Hearing others’ testimonies about how they came to faith is a joy. I love learning about the paths God took people on to get them to where they are. Some of my favorite stories are those of wild redemption. Where only by God’s grace were their paths steered to a completely new place. I also love hearing stories of friends who came to Christ in high school or college — times when you would expect quite the opposite to happen. It seems as though most stories of friends have monumental moments (some call them “mountaintop moments”), when God grabbed a hold of their hearts, and they made a decision that would impact the trajectory of the rest of their lives. 

Over the years, I found my story message track to be one that was much less inspiring. I’ve often told people I don’t really have a story; I’ve just always known God and so I never had that mountaintop moment. Though, I’ve often wished I had a mountaintop moment to share. This is actually something that has bothered me for a long time—I have felt I don’t have a good, inspiring story to tell.

Anyone relate?

So, you can imagine my disbelief when just over a year ago, I sensed God was telling me to write a book, and specifically, to write my story. This was very ironic (and challenging!) to me given my lack of a story. I feel like I have some interesting things that have happened in my life, and I’ve seen God show up in some interesting ways, but nothing worthy of a book’s fill of content, or my life’s story being told. Not only did I sense God’s nudge telling me to write it, but at least half a dozen people from different parts of my life also told me to “write a book.” So, while it has clearly been a message I should receive, I have been super resistant to it. It wasn’t until I was sitting in a recent church service when God hit me over the head with the realization that everyone has a story that is worthy of being told. Everyone. Including me.

Any story where someone is following God‘s will for their life is a story worth being told. It’s a story that could inspire someone else to lean into the Lord and follow Him. So, yes, there are some interesting parts of my story worthy of being told. For instance, I was adopted. But I’ve always known from my earliest memory, and I haven’t really carried it around much as an identity. I even often forget that I am adopted. But with some encouragement, I have come to realize that is a huge part of my story. That God hand-picked my parents for my brother and me and each of us for them. 

I’ve also never really felt as though my faith story was one worth telling. I grew up going to church and knowing Jesus. I also grew up with a message from both my grandfather and my father — that God loves me. As a matter of fact, I recall my dad saying that nearly every morning at the breakfast table as I prepared to head to school. He would remind me that God loved me and so did he. What a blessing. To be reminded each day of God’s love for me and my earthly father’s love for me. I took that for granted. But it kept me grounded. There was joy in knowing I was cherished.

For a while, I would tell people I didn’t really have a story of coming to the Lord because I always felt like I knew the Lord. But in actuality, I had a time in my early 20s when I could not have been farther from the Lord. Status, money, friends, and all the things trumped the Lord and anything He had for me. It was a time that, thinking back now, I am not proud of, but so grateful for the Lord’s pursuit of me. It was a time that I had really blocked out until recently. I’ve realized that was a very important time in my faith walk, because had I not gone through it, I would not have known how much I truly needed God once He pounded on the door of my “full” and “busy” life.  It was through a random invitation of a friend who invited me to the church I am a part of still today, 25+ years later. I vividly recall the message series I walked in to— “Cleaning Out Your Junk Drawer”— and boy, it did not take long for me to see how full mine was. I had compiled all this junk and put so many things in front of God that I didn’t even realize I had lost my way. And this was the church and message series that God used to draw me right back to Him. Upon shifting my gaze back to the Lord, I started to more clearly see how He had been pursuing me for years as I continuously headed down a path steered away from Him. Through high school, then college, and straight to what brought me to that point. Praise God for an invitation from a friend.  

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the end.” – C.S. Lewis

So for years, I believed the lie that my story had no impact or meaning. That it was not a unique story or one that could impact anyone else upon hearing it. But the more I pursue the Lord, the more He reveals His hand on my life and how, with obedience, my life can continue to transform. Throughout different phases in my life, He has shown up in some pretty remarkable ways that are absolutely worthy of sharing. Interestingly, when Good Word Project came along, I felt completely unworthy of sharing any stories or wisdom whatsoever. (As a matter of fact, my first blog was all about feeling unworthy of the assignment!) But I know now that my story is not unlike many others, even those we read about in the Bible. God takes the most unsuspecting characters and does some pretty remarkable things through them. After all, this is HIS story we’re in; not our own. And so, when God says that I should write a book telling my story it’s not so much about ME as it is about HIM. And with that reframing, it makes it a lot easier to share a testimony. Who doesn’t want to share the goodness of God? With this framework in mind, you start to see how God works in all of our lives in remarkable ways. And I promise you that if you feel like I felt—that your story is not interesting or worthy of sharing—think again. Think about all of the ways that you have seen God show up over the years and tell me that that’s not worthy of sharing. His goodness is always worthy of sharing. The little sliver in time that I have to share is one of faithfulness and obedience and shining light on the good things that the Lord is doing so that others might have the courage to take one step of faith and then watch how God works in their lives.

Remember

Think about the ways that God has shown up in your life. Think about the ways He has used you and is using you. Think about times when He has strengthened you. These are all ways that God has drawn you closer to Him. They are all part of your testimony and all worthy of sharing. Your story is worth telling because it is God‘s story, and we each play a very important role in His story (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). You may not have had a mountaintop moment, and that’s because God did not need you to have a mountaintop moment. Following and serving Him is just as important as how we got there, if not more. He uses us in ways that we may never see the fruit of in this lifetime or on this side of heaven, but if we are following and trusting Him, we have confidence that He is using each one of us as key players in His story. And if you’ve had a mountaintop moment, share that too, because God has given you that platform to share.

So, what’s your testimony? How has God shown up in your life? How has He pursued you? 

Some through-lines are similar for all of us. That Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and we are each His beloved. God desires for us to be faithful, to follow Him, and to serve Him and others. These universal truths are part of all of our testimonies. Whether you had the mountaintop moment or not. Whether you became a believer at three years old, 33 years old, or 83 years old. And if that is all that you have to share, then that is enough. Because God will fill in the rest of the blanks. We’re here to share the Good News and pray He does the heart work. After all, He doesn’t want our books, our blogs, or our speeches. He wants our hearts. 

Now about that book…while I know the Lord is calling me to do this, I know it is not necessarily about getting a book published or getting my story broadly out there. Rather it is obedience in telling my, rather HIS, story and perhaps it may not even go past my immediate family. Perhaps it is meant for my future grandchildren. But He needs me to do it and I am confident that He will take care of the rest. After all, this is His story.

Thank You, Lord that we are Your precious children and You have invited us into Your story. What a gift and a joy to know that the Creator of the world created and loves each one of us. I pray that You give me the right words to share as I tell my little sliver of Your story, sharing with others what You have done in my life. Thank You for Your faithfulness and patience with me. With gratitude, I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.