There’s tremendous power in story. We see it every day in bestselling books, top-rated television shows, blockbuster movies, timeless songs, and even commercials.
A story that connects to a listener’s heart can bring inspiration and encouragement like few other things.
And when that story is a powerful testimony that reflects a life changed by Jesus, the door opens for God to do amazing work.
Everyone has a story.
But when it comes to the kind of testimony that’s life-changing…well, I’d always thought mine didn’t fall into that category.
Until recently that is.
A simple childhood…
I was blessed to grow up in a Christian family with amazing parents. They provided a stable and loving home environment where most everything revolved around our faith.
They taught my brother and I about Jesus from a young age. As we grew, they continued to model how to seek God in everything from decision making to finances.
My parents are a wonderful example of how to live a quietly faithful life.
And much of the success I’ve experienced in my own life can be credited to my upbringing. As well as the many heartaches that I’m sure were avoided because of the guidance and direction I received in my formative years.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve made PLENTY of mistakes. And have walked through my fair share of challenging seasons.
But my church-centered, Jesus-saturated childhood paved the way to a pretty similar adult life. My faith has always been a part of my story.
And I fully recognize that’s a wonderful thing. Yet it’s not exactly the kind of testimony that catches anyone’s attention.
A powerful testimony…
I couldn’t be more grateful for the innocence and ease of my childhood. But I’ve always believed that when it comes to powerful stories, I don’t have much to offer.
I’ve often wondered if my testimony is even worth sharing.
Because of the solid foundation I was given as a child, my adult life isn’t marked by huge mistakes or unspeakable tragedy. And I’m beyond thankful for that.
At the same time, I admire the inspiring testimonies that are completely opposite of mine.
Stories of people who overcame addiction leave me amazed. Tales of victory over unimaginably hard beginnings are awe-inspiring. Testimonies of those who turned to Jesus in their darkest moments and found hope hold me spellbound.
My husband has one of those testimonies. It’s his story to tell, so I won’t go into the details. But let me just say it’s extremely powerful.
Simply put, he lived it up in his younger years. And that lifestyle brought pain, heartache, and many difficulties.
Then, he had an honest-to-goodness come to Jesus moment at one of his darkest points. It probably saved his life. And most assuredly saved his soul.
After becoming a Christian, his life took a complete 180 degree turn. It didn’t happen overnight. But with a whole lot of time, hard work, and help from God, he became a different person.
I’ve heard his testimony more times than I can count. It still gives me goose bumps.
I’ve watched his story bring hope to the hopeless. I’ve seen it inspire others to turn their own lives around.
Most importantly, I’ve seen God get glory time and again for his changed life.
And I was pretty sure my testimony could never make a difference like that.
An ordinary story…
My story is very different. There’s no moment of life change. No line drawn in the sand. No movie-worthy script.
My come to Jesus moment happened as a child on Easter Sunday in a quiet country church. There’s really no “before Jesus/after Jesus” tale when you’ve known him most of your life.
My testimony is simply a story of walking in faith through the ups and downs of an ordinary life.
And I’ve often asked myself-who needs a story like that? How can a testimony not worth telling ever glorify God?
I think those questions were at the back of my mind for most of my life, but they became much more relevant after meeting my husband. For years, I struggled with comparing our testimonies.
I believed I had little to offer when it came to using your story as a tool to change lives for God’s kingdom.
But it turned out I was wrong.
Read “10 Scriptures on God’s Unique Plan for Your Life“ for more on the importance of your story.
A chance to see things differently…
A few years ago, we relocated to a different part of our city and started attending a new church. We joined a small group to get more involved and connected within the large congregation.
One of the first activities was to share our testimonies with the group.
It had been awhile since I’d given my testimony to someone I didn’t know. We’d attended our previous church for a long time. Those people had known my story well.
As I prepared for the group meeting, my feelings of inadequacy surfaced once again.
My husband and I would be sharing our testimonies at the same time. And my story paled in comparison to his.
As I wrote and rewrote what I wanted to say, the Lord began to work on my heart.
The real strength of a testimony…
The facts were obvious. My husband and I had very different experiences.
My husband could reach people that I never could. An addict in the depths of despair wouldn’t give me the time of day, but my husband would know just what to say.
A person without hope who had never experienced the love of Jesus would most likely have trouble relating to my past. But my husband might be able to make a connection.
There were lots of people I couldn’t reach. But that didn’t mean my story was insignificant.
Because my testimony isn’t really about me anyway.
It’s a story about the faithfulness of God. About his love, grace, and mercy displayed over the entire lifetime of one of his children.
My testimony is filled with stories of God carrying me through the highs and lows of life. It reflects his promise to never leave or forsake his children. To walk with us through every season of life.
It’s a reminder that simply knowing him is enough.
And that makes it far from ordinary.
God began to show me that what I thought made my testimony uninteresting was actually what made it powerful.
A powerful testimony of faithfulness…
On the day of that church meeting, I sat nervously in front of a group of relative strangers (who would soon become friends) listening to my husband’s testimony.
And I got goosebumps once again.
But this time was different. I was confident in the story that would soon follow. I knew it wouldn’t pack the same kind of punch. It might not be quite as entertaining.
But that was okay. Because I could now see that I had a powerful testimony too.
God had shown me that my story wasn’t about his power or his redemption. It was about his faithfulness.
My life has been far from perfect. I’ve accomplished some amazing things and had plenty of moments I’m not quite so proud of. I’ve made great choices and others that weren’t so great.
There have been times when I was full of faith and times when I felt nothing but fear and anxiety. But no matter what I’ve walked through or what my circumstances have been, God has always been there.
He has protected me. Provided for me. Comforted me. Steadied me. Loved me. And he has always worked things out for my good.
My story is an example of his unending love and grace.
A story worth sharing…
There is power in my husband’s testimony. But there’s power in mine too.
Because this world becomes more chaotic by the day. It often seems to be losing hope and lacking goodness.
It’s filled with people who need something to believe in that’s stable and unchanging.
A people that need to hear about his presence. His provision. His comfort. And his love.
People that need to know he can work things out for their good too.
A story of God’s faithfulness is far from ordinary.
It may never make a bestseller list. It’s probably not movie-worthy.
But it’s a powerful reminder of a faithful God. And people need a story like that.
So it doesn’t matter if your testimony is dramatic, ordinary, or somewhere in between. The same One authors them all.
He writes each story with purpose. And I can guarantee there’s someone out there who needs to hear yours.
God has written a unique story for each one of us. What is your powerful testimony? Please share in the comments below!
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