Hannah Eyre, a senior at Tallmadge high school converses about her childhood faith and recommends ways to get involved with other Christians.

Q: Who/what first introduced you to Christianity?

A: Well, I grew up in a Christian household, so my parents introduced me to the gospel message very early in life.

Q: What is your testimony?

A: I accepted Christ at the age of five, but it was not until in high school (pretty much right now) that I fully grasped what it means to be a believer. I have gone through lots of highs and lows and had plenty of struggles, but was able to overcome all of it with the help of Christ. I know that no matter what happens on this earth, I am loved by my Savior who loved me so much that he died on the cross and rose from the dead, defeating death so that I could spend eternity with him. Once I understood how big of a deal that was, I really started taking my faith seriously and realized the weight of what it means to be a Christian and to live out God’s Word and will for me.

Q: Have you been baptized? If so, when did you decide to? If not, are you planning on doing it? If you aren’t, why not?

A: I was baptized in November of 2017, which was my seventh-grade year. I decided I wanted to be baptized that previous summer after spending a week at Camp Carl and feeling a calling to be baptized.

Q: What is something you would tell a new Christian to help them learn more about God?

A: I would say the biggest thing is reading your bible and finding community. The Bible is scary when you do not know what to read or what any of it means, which is what makes finding community so important. Find somebody who can help guide you through the Word and help you understand it rather than trying to navigate it on your own. Not only that but having people who are there supporting you through your journey is the most important thing, especially when you are new to the faith. 

Q: What is your favorite go-to verse and why?

A: My go-to bible verse would have to be Isaiah 43:4, “because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you.” This verse got me through a tough time of loneliness and feeling unloved. It was the first verse I had read that was God directly stating that he loves me so it really stuck out to me and always has.

Q: Do you believe prayer has helped you? If so, why? If not, why?

A: Yes, absolutely prayer has helped! The power of prayer is amazing and incomprehensible. Once I started praying more, I could actually feel a difference in the way I was living and my mindset on life. There is a stigma around prayer, but once you grasp the concept that it is basically just a conversation with God, it is not nearly as scary or nerve-wracking as one might think.

Q: What has been your favorite part about your relationship with God?

A: I would say my favorite part is the contentment it gives me. Once I strengthened my relationship with God and learned about his attributes and characteristics, I was truly able to feel joy and feel content about my life and where He is leading me. He offers security, love, and comfort that no human could ever fulfill.

Q: What do you wish you could tell someone who does not like Christians/Christian religion? How would you convince someone to change their mind?

A: I wish I could tell them that true Christianity is not at all like it has been portrayed in the media. It is not a cult, it is not perfect people, it is not judgemental people…I do not know how to fully change somebody’s mind, but I would start by being loving to them and not pushing them away just because they “hate me” or any Christian for that matter. Christians are called to be loving and share the gospel with others, and I would make a point to do that, without trying to force anything or judge anyone for not believing what I believe.

Q: What is one thing you wish you could change in our world and why?

A: This is a tough question and I feel like there is no simple answer, but I think I would have to say I wish people in this world were open-minded and willing to listen to what other people have to say instead of immediately writing something off because it does not align with your beliefs and opinions. I think people would get along much better if we learned to be okay with our differences instead of using them as a means of separation. 

Q: Anything else you would like to share about yourself, your experiences, Christianity, FCA, etc?

A: First of all, come to FCA! It is so much fun and we have a good time, I do not want anybody to miss out. I think I just want to finish by saying, to be open-minded and willing, it does not hurt to try something out at least once. I do not want anybody to miss out on hearing the gospel when it is such a life-altering thing.