Written by Susan and Linda Hardin

Susan:  I was lost; and because of the prayers of others, I repented. I am forgiven and Jesus is my Savior. I was raised in a Christian home and attended church every week. But I was a child who went her own way. I was a prodigal child and this is my story…

Women’s Ministries:  Tell us how you became a prodigal child.

Susan:  At the age of 12, I started to rebel. I was always doing what I wanted to do. Making bad choices became easy for me. I had Bulimia by the age of 15. Having an eating disorder had its hold on me for many years.

Then I fell in love with a drug addict and by the age of 17, I was pregnant with my son. I was too young to have a baby; I had no idea how to be a mother. I was a child myself. His father and I married for a short time. He introduced me into a whole new lifestyle—one that led to one dead-end after another. 
When I was 19, I went to a party with a friend. The doorman started talking to me and asked me if I had ever considered being a private dancer. The next thing out of my mouth was, “I am not a prostitute.” He assured me I would not have to sleep with anyone and I could make a lot of money.  He set me up with an agency. I was still very skeptical when I went to the appointment; but I signed up with the agency anyway. 

I saw all the money I made and didn’t have to do anything illegal for it. I also found a new lifestyle.  It didn’t take long before I was rolling in thousands of dollars a week, but I wasn’t happy. I started smoking marijuana to escape my reality. I became a very cold and callous person; money had its hold on me. The more I made, the more I wanted. I never had enough. I was very manipulative on how I got it. I became a con-artist. 

Within six months of being a dancer, I was living in a million dollar home. I was driving a Jaguar, Corvette, and wearing designer clothes. I had anything I wanted. At the age of 21, I was on top of the world. Or so I thought. I was still not happy, smoking marijuana every chance I had to escape my pain. 

Women’s Ministries:  What was a turning point for you?

Susan:  My father came to pick up my son one day. As he stood on my porch, he told me he had a vision. He said that one day I would be in front of thousands of people leading them to the Lord. I looked at him and told him that he was crazy because there was no way that would ever happen. I walked past him into the house.

I lived my life to have a good time. I had been hurt so much that I enjoyed hurting anyone who crossed me the wrong way. At that time, I even dabbled into a little bit of witchcraft, searching for answers and seeking revenge.

My life in the dancing industry became very dangerous but I felt invincible. I had an appointment one night shortly after the birth of my second son. The appointment went bad and for the first time I was very scared. All I thought about were my sons. I decided I was walking away from that lifestyle. And I did.

Women’s Ministries:  Is that when you became a believer in Jesus Christ?

Susan:  I walked away but still not to God. I went from one bad relationship to another, looking for love and happiness in all the wrong places. I would attend church occasionally, but I was not accepted by people. 

My father sent me on the Emmaus Walk when I was 25. It was a beautiful experience and for four months I tried to do what was right, stumbling along the way. I stopped smoking and drinking and attempted to do what I thought was the right thing. Unfortunately, I fell again. 
Women’s Ministries:  What happened next?

Susan:  I met a guy in 2002 and before I knew it, I started doing all the things I tried so hard to avoid. I stayed with him six and a half years. I really wanted to do what was right, and at times I really tried. I always fell right back into that lifestyle. He was not a Christian, and we became engaged to be married and continued to live together.  

In the back of my mind I knew God had bigger and better plans for my lif, and they didn’t include him. I continued to ignore what the Lord was trying to reveal to me for several years. I was never truly fulfilled or happy with my life. 

Women’s Ministries:  What brought you back to following Jesus Christ?

Susan:  In November of 2006, I started getting sick. I went to the doctor countless times. They thought it was my ears, so I was given prescription medicines and sent me on my way. By March I was getting worse by the day. They sent me to an ears, nose, and throat doctor, and he told me he thought it was neurological since my ears were fine. 

At this point, I had severe diarrhea, shook uncontrollably, and felt like my insides were on fire. On March 16, 2007, my mother took me to the neurologist’s office. At this point I was so sick I could barely walk.  It was all so surreal to me. As I was sitting there, the Lord started to speak to me. 
He said the date is 3:16 and the verse John 3:16 started to run through my mind.  For God so loved the World that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. The Lord was telling me it was time to come home; I couldn’t do it on my own anymore. 

I called my mom and asked her to call the pastor. She invited the pastor to come to my house. As I was lying there waiting on him, I thought if I die tonight I have wasted the last 29 years of my life. I had turned my back on God and ignored His will for my life. Instead I chose what I wanted to do. While I was thinking these things, I really thought I was going to die and I would never have the opportunity to serve God. I felt like my life had been such a waste. 

Women’s Ministries:  Tell us what happened when the pastor arrived.

Susan:  Well, he didn’t arrive until 9:00 p.m. He said he almost did not make it because everything was going wrong. I was ready to turn my whole life over to Jesus Christ. So on March 16, 2007, I asked Jesus Christ into my heart. 

Later that night I found out my father had gone to a farmer to buy a cow. My father remembered the prodigal son’s father had a calf waiting when his son returned home. My father started buying feed for the farmer’s cow. Daily my father would kneel before the Lord and pray for my salvation. During those years, he prayed and fed four different cows. After the last cow’s death, God gave my father peace that I would finally come home.  

For seventeen years, countless family and friends prayed for me. 

Women’s Ministries:  What happened after your conversion?

Susan:  Two days later I was admitted into the hospital. I was down to 105 pounds and my heart rate was still at 180. They ran countless tests. Some days were so bad I didn’t think I was going to pull through. They couldn’t find what was wrong and were searching for answers. 

I tried to sleep and would wake up feeling as if my heart was going to beat out of my chest, shaking so badly I would lie on my hands. Physically, I had no peace. I would lie there with my eyes closed listening to praise music, praying continually for God’s will. I thought my life was at the end. 

They ran some tests and told me I was pregnant. I did not understand why God would allow this to happen to me. I was barely alive and I didn’t know how I was going to go through a pregnancy. I cried like a baby; I felt so alone. 

I knew I was going to have to move out of my soon to be ex-fiancé house because we were not married. It was all overwhelming. 

As the medical staff prepared me for an endoscopy, my father prayed for me. Then he said how much he loved me and we would get through all of this. As he was talking, his voice started to fade in the background and the Lord started to speak to me again. 

He said, “You see how much your earthly father loves you? I love you so much more and your life is in My hands.” 

At that moment, I finally grasped what Jesus did for us that day on the cross. The depth of God’s love is indescribable.  I cannot even begin to fathom His love for me. 

I was hospitalized two more times for weeks. When I was released the last time, my dad took me home. After arriving home, he read Mathew 21 to me. It contains the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

My dad said, “Susan, you have been untied to start you ministry. When we come to the Lord we have to be untied from our past to fully serve him.” Because I was so sick, I couldn’t grasp what my father was telling me. 

My parents kept asking me when I was going to be baptized, but I never felt like it was the right time. I planned to devote the whole day of 3:16 of 2008 to prayer. When I looked at the calendar, I saw that 3:16 fell on Sunday. I knew that was the day I would be baptized. It was also the first anniversary of becoming a Christian. In addition, it was also Palm Sunday, making the correlation with my dad reading Mathew 21 to me about nine months earlier! I felt God was saying that I have finally been untied to do His will. It was a beautiful day. 

I am on fire for God. I can not stop talking about what He has done for me. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am doing His will. He has been so good to me; and if I spent the rest of eternity serving Him, it would not be enough. He has transformed me. He took my trash and turned it into treasure to glorify him. If He can do that for me, He can do that for anyone. 

Women’s Ministries: Thanks, Susan, for sharing your story with us. How exciting to see how God has transformed you. How encouraging for parents and others who are praying for the prodigals they know. You remind us that God is always working, even when we can’t see Him at work.
Is there anything else you’d like for us to hear?

Susan:  Yes. If someone is praying for a prodigal child or friend, do not give up. God is faithful.  He has perfect timing.   Prayer is powerful. I know prayer is why I’m sharing my story.  When I thought things were at the end, God had other plans.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” If you let Him, He will take us further than we can imagine. All we have to do is fully surrender everything to Him. May your life be a blessing to Him.

Women’s Ministries:  Here’s an update on Susan’s story. Susan introduced her former drug dealer to the Lord. He is faithful in church attendance and he is constantly reading his Bible and other Christian literature. He is being mentored by the pastor of Indianapolis Shepherd Community Church of the Nazarene and is involved in some of their ministries.