Our Founder’s Journey
From Brokenness to Calling: The Story of SuAnne Vannatter
SuAnne Vannatter is a tribal member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of L. Superior Ojibwe. SuAnne’s story begins in Chicago. Within the first year of her life SuAnne became separated from most of her siblings as their parents were caught in the world of addiction.
SuAnne has looked back to see how God clearly guided her life as she and her older brother Mike were fostered and then adopted by a Native American Christian couple both tribal members living on the Stockbridge-Munsee reservation.
Virgil and Ernestine Murphy were both WWII veterans, offering SuAnne and Mike two older “new” sisters and a loving and stable childhood, introducing them to Jesus at a young age.
As a young adult, SuAnne entered marriage, discovering the world of alcoholism through her husband’s addiction. Thankfully he found salvation in Jesus experiencing many years of sobriety committing his life to the Lord being a wonderful father, husband and friend.
Sadly, he briefly returned to alcohol once again. In the fall of 1999, his decision to drink and drive altered their family forever. SuAnne’s husband did survive though suffered traumatic brain injury and continued his journey with alcohol and their marriage did not survive. SuAnne became a single parent to their three sons ages 14, 10 and 7 and she returned to school to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Nearing the end of that academic pursuit in 2002, SuAnne’s brother was diagnosed with Hepatitis C due to his experiencing with drugs many years earlier. Unfortunately, Mike did not survive the treatment and passed away, leaving a son and daughter and his ‘baby sister’ SuAnne and so many others who loved him dearly.
Pressing on with the help of the Lord, SuAnne completed her degree in 2003. That year also brought a new marriage to Randy, whom the Lord brought to her along with one more son.
SuAnne went on to later receive her Master of Science in Nursing becoming a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.
During that painful yet healing season, God graciously brought the birth and adopted families together, reuniting SuAnne with her biological father and with her Ojibwe mother Betty Jack, who had retired from her many years as a substance abuse counselor.
SuAnne offered mental health services to veterans for six years before she began working on the Lac du Flambeau reservation in 2019, serving the Tribal and surrounding communities, grateful to walk alongside others as they find hope and healing.
SuAnne has personally walked through the pain and destruction that alcohol and addictions can bring to families, finding her faith in Jesus as the strength that brought her through it all. There have been gracious times of healing and hope. Randy and SuAnne thoroughly enjoy being grandparents to 13 grandchildren!
Sadly, there were additional deaths, losses and pain within SuAnne’s extended family all related to substance abuse which would take many more stories, tears, and photos to tell.
Through her role as a mental health provider and being witness to the pain and destruction she saw in others SuAnne sought the Lord to be used to do more for her Native brothers and sisters and all who struggle with addictions and the families they represent.
God answered.
As only God can do, He allowed lives and stories to intersect. In the summer of 2022, SuAnne and Randy visited a church in Phillips, Wisconsin and learned of a new Christian transitional living center in Hayward, Wisconsin. They heard the testimony of men who found sobriety and salvation, being transformed through the power of Jesus Christ.
God’s plan began to unfold
Within days God quickly confirmed this direction when SuAnne’s nephew, her late brother’s son Mike called asking for help, ready to battle his addiction. He was aware he could not survive much longer.
Mike was accepted into the Hayward House of Hope and by August of 2022 he found salvation in Jesus and deliverance from alcohol and drugs. Mike remains sober and in training for ministry and is now on staff.
SuAnne was grateful for God’s clear direction and seeing good coming out of what the enemy meant for evil.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11 (NLT)
And so began the birth of Yahweh Warrior Lodge, a Northwoods Training Ground.