I am thrilled to introduce you to Maureen Hager, and she has an amazing story of redemption to share. Plus, make sure you check out her blog and especially her fantastic book, “Love’s Bullet.”

A painful journey through emotional, spiritual, and physical trauma led me to encounter God’s transforming love.Can any good thing come from brokenness? I discovered that the most devastating circumstances create an opportunity for God to reach those in the pit of despair and pull them up to higher ground.

My story of redemption and restoration in Christ begins with a misguided search for love and acceptance. We all desire to be loved and accepted.

When I was a young teenager, my parents divorced. While my siblings and I were at school, Mom moved all her belongings. Dad broke the news to us – she was never coming back. I lost all hope of ever being a part of a loving family.

Struggling to deal with my feelings of abandonment and anger, I developed a defiant attitude. My quest to find a meaningful relationship lured me into a world of drugs and life in an outlaw biker gang.

The gang promised me a sense of belonging. I became part of this biker family and embraced the camaraderie of my new brothers and sisters. I married one of the leaders, making me Viggo’s old lady and his property. He gave the orders, and I did as I was told.

My sense of security was a false one. I consistently witnessed many injustices against others. I was slipping into a dark world without hope. Viggo’s destructive forces of control and dominance left me powerless to live in any sort of freedom. There seemed to be no way of escape from the gang’s control on my life.

My answer came most unexpectedly. In the early morning hours, a rival gang armed with M16 rifles stood outside our Texas clubhouse where we lived. I was standing in the doorway facing the front windows and silhouetted by light when the shooting started.

As I reached for the light switch, I felt a fiery sensation in my left forearm that covered my heart. I used my left hand to turn on the light even though the switch was to my right. The Lord was my shield that night; He protected me from the gang that came to kill and destroy.

The impact of the bullets resulted in my left arm being blown apart, and the bone in my right leg shattered. Hours later, I awoke in the intensive care unit. The sounds of beeping machines surrounded me. Viggo was nowhere to be found.

For six months, my hospital bed became my home. Intense pain became a constant companion. Doctors weren’t optimistic that I would be able to walk or use my arm. After multiple surgeries and therapy sessions, none of the attempts at fusing my bones were successful. The last surgery left my right leg two inches shorter.

I was sure God was punishing me. As I lay in bed motionless and silent, it occurred to me that all my searching for love and acceptance had brought me to this place. There was no escape from the pain,  suffering, and uncertainty of the future.

My spirit was shattered, and I was consumed with shame, fear, and anger. Viggo left me in the hospital, dependent upon the nursing staff to care for me. I never saw him again. Determined to start a new life, I severed all ties with the gang. I knew none of them could ever be the family I longed to have. In desperation, I called my Dad to bring me home to a hospital in NJ. It was there that I would begin a year of intense rehabilitation therapy.

When a former biker friend invited me to attend a baptismal service at her church, I agreed to go because of the transformation I saw in her. Listening to the testimonies of others, the good news of the gospel filled my heart with hope.

All my efforts to start a new life had failed miserably. That night I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I learned deliverance and restoration come to those who open their heart to Him.

Healing is possible. The brokenness in my life became the key that unlocked the treasures of the love I sought – the love of the Father. His love gave me the courage to hope, to live, and to love again.

Today I am living a redeemed life with my Godly husband and two grown daughters. I am rejoicing in His provision as He prepares the path before me.

My book, Love’s Bullet, recounts my journey from brokenness to wholeness. Find it on Amazon and Redemption Press. Contact me at: www.MaureenHager.com

Website: www.MaureenHager.com

Blog: www.OutoftheBrokenness.com

Books: www.LovesBullet.com

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. ~ Psalm 147:3

Originally posted on May 14, 2021 @ 3:00 am