sunday 2008 to find God.  I went to the nearest traditional looking church, hid at the back and cried through the whole boring service.  A couple of months went by and out of the blue I saw an advert in the local paper for an Alpha course in Whitley Bay. I still wanted to find God and thought I could do the course in a town where no-one knew me and then just get on with the rest of my life. During the weeks leading up to the start of the course I found myself singing for no reason and everyone could see how excited I was at finally signing up on one of these Alpha courses.

The course was very informal and went at a pace that suited me and my understanding. A few weeks into the course I found what had been missing from my life for all those years – Jesus. I can still remember the first service I went to at Acorn and how the service was so up-lifting with a live band, great worship songs and a sermon that wasn’t at all boring!

I decided to accept Jesus into my life and begin living for him. Family and friends are still getting used to the new me and the changes for the better since inviting Jesus into my life. They came to watch as I got baptised on Easter Sunday 2009 to confirm that Jesus is my salvation.

I’ve met some wonderful people since joining Acorn Community Church and some ‘forever friends’ in small group and yes, I’m now the proud owner of a fish sticker on my car!

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