HGTV personality and Christian author Jen Hatmaker has opened up about how she discovered her then-husband, Brandon Hatmaker, was cheating on her. In her memoir Awake, released this week, she described the moment from July 2020 that changed her life.
According to a New York Post report, Jen woke up at 2.30 AM to hear Brandon speaking on the phone and saying, “I just cannot quit you.” He fell asleep soon after, and he also reeked of alcohol. The revelation, Jen wrote, marked the end of her life as she knew it.
The trail of betrayal
Shocked and disoriented, Jen spent the next four hours searching Brandon’s computer. She uncovered what she called a devastating trail of betrayal, including evidence of a long-term affair and expensive gifts Brandon had bought for his girlfriend. The spending, she claimed, plunged the family into financial chaos, according to the New York Post.
Jen confronted him the next morning and threw him out of their Texas home.
Who is Brandon Hatmaker?
Brandon Hatmaker, 53, is a pastor, author, and TV personality. According to his author bio on Google Books, Brandon co-founded Austin New Church in 2008 with Jen and also created the Legacy Collective, a non-profit community which funds solutions to social issues worldwide.
Hatmaker authored Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture and appeared with Jen in the HGTV series My Big Family Renovation. He also described himself as a motorcycle and hot rod enthusiast and a “huge fan of the underdog”.
A marriage built on faith
The New York Post report states that Jen and Brandon got married when she was 19. Together, they raised five children: three biological and two adopted. Their life as a Christian “power couple” attracted millions of followers, particularly after they gained national attention for their church work and media presence.
However, Jen wrote that the marriage had been in trouble long before the affair came to light. They had been attending marriage counselling in early 2020.
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Aftermath of the affair
After Jen discovered the affair, Brandon made little attempt at reconciliation, according to The Express. He told Jen that trying to save the marriage “required certain feelings” that he no longer had. Within a year, he was engaged to another woman.
Jen struggled with anxiety and depression as a result of the betrayal, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic’s isolation. She also cut ties with the church she co-founded, claiming the atmosphere had become intolerable.
Jen Hatmaker on rebuilding life
Jen is rebuilding her life now. She is in a long-distance relationship with author Tyler Merritt and welcomed her first grandchild in August 2024. She wants to inspire women to regain their independence in turbulent times by sharing her memoir.
Jen declared, “I am in the driver’s seat… I will never again outsource my life.”
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FAQs:
Who is Brandon Hatmaker?
Brandon Hatmaker is a pastor, author, biker, and co-founder of Austin New Church. He also runs the non-profit Legacy Collective.
How did Jen Hatmaker discover the affair?
She overheard her then-husband whispering on the phone to another woman at 2:30 AM in July 2020 and later searched his computer for evidence.
What does Jen reveal in her book Awake?
She details the affair, its financial and emotional fallout, as well as her journey of rebuilding her life after the marriage ended.
