Testimony #5 - A parent

I kept putting off this Testimony...I guess the closer you get to something, the more painful it is and the harder it is to express.

I was an married woman without children. My husband and I became houseparents at a children's home. This was extraordinarily difficult. After this we became foster parents to the child of a friend. This also was very difficult. Then we adopted an older child. This was the most difficult.

Then God gave us permission to give up. Church leaders sat us down and told us this was not working and had become a dangerous situation. After countless efforts to help this child, something had to change. We terminated the adoption and this child was adopted by his biological grandfather.

Now I am finding more joy in parenting our remaining foster child than I ever thought possible. And the other child has a devoted prayer warrior who will never stop loving him.

Testimony #4 - A young adult

I was a young adult without direction. I moved around, changed jobs, struggled with debt and money, couldn't find a church I liked and never felt settled.

Then God moved me to Texas. The company I was working for transferred me to the Dallas area. After a few months of continued struggle, I found a church family which is where I met my husband.

Now I still live in Texas and worship with the same church family (over 20 years later). This church and my husband gave me a much needed home and stability.

Testimony #3 - A college student

I was a college student at a Christian university. I didn't really date in high school, but I was making up for lost time in college. I dated a lot of different guys, and by dating, I mean I made out with a lot of different guys.

Then God showed me I was looking for intimacy in the wrong places. I confessed to a minister who put me in contact with a fantastic counselor who helped me understand my behavior and sort things out.

Now I am in a happy, healthy, God based marriage. I waited for God to choose the right man for me and he did a fantastic job!!!

Testimony #2 - A Teen

I was a teenager who suffered with very low self esteem in my early teens. I contemplated suicide on a regular basis and attempted it once.

Then God gave me many opportunities to build confidence and friends who appreciated and understood me and helped me to build my faith.

Now I have a very high self esteem and share Zephaniah 3:17 with others who struggle with low self esteem. God takes great delight in you and rejoices over you with singing!

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you,
     the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
     in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
     but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Testimony #1 - A child

I was a girl who grew up in a Christian family, regularly attending church. I had been through the divorce of my parents and I was a willful, defiant child with emotional issues.

Then God showed me I needed to completely turn my life over to him. I was baptized and started to grow my own faith.

Now I am an adult who has worked through my childhood pain and has developed a mature faith in the Lord.

Acts 26:22a - How to tell your testimony

But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike.

On Sunday at worship services, the speaker, Taylor Walling, spoke about why and how to share our testimony. Taylor suggested this pattern suggested for sharing our story:

1. I was...
2. Then God...
3. Now I...

I believe we can have many testimonies emerging from different times in our lives. Over the next few days, I will share a few of those testimonies from my life.

Lord, thank you for working in our lives. Please help us to share our stories. Amen.

Genesis 35:3 - Do you have a story?

Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.”

God asked Jacob to this location and build an altar. Jacob had a testimony. God had been with him in the day of his distress and continued to be with him wherever he went. Do you have a testimony? How do you share it? If God has been there for us and continues to be with us, we need to let people know. We need to build and alter, probably not a pile of rocks in our front yard where we make sacrifices, but something that people may ask about and will help us remember our story.

Lord, thank you for your faithfulness, for being there for us in our time of distress and wherever we go. Help us to share our story with others. Amen.