Today at church our pastor challenged us to do something. He challenged all of us who have trusted in Jesus to share our testimony (our Jesus story) with at least one person this week.
We are doing an amazing series on the gospel of John called Fully Alive. Each week I am struck with a sense of awe over God’s Word. This week was no different, although it was especially beautiful to me since the passage was John 4 (the story of the Samaritan woman at the well). I had just written a post about that very text and so it was fresh on my heart. I smiled as our pastor gave his challenge to us, remembering the fresh word God had just given me about my testimony (see A Pursuing Love).
So in light of the precious truth God revealed to me in my quiet time, as well as the challenge given by our pastor, I would like to take this post to share my testimony with you. Although, I must confess that I used to almost feel embarrassed by my testimony because it didn’t seem very exciting (I mean I was six and surprisingly not a hardened criminal or drug addict or wild child). But God has shown me that every testimony is beautiful and powerful and needs to be shared. Any person who passes from death in sin to life in Christ is a glorious masterpiece of the Father. Anyone who turns from sin to Jesus should be celebrated.
After all, the wonder of a person’s testimony isn’t in who they were, but in who they are now in Christ.
I was six years old when I first became aware of my sin. I had been in children’s church and heard someone say that you had to have Jesus in your heart in order to go to Heaven. I remember feeling an odd sensation deep inside my soul, and was troubled all that day. That night when my dad came in to kiss me goodnight, I decided to voice my confusion to him. “Daddy,” I asked, “How does God fit into my heart?” I can only imagine the strength it took to not laugh at my very literal interpretation of “accepting Jesus in your heart.” In my six-year-old mind I thought that I had to somehow physically take Jesus into my heart, like I had to swallow the Son of God!
My dad patiently explained the Gospel to me in language I could understand. He explained that all people are born sinners and that our sin keeps us away from God. But that God loves each one of us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from sin. He told me that Jesus took the punishment for my sin so that all I have to do is say thank you and ask Him to forgive me and then I would be God’s child. With tears in both of our eyes, he asked if I wanted to accept Jesus’ gift of life right there and then. I couldn’t help but say yes. So in my Strawberry Shortcake nightgown on my Strawberry Shortcake sheets I prayed and asked Jesus to be my Savior and King. To this day I still remember the feeling I got after I prayed. I felt like I could fly! I started jumping on my bed and couldn’t stop giggling. I ran to tell my mom and we all celebrated for quite awhile.
Even though I was painfully shy as a child, I couldn’t wait to get to school the next day and tell all of my friends that I had Jesus in my heart.
While I have certainly had spiritual ups and downs throughout my life, through it all I have known that Jesus is always with me and that no matter what He loves me.
So, that’s my story. Nothing like the apostle Paul’s (thank goodness!) but it is my story and I am SO very grateful to the One who made that story possible – the One who saved a little girl decked out in Strawberry Shortcake pj’s!
What’s your story? Do you have one? If so, would you be willing to share it in the comments section? Everyone’s salvation story is precious and beautiful and deserves to be shared. I would be HONORED if you would consider sharing it here. And if you attend the same church as I do then this could be your opportunity to accept Pastor Brian’s challenge 😉
Let’s be encouraged by each other’s unique stories and how they each point to the same glorious Savior.
Hopeful to hear your story……
Jen
Jennifer Bleakley
Animals are my love language. Sharing stories of hope is my passion.
Thanks for sharing!
My story isn’t as bad as some who have been through *so much* and then are blessed to find Jesus (Joyce Meyer comes to mind). But my life wasn’t the happiest for most of it…as a child, my family moved frequently (every 3-5 years), so I was a very unsure youth, any sense of confidence shaken to the ground by a decade of being “the new kid,” the outsider.
In college, while searching for something bigger — and hopefully better — than myself, I began studying pagan religions with a local coven. They were some of the nicest people I’d met in a long time. Many Christians are shocked by this idea, because of the stereotypical image of “Goths” ransacking towns in roving bands of black-clad people with multiple tattoos and body piercings. Anyway, although I know now that isn’t the true path to Salvation, Eternal Life, or Heaven, I don’t regret that time in my life. I could be a powerful witness to those who are lost, and to Christians who are a bit quick to judge those who are searching.
I asked Jesus to be my Savior about six months after a divorce and a diagnosis of autism for my child. I honestly wanted what the Savior offered, but it took me several years to really begin building the deeper relationship that He offers one on one to all of us.
Now I know that, even as I continue to get it wrong with my kids, my husband, on the job, in the grocery store or at the stop light, God loves me no matter what, and that He will never give up on me and all that I could be — not just for myself, but for Him.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I so appreciate your willingness to do so. I love the reminder about being careful not to judge those who are searching. I am honored that you chose to share your story with me. Praying that many will be touched by your story and drawn to the God who loves you so deeply.
Thank you. I’ve been encouraged not to share this part of my “pre-Christian” life, because it makes a lot of people uncomfortable to hear that I was involved in something so un-Christian. Well, I didn’t know any better, just like any other sinner. And Jesus came to die for all of us, not just the ones who hear His message once and it clicks. A new friend encouraged me to ignore that, and go ahead and share, because God can decide to use my testimony to help nonbelievers and believers alike.
My 8 year old daughter asked if she could share her testimony too! Of course you can!!!!
So here is her testimony as dictated to me 🙂
One day after church we were driving home and I said something kinda mean about my friend. As soon as I said it I knew it was wrong and my heart felt bad and sad. I knew I had sinned and that Jesus had died because of sin. I went upstairs to my room and prayed to Jesus. Then my mom came up and asked me what was wrong. I told her that I wanted to ask Jesus to forgive me and live with me forever. So we went downstairs and I prayed with my whole family. My mom couldn’t stop crying happy tears. I asked Jesus to live in my heart and I knew He had forgiven my sin and made me God’s child. Then we called my grandparents and aunt and we all celebrated.
What sweet, precious testimony! Tell her Thanks for sharing!!
Testimonies are so hard to share. I’ve been struggling with this, but of course, God knows, so He’s currently preparing me. By the grace of God only, I too have a story to tell. You are so brave!
My son is struggling with sharing his testimony. He doesn’t feel like he had one specific moment when he trusted in Jesus. Instead he feels like it has been a gradual awareness and surrender. But because of that, he feels like it is hard to share his story.
Thank you for the reminder that it is hard to share. And thank you for the encouragement that God knows it is hard and He will help us.
As a child I felt unloved and unimportant, so I searched for that love and importance in people and substances. As a teen/young adult I felt inadequate and invisible, so I searched for my identity in achievements and milestones. Over the years I thought my husband could save me, he couldn’t. I thought a “perfect” looking house, a “perfect” job, a “perfect” education, and a couple of kids would satisfy. They seemed to, but only for a moment then I was empty again-struggling with depression, anxiety and addictions. Then Jesus chose me-the one who felt unimportant, invisible, inadequate. Just like the woman at the well, He sought me out and saved me right in the midst of all my mess.
The very first time I remember clearly hearing the gospel was in a church because Jesus sent kind women to invite me and pray for me. The MOMENT I heard the gospel I knew that the hole within me I had lived with for so long could only be filled by Jesus. I had tried to stuff the hole with people, with achievements, etc, but it was an emptiness only Jesus could fill and that’s where it all began.
Now I stand forgiven and redeemed, precious to Him. I am free from anxiety, depression, addictions and lonliness. My life is His. I am His. The freedom, joy and peace I have found in that is abundantly more than I could’ve ever asked or imagined. He continues to save me from my sinful self each and every day. I am alive and it’s all because of my sweet Savior, Jesus!!
Wow! I feel like I want to stand up and shout AMEN after reading your precious story! I am SO honored that you would share it here. Thank you. God is so good and that is so evident in your story. I am so glad that He met you that day at your own dry well and filled you to overflowing with His living water and perfect love. Blessings my friend!
My turn, my turn! (I love this idea, Jen. Thank you!)
I, too, have known who Jesus is all my life. As a child of 9 years old, while on vacation, I finally “got” the idea that I am a sinner and needed Jesus to be my Savior. It was an easy decision, because I already knew who HE is and HIS sacrifice for me. Throughout junior high and high school, amazing adults poured into my life and discipled me well, laying a strong foundation. There were times I wished I had one of those more dramatic testimonies too, until one day God said, “I did save you from all of that. I saved you from having to go through it.” So thankful He did that for me, and so desire that for my kids and the kids I teach. BUT God is sovereign and He knows each of us intimately and knows what needs to happen in our lives for us to trust Him completely. Anyway, in college I had the opportunity to go to Japan as an exchange student, and I was ready to “win” them all to Jesus. I was totally unprepared for the foreignness of the gospel to this culture and it threw me for a loop. I began to question all that I thought I knew about God. I was a little angry with Him for making it so easy for me and so hard for others. Pretty ridiculous, I know, but I was young. My searching heart took a few years to come full circle. I had so many questions. Then one day, I was finishing up the book of John and read those beautiful words, “these things I have written that you may KNOW that Jesus is the Christ.” I didn’t have any more answers than I had before reading that, but I did know that I knew that Jesus is the Christ and that was enough. God took that little bit of belief (faith) and began to rebuild on that strong foundation that had been laid in my teenage years. HE is faithful and there is LIFE only in Him.
Oh Sharon, I LOVE this! Thank you for that beautiful reminder that He saved us FROM so much just as He saved us FOR so much! You have such a precious servant’s heart and I am so honored that you shared your story here! 🙂
Love that Sharon! And your right, the plan He has for each of us is perfect for us! Love reading all these! So glad you started this Jen!