Jackie's Story

I grew up in a non-Christian home with a workaholic father. As a result, I started looking for identity in guys and was physically involved with them by 4th grade. 

At age fourteen I gave my heart to the Lord at a church camp. Two weeks later I met an older guy. Because I didn’t understand how to live like a Christ-follower, I continued to make the same wrong choices. My dad always said, “Don’t have sex until you are married.”

When Dad gave me a promise ring at Christmas, he didn’t know that sixteen days earlier I had had sex for the first time and was pregnant. 

My parents moved me to my grandma’s house seven hours away to get me out of that abusive relationship. I was a freshman, six months pregnant, and alone. After I had my son, I moved back home. My dad worked hard to be in my life, but I was so broken and ashamed that I continued to push him away. 

My parents decided to enroll me in a discipleship program called Master’s Commission. It was the hardest thing I had ever done since I had to leave my son home with my parents for a year. That year I met Jim Anderson—a life-impacting experience. When I asked for prayer, and he said, “I’ve heard about you and want you to know I am proud of you,” I broke immediately. No one had ever told me they were proud of my decision to keep Jacob. He repeated those words over and over until I didn’t have any tears left. I finally received God’s love and forgiveness. 

God has since blessed us with an incredible husband and father. Jacob has a dad who loves him, is raising him to love and fear the Lord, and is teaching him to respect and protect women. Sean is an associate pastor, and we have five children. 

Several years ago I started a ministry to teen moms. We celebrate that these girls are being reached and that they are making the choice to keep their babies. I cannot thank the Andersons enough for their obedience to the Lord. Because they said, “Yes!” I am truly living!

By Jackie Jamieson