I always thought that to have a powerful testimony, you needed a story riddled with miracle moments and visible proof of all your greatest achievements, fostered by God’s influence and intervention (of course). Without these qualifying aspects, does a testimony really speak to the mighty, life-changing God we serve? Here is where I find myself. My story is simple. There aren’t any profound moments of realization or rock-bottom rescues. Does this mean that my story isn’t powerful? Or worthy of being shared?

Since this is my first-ever blog post, I want to take a very quick moment to introduce myself. My name is Halie. I am looking forward to getting to know you as we grow together in our faith journey. You will get to know me through this blog; My life and my testimony.

A testimony is an earnest declaration. Our testimony is the evidence of God’s presence in our lives. They are meant to be sincere, not fabricated. When I used to share my testimony, I would try my hardest to weave tragedy and success into the main focus of my story instead of letting God be the central focus. Our testimony is less about us than we realize. Each of our testimonies uniquely speaks to the merciful and powerful nature of God; they are a proclamation of our faith. David, the author of the Psalms, wrote this regarding sharing our testimony:

Our testimony holds power not because of the events that have happened in our lives or our biggest accomplishments. Our testimony holds power because it directly reflects the attributes of God: His righteousness, His faithfulness, His all-encompassing love, and ultimately His salvation. This is why we share our testimony: to show the character of God. By boldly proclaiming our story of faith, we offer praise to God, because our story is really His story in us. 

This is David’s challenge to us: speak boldly of the goodness of God, give witness to His goodness in our lives so that others may experience the merciful and mighty God we serve. Our testimony can encourage and inspire others to pursue the salvation and love that God offers. Sharing our stories is joining in the all-time greatest collaboration narrative. A narrative that goes back to the very beginning of time. A narrative that supersedes time and bridges the gaps between generations. 

The Bible is filled with the testimonies of believers: from Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Moses, to David, to Ruth, to Esther, to Daniel, to Jesus Himself, and many more in between. Their stories teach us about the attributes of God and inspire us in our own relationship with Him. They are a witness to us, providing us with concrete evidence of the nature of God. We can visibly see God’s righteousness, faithfulness, and love in their testimonies. Storytelling in faith is crucial to enhancing spiritual growth and expressing biblical truth. In sharing our personal experiences, we can make complex ideas accessible to others. We can show how a magnificent God is relational and intimate. 

Speaking to the great assembly in its simplest form is just talking to company, to people. It can also be a congregation or an organized body, but it may just be one other person. But the key is that David didn’t hide or conceal God’s significance in his life; He gave voice to it. He proclaimed it. When you proclaim something, you make an official and public statement; it’s a declaration. The essential point of this declaration is sharing the abundance of God’s faithfulness and love. 

Our story is really His story in us.

What I’ve learned as I reflect on my own testimony in light of this passage is that my story continually shows the faithfulness of God. My story demonstrates how God shows up again and again. Sometimes in unexpected ways, and sometimes in ways that baffle me, but always in His timing and in His ways. There are struggles and triumphs and mundane moments, but it’s all part of the story God is writing for me. My testimony is meant to be shared because it is God’s story.

I believe David boldly shared his testimony because he couldn’t contain his praise to God. David’s love for God was so powerful that he couldn’t help but tell others about the goodness. Think of that one thing that you are so super passionate about that you can’t help but twist it into the most random of conversations. This is how we should feel about sharing God. Our testimony is the access point for sharing God’s salvation with others. We should want the world to know. 

Sharing our stories can be vulnerable and challenging, but it can also be rewarding. So here is what I will leave you with: think about your testimony, your story. What if sharing your story brought others to Christ? What if sharing all that has happened and the life-changing salvation of God brought others healing and redemption? That is what this is all about—loving God and loving others. Sharing our stories is crucial to that. God gave us a story for a reason. But remember the story isn’t really about you, it’s about him: his righteousness, His faithfulness, his all-encompassing love, and his salvation.

MY STORY:

I grew up in a Christian home. We went to church every Sunday we could. We participated in church events and volunteered. I  was involved in youth group, and I went to the retreats and summer camps. I did all the things a good Christian girl should do, and I never questioned it. I was happy in my life. I prayed the prayers, talked to my friends about Jesus, and invited them to church. I don’t know the exact moment I accepted God. He was just always there.

When I was 10 years old, life shifted a bit. My aunt had a brain hemorrhage and stroke that left one side of her body paralyzed. My dad took a job out of state, where he would work Monday through Friday and come home on the weekends when he could. Our family dog died. School became difficult between the mean girls and a rather unsupportive and demeaning teacher. I started having recurring nightmares that left me terrified of sleeping. When I asked my mom what to do, she said, “Pray”. So that is what I did. Whenever I felt alone, I prayed. Whenever I was scared, I prayed. I would pray myself to sleep, asking God to take away my nightmares, my dreams (to this day, I very rarely have dreams, and even less do I have nightmares). In my praying, I found a refuge, a stronghold, a place of security. I found I was loved and protected. 

Fast forward to high school. I started to push back ever so slightly. I still was the good Christian girl who did the good Christian things. I still went to church, still talked to my friends about Jesus, and still invited them to come to church. Only I started to question who God was and why He mattered in my life. 

For the next nine years, I struggled with crippling anxiety and panic attacks. I defined myself by this brokenness. But God was leading me and guiding me even in my brokenness. It was during my college years that God revealed Himself in a new way to me. I attended a Christian college where, during my studies, I fell in love with God all over again. The Bible took on new life. I couldn’t get enough of God’s word. 

However, it was during this time that my anxiety hit an all-time high. The attacks worsened and became an almost daily occurrence. I walked in fear of when the next one would happen. How exposed would I be? Would I be able to make it to an empty classroom or bathroom stall so others wouldn’t see me in my weakness? Would I blackout, or would the world just go fuzzy for a bit? How long would the next one last?  What would the trigger be this time? These fears controlled most of my life and became my new normal.

It didn’t make sense to me. Why, when my faith had become the strongest it had ever been, would I suddenly experience my greatest struggle? The answers: because there is a very real enemy, and his name is Satan, and he wants desperately to rip us away from the love and salvation that is available in Christ. 

Little by little and by the grace of God, I started to gain control over my anxiety. God was showing up and teaching me that he could heal and redeem what I believed was too broken. This is a journey God and I are still on together. I still struggle with anxiety, but I’m learning to embrace the things that cause me fear. I’m learning that the crippling attacks that try to claim my body are Satan’s attempt to ruin what is created in God’s image. A body that is meant to move, breathe, create, and praise. I’m learning that the control I crave is a warped reality the world preaches. God is meant to guide my path. I know that the same God who offered comfort and security to a scared and confused 10-year-old girl is giving me refuge now.  But more than anything, I’m learning that God is faithful to his promises, his love is enduring, and his plan for our life is more beautiful than anything we could ever imagine.

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