Hi there, my name is Holly Hannan and I am a 38 year old mother of five beautiful children. I have twins that are fourteen, an eleven year old, a six year old and a four year old. I was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. Before coming to Lydia house, my life was chaotic. I was broken, strung out on meth, and abandoning my children; leaving them in the care of my mother. I was in a relationship with a man that cheated on me all the time, leaving me to feel worthless and unloved. I was sent to jail on serious charges and with those charges I was federally indicted. While I was incarcerated I was introduced to my savior Jesus Christ through Good News Jail Ministries. I was released on federal pretrial and that is where my journey truly began.
I came to the Lydia House July 25, 2017 and since being here, I have been discipled from day one. See, this is a spiritual program and every lesson is a ‘bring your bible’ type of lesson. There have been numerous volunteers and staff that have shown me the way of the Lord. By being obedient to the Lord, I have been able to earn the trust of my family, obtain godly friendships, and give full trust and faith to God. None of this came easily. There have been trials and tribulations and the Lord has sent waves of destruction into my life until I gave up and let him lead me.
I would like to share a verse with you: So do not fear, for I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you: I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 – This verse is special because I am nothing without God. Let me tell you today looks very different for me than when I came into the Lydia House a broken mess. Today I have been blessed with getting over obstacles that I thought never possible. One of those that is dear to my heart is earning the trust of my children and mother again. Bonds of addiction no longer hold me down and I get to watch miracles happen all around me letting me know that God is with us.
I would like to thank all the staff and the volunteers that make Lydia house and Open Door Mission possible, because without them, none of this is possible. They have helped me get my life back and one that is even better than I ever imagined. Thank you especially to Felicia, Meredith, and Angela for helping me to see the kind of woman in Christ I would like to be. Their examples have helped me in ways they will never know. I would also like to thank my mother Anna McNew for never giving up on me and helping me with my family. Without her I am also nothing. Thank you very much for coming to help us celebrate this awesome day.
Holly Hannan
New Life Recovery Program Graduate