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My name is Allen Hart
and this is my story...
I grew up on the streets of Mount Washington here in Pittsburgh where at an early age; my grandfather nicknamed me "Iron Head" because of my stubborn nature. As a child, my sister did little wrong and I quickly became the son who would never amount to anything. Called "Butterball" by my mom and picked on by the neighborhood boys, I was a pudgy kid who grew up angry learning to talk with my fists. Trouble seemed to find me often whether I was "plumming" Mr. Guyon's house with over-ripe plums or spilling paint and cutting all the appliance cords at the Layburns. By age eight, I was traveling by myself downtown to the YMCA and hanging out at the riverfront fishing with a friend. I loved being gone from sun-up till dinner with no questions asked.
Reflecting on those early years, I recognize now that there was a great deal missing. My parents weren't really available to me. I was never asked where I had been, who I had been with, or what I had been doing. I had no mentor to meet my needs or give me direction and I took it upon myself to fill the gaps in my life. I had heard of God, but I was a self-centered fourteen year-old convinced I was insignificant to Him. My high school years were wasted abusing substances, ditching classes daily, getting suspended and questioning whether that was all there was to life. Hurting inside and having nowhere, and no one, to turn to I had no idea how to fix my life so I stayed the course and convinced myself it was ok.
After graduation, I married my incredible wife Michele, but I was lost and unprepared for the leap into adult life passing off responsibility for my poor decisions, blaming others, and making excuses about the rules not applying to me. Being your own boss is not for the weak in character or the undisciplined and unfortunately, I was both. Though I looked in the bathroom mirror wishing and hoping someone else would be there, I was too proud, ashamed, and stupid to look to God for any answers. Why Michele stuck around I'll never know. My life became a blur of bad choices dropping me in a place where you're issued an orange jumper to wear, a pillow, one extra blanket, and no friends.
After some further hard lessons, I was surprised to find myself, one day, on my knees and praying as I'd never prayed before. Sobbing, I opened my heart and entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ not knowing what all that might mean, but experiencing a peace I'd not had before. I awakened the next day with little prospect of seeing my family anytime soon, but with a new vision of life. Eventually, God amazingly opened some doors that returned me to my wife and children. Turning from old haunts, habits, and friends, I set out to rebuild my marriage…my life…and discovered that life had purpose and reason for the first time.
Soon, our journey brought us here to Orchard Hill where we enjoy the worship experiences and have found a home. Michele and I are now small group leaders together and our boys are growing in their faith with their friends. In January, I'll begin meeting weekly with twelve other men as we explore together what God expects of us as husbands, fathers, and leaders. God has even restored my relationship with my father and I'm so grateful that we now both share a faith in Jesus Christ.
I've chosen, without regret, to lead a life less lived and hope that my sons will grow to make better life choices and become men of honor – first in the eyes of God, second in the eyes of their wives and families, and third, in the eyes of men. Though I'm occasionally tempted by "Iron Head", I trust in God and cannot wait to see what He has in store for me each day. My name is Allen Hart and this is my story.
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