Brokenness

Sharing your story matters

We are spending a month in the desert this January to escape the cold and dreary fog back home in southern Oregon. The park has many activities, and I noticed there was a Women’s Bible Study, so I dropped in to check it out.

About 15 women were gathered around a large table. The leader spoke about learning to share our testimony, in three minutes or less, of how we came to Christ. Then she gave an opportunity for women to share their stories.

What an incredible blessing to hear these brave women share how God had rescued them from often horrible events in their life and met them where they were with the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

As I listened to these women’s stories, I heard a beautiful, common theme:

It is in our brokenness that we turn to Christ.

There is no other way to find wholeness, than through faith in Him.

We live in a world of brokenness, ever since the fall of man, as recorded in Genesis 3. Sin entered the perfect world God created and Adam and Eve’s fellowship with God was fractured. God is holy and sin separates us from God.

But when we put our faith in Christ, who died for our sin on the cross, and rose again victorious over sin and death, we are set free.

As I listened, Psalm 133:1 came to mind:

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) dwell in unity.”

I didn’t know these ladies at all when I walked into the room, but now I felt a kinship with them, as they honestly shared their stories and invited all of us into their pain and into the healing victory they have found in Christ.

I went again the second week and shared a bit of my testimony. Two other women shared. There were tears and encouragement. It was amazing to see the Lord knit our hearts and souls together through common experience and the vulnerability of sharing the hard things in our life that brought us to him.

It has been an honor to sit in on this group, make connections and praise the Lord together for how he works in our lives for our good and His glory.

Consider today, how you might tell your story in three minutes to another soul who is starving for the good news of the gospel. Write out your testimony, asking the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and words.

Your story can change another’s destination - from unbelief to belief, from despair to hope, from darkness to light.

The Lord gives us a story, not to hide, but to share with others. Try it today. I would love to hear your responses and read how He has used your story to lead someone to faith in Him.

Sometimes it’s just a seed planted, and other times, it results in a changed heart, repentance, faith and new life, walking with the Savior. There are a lot of broken people in our world, looking for hope.

I’ll share my testimony soon in another post. Feel free to share yours that we might encourage one another in faith.