I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA in a very troubled family. My father suffered badly with PTSD from WW2, as a result he and my mother drank excessively trying to dull the painful memories of war. Instead of finding relief though alcohol just made everything worse, much worse. Strife, confusion, and brokenness reigned in the home from my earliest memories. Anytime I could escape the terror of the home I would be gone. Looking back, I’m always surprised at the things a kid can learn on the streets of a big city. Yikes!
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Jamie & Carol Wilson
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I found myself in trouble with the law when still in grade school, narrowly dodged going to reform school, at times heavily consumed with drugs & alcohol myself, and dropped out of high school, which is way too normal for kids from troubled families. In my early & mid-teen years I lived in hippie communes, an old van, I hitch-hiked around the USA & Canada several times. Usually without any direction or discernable purpose.
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It was my third time hitch-hiking around the country that I stopped into a youth mission. The mission was called Shiloh, in North Bend, OR. That’s where I was told that good news story of the God who made us, knows us better than we know ourselves, and yet for some reason He passionately loves us all anyway!
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I was 18 years old the first time someone shared that lovely story of the Lord Jesus Christ. I opened my heart to Him and was truly, born again.
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Since then my life has had many twists & turns; my first marriage was at 19 years old, then finished high school, at 20 a daddy to my precious daughter, involved with several different churches, ministries, home missions, taught personal evangelism, studied chaplaincy 4 years at the White City V.A., hospital chaplain in different positions for 20 years, served as an associate pastor in several churches, and served as pastor in one other church. I’m ordained with the Southern Baptist Church Assoc, but the majority of the churches I have worked with were of Pentecostal beliefs.
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Carol & I married 11 years ago, and what a wonderful healing she has brought to my life. God has been so good to me!
Being offered this wonderful opportunity to pastor this amazing little group of God’s lambs at Wilderville Community Church has been a huge blessing to us. We are seeing God faithfully unfold His plans for this community! Come and see what God can do with you, too.