Wow, its been a while since I've talked to you all, and there's a good reason for that. I've been bogged down with life. God's been doing amazing things in my life lately, He's got me doing ministry in way's I never imagined myself doing and because of that I haven't had as much time to write as I usually would, but I've got something God's been pressing on my heart to tell so I'm here to tell it.
What is it? Testimonies, that's what.
Everyone has a testimony not matter what kind it is. It may be the story of a person radically changed for God or the miraculous tale of someone who's known God all their lives. Either way its something that God can use to advance His kingdom. No testimony is too big or too small. Your testimony is just what God needs to change the people around you.
Its taken me a while to realize this over the years, because I fall into the second category of people with testimonies. I've known God since I was about six years old and I was raised in church. For years and years I let the Devil fool me into believing that my testimony was no good, worthless, and wouldn't help anyone. At some points in my life I felt like I had no actual testimony. Satan would whisper these lies in my ear, even going so far as to use my own father's testimony against me. My father use to be a mess to put it lightly. He smoked, drank, and did who knows what else. Only by the grace of God is he even alive today and now he is on fire for God spreading His word to many nations across the globe. How did Satan manage to use something so awesome against me? Simple, he told me things like, "Your father has a real testimony unlike you." It hurt me to think like that and I often felt inadequate to the point where I almost wished for that kind of a testimony because I believed it was the only kind that could affect people.
But thank the Lord that everyone has a different type of testimony and we don't all go through things like that. Recently God reviled something amazing about myself to me. I was taking a tour of a bible college and we were talking with the counselor who was our guide. She told me that she'd recently moved from Miami and I asked her how she had liked living there. Her answer surprised me she said, "If Las Vegas wasn't already called Sin City then I'd call Miami Sin city." My dad went on to say that I'd been born in Las Vegas and they continued talking. My thoughts however drifted away from their conversation as God told me something amazing. I had been born in a place known as Sin City but God lifted me out of that sin and brought me into a new life and light. Not only that but He now has me working to advance His kingdom and pull others out of that same sin. Isn't it amazing how things happen like that? From our birth the Devil tries to trap us in sin and keep us from God's light, but He is stronger that Satan and pulls us out of our sin and into His arms.
As I pondered my life further I realized that not only had I been born into Sin city and brought out of it but God had been steadily changing me all my life to make me into the person I am today. I use to be painfully shy. To the point where I wouldn't even get up in my high school classroom to get a tissue for a runny nose because I felt everyone would stare at me. But God put people in my life that served as role models for me and helped pull me from my shell. He gave me people that most would think were a little crazy, but to me they were the perfect people to base my actions off from, because they weren't scared of anything. He also gave me a best friend who's bold and a little crazy who really helped me become the person I am today.
He placed me in a church full of teens on fire for Him and not afraid of anything as well. After three years of this He has grown me in so many ways I can't even describe them all to you. I know I still have a long way to go and much to learn but I also know that I have a reason and purpose in God and He has something for me to do. I know that I do in fact have a testimony of my own and it is a powerful one. How many people can say that God pulled them out of Sin City, changed them from shy to bold, and are now trying their hardest to do everything they can for Him? Its amazing to see how He has changed my life.
God has brought each of us through our own struggles for a reason. And all of our experiences are different so that we can help different people. The difference is that my father's testimony will touch people mine can't and my testimony will touch people his can't.And guess what? Your testimony will touch people that mine can't as well.
So think about this, what has God brought you through? What events in your life at a second closer glance are God driven? Is your life not a testimony in itself? Yes it is, God brings us through each and every day that we live and guides us in our lives, that's amazing. You have an amazing story to tell others, so go out and tell it. God's given you this for a reason and purpose. Don't ever let anyone tell you that its not good enough, because it was given to you by God and all good and perfect things come from Him. Your testimony is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Go out and spread your awesome testimony. I dare you to see what happens.
