I have shared my testimony before but never written it down for everyone to see. So…here it goes. My prayer is that if you get anything from it it, it will be that God is GOOD! He is good and we can trust Him and believe He has our best interest at heart. My testimony is how He has revealed Himself to me in my short little baby life! Haha
Daddy- When I was growing up my parents were divorced and we didn’t have a daily father figure to look up too. Moreover, my dad was an alcoholic and didn’t want to ever talk about the Lord. Our relationship was always strained for many reasons. So… My mom is in love with the Lord and she told me that God was my Dad. So what did I do? Being my VERY LITERAL SELF, I took it literally and talked to Him as if He were my Dad! Ex., if I didn’t get my way with my mom, then I’m running to my Dad and asking Him to change her mind! Hahaha… The Lord says if we seek Him with all our hearts we find Him…and I did! I found He is a loving Dad. That He likes for me to confide in Him and He will be my shoulder to cry on. When I do Him or others wrong, He disciplines me. But not like the way I was used to from my earthly dad. God did it gently. When I did something wrong, I was convicted of it and when I would repent it was refreshing and I loved the Lord even more! – those who have been forgiven of much love much!
Savior- When I was nine was when I understood why Christ had to die on the cross and that I was truly a sinner. When I finally repented and confessed my sins and believed in Jesus to come into my life and save me- was the best day of my life! Chains being broken and gaining a relationship with Him. AHH!!!! He is soo amazing!
Romancer- When I was 15 one of my boyfriends broke up with me…shocker! Welcome to being 15! Ha! But I took it personally and really believed I wasn’t pretty enough and all the lies satan loves to tell a young girl. She isn’t worthy, not pretty enough, I have no curves and fat in the wrong places. Well Jesus started speaking to me and asking me to compare everything I heard to His Word! He says, I’m beautiful! He sings over me! I’m His bride! And He wanted to romance my heart! He opened my eyes to how much of a Romancer He is and that No one compares and only He will do!!! He romances me with sunsets, lightning bugs, flowers, stars, the wind in my hair! I’m now more alert to when He shows off for me! Makes me feel all fuzzy inside! He loves me and has captured my heart!
Comforter- When I was 17 I went to Romania on a mission trip and was there more to encourage the missionaries than for the people(for the first time ever). They were going through a lot… God said, you aren’t there to be comforted or be supported. You are there to comfort. I had no one to pray with me while I was there or to uplift me. I had Jesus alone as my friend and comforter. And- He was enough!!! He held me at night when I felt the burden of the people around me and what they are going through all on my shoulders. He poured into me so I could pour into others. He was my best friend and the only one I could pour out my heart and hurts to. Comforter!
Here’s the part that a lot of people do not know and that I have a hard time sharing with people- because..well it’s embarrassing and I have to be uber vulnerable… but here it goes…When I was 18 after a yr of college I married my highschool sweetheart. He loved the Lord. We prayed together, led worship together, and were excited about life. After being married 11 months he went from being in a worship band to a secular band thinking he would minister to them. Well they ministered to him. His heart started to change. He started to desire to have the single life again, to chase after girls. He was struggling. In the end without giving too much detail..he left me for another girl. He bullied me and broke my heart. I do NOT believe in divorce. I took care of my grandma 5 nights a week for 5 yrs. He left and 5 days later my grandma died. So the 2 people I spent all my time with, were both out of my life in 1 week. I prayed and fasted for 6 weeks. I felt like a crazy person. I was in nursing school and was getting no sleep. I had wonderful counseling and people to hold me accountable to God’s Word. God showed me that He was enough! He gave me joy- when at the same time I felt like I could die from having my heart ripped out of me! What he taught me then was
He was my PROVIDER! I selfishly wanted to keep really all of the money- because I thought I deserved it..for a number of reasons. When my ex asked for it I resisted. Then I read Luke 6- you should really read verses 27-36..but 29-30 says, “If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” And 35-36 “35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Wow! That was pretty straight forward! So I gave my ex the money and decided to not tell anyone and would see if the Lord would provide. I remember that month, wondering how I would pay the bills- because I was left with all of them- and it was sort of freeing to just depend on the Lord. I learned I have security as an idol and like to depend on it instead of Jesus a lot of time! When really it can be wiped away in a heart beat! Anyways, that month I got a random check in the mail for way more than enough! The man said God told him to give it to me! For me I just started bawling! It was God saying, I am who I say I am! Trust me! He is my PROVIDER!
He is my COUNSELOR.. going through that..everyday I had decisions that only God knew what I should do. When I was little… I thought… Counselor.. that’s ok I guess. But, when you are going through a divorce, every single decision you are just crying out to God because He is the only one who knows what’s really best! COUNSELOR! He says if we ask He will give us wisdom liberally!
HUSBAND- Isaiah 54:5, “For your Maker is your husband–the LORD Almighty is his name–the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.” My ex said some hurtful things- I wasn’t pretty enough, specifically “I needed to lose weight and get a tan” etc… and satan used that to make me dwell on how hideous I was and how it was my fault. God again showed me… Trust what I say.. I do not lie. He wooed me back to Him and told me I am beautiful! He became my husband! – My best friend, the one who tells me He loves me and how beautiful I am.. and that He just likes spending time with me! He is the BEST husband!!!!
Finally- REDEEMER! –when I was getting a divorce, I felt like, God how can you bring good out of something you hate??? I know He hates divorce, but He also says He brings all things together for the good for those who love Him. Well I first believe the good that has Always came out of being broken is that I seek Him more, therefore I find Him! And that is worth it! I feel so blessed to know Him the way that I do! – So… I was divorced at 20! How embarrassing!!! I didn’t want to date for years! Just me and Jesus was the plan! I had a wonderful roommate and a group of single friends who hung out literally everyday-all 8 of us! I was growing in the Lord and He was giving me so much joy! My group of friends was also the worship team at church. It was such a blessing. So… Drew obviously was part of that group! After me being divorced for a couple of months he asked me out on a date! I thought it was a friend date- but you’ll have to hear all that later… months later we were officially dating (which for me is a huge decision because I had decided to only date to marry) and that next year we were married! Drew is such a gift! We have been married 1 ½ years and it still feels like we are newly weds! He treats me like gold! He loves the Lord more than me and def reads his bible more. He is everything I have ever wanted and more in a husband. God given me restoration and redeemed my life! He has given, taken away, and given tenfold! I can’t even describe what a gift Drew is to me! So..REDEEMER! RESTORER! AHH WHAT A GOOD GOD!
WHO IS JESUS REALLY?
