16 Nov || Jacob Hill's Story - Lift Talks: Stories of Resilience

·17 min·1 clip

When his parents separated and knee injuries ended his Olympic dream at 13, Jacob tried pot and felt pain vanish for the first time.

The episode is a solo narrative by Jacob Hill, structured as a personal testimony delivered in a church setting. He begins by framing his talk around God's intention for people to have life to the full, not just survive. Jacob describes his childhood in Belmont, Vic Park, and Carlisle, unaware his family's poverty and dysfunction were unusual. His parents had traumatic backgrounds, including foster care and violence, but provided a stable home. Jacob excelled at sports, winning trophies and earning a high school scholarship, with dreams of Olympic gold. At 13, his parents separated and knee injuries ended his athletic career, leading to identity loss. He tried marijuana with his brother's friends, finding relief from emotional pain, and stayed high from 13 to 21. His addiction escalated to heroin, resulting in arrests, a coma at 18, and dropping out after year eight. His rock bottom came listening to a Grinspoon song, realizing he was meant for more. At 21, his mother urged rehab, and he entered Teen Challenge, a Christian drug and alcohol center. There, he prayed for God to remove his desire for drugs, committed fully, and completed the program. He later worked at the center helping others, returned to Perth, got married, and pastored a church for 15 years. Jacob also worked with addiction and homelessness, feeding 300 people daily. He prayed to affect policy, leading to his role as State Director of Western Australia for the Australian Christian Lobby. He now interfaces with government, praying with parliamentarians and advocating for laws consistent with the Bible. The episode concludes with a call to follow Lift Church on social media.

As heard by us

A Christian testimony links a disrupted athletic future with resilience, faith, and public purpose.

This single-episode review follows a testimony shaped by Christian conviction, resilience, and the loss of an expected future. The account begins with the belief that God intends life to be lived fully, then moves through sporting ambition, a scholarship path, his parents'…

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Why you'd press play

You want a resilience story that moves from school trophies and knee problems to prayer in Parliament House.

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