So, What's Your Testimony?
Sharing your "God Story" with others can increase their faith.
By Debra Torres
“Hey, do you want to hear a God story?” my friend Jamie said before we wrapped up our phone call the other day.
“Sure,” I said, taking a minute to listen.
Jamie went on to tell me that a friend visited
her that day who needed some help.
Her friend was looking for some used clothes for her son and asked Jamie if she knew of anyone who might have some to pass down.
While she was speaking, Jamie’s phone started beeping, signaling that she was getting a call.
Jamie politely let the call go to voice mail and focused on her friend. And later after she had left, Jamie checked her message.
Listening, Jamie couldn’t believe what she heard.
You see, someone had called asking Jamie if she knew of anyone who needed kids clothes and the sizes were perfect for the friend in need!
“God just answers and you don’t even need to ask,” Jamie told me, after sharing her testimony and marveling at how well God keeps track of our every need.
Jamie’s story was a day lifter for me. How many times do we go about our days in “robot mode”? Oh, we get our jobs done, we function adequately, but are we really connected to God and the work that he’s doing all around us?
Jamie’s call strengthened my faith and brought things back into focus for me.
God was in control. And he knows my every need.
“Hey, do you want to hear a God story?” my friend Jamie said before we wrapped up our phone call the other day.
“Sure,” I said, taking a minute to listen.
Jamie went on to tell me that a friend visited
her that day who needed some help.
Her friend was looking for some used clothes for her son and asked Jamie if she knew of anyone who might have some to pass down.
While she was speaking, Jamie’s phone started beeping, signaling that she was getting a call.
Jamie politely let the call go to voice mail and focused on her friend. And later after she had left, Jamie checked her message.
Listening, Jamie couldn’t believe what she heard.
You see, someone had called asking Jamie if she knew of anyone who needed kids clothes and the sizes were perfect for the friend in need!
“God just answers and you don’t even need to ask,” Jamie told me, after sharing her testimony and marveling at how well God keeps track of our every need.
Jamie’s story was a day lifter for me. How many times do we go about our days in “robot mode”? Oh, we get our jobs done, we function adequately, but are we really connected to God and the work that he’s doing all around us?
Jamie’s call strengthened my faith and brought things back into focus for me.
God was in control. And he knows my every need.
Long ago when my boys were small, I was part of Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group that met at one of our local churches. After being in the group for quite a few years, I took on a few leadership positions, and one year I was asked to be a “spiritual leader.”
The woman who was in charge of our group that year needed someone to back her up with things like praying out loud. And that summer, before our group kicked off, I had the idea to add a “testimonial time” at the microphone where moms could come up and share each week what God had done in their lives.
Sort of like sharing our “God stories.”
So at our meetings, whenever I announced it was time to give testimonies, I would wait in expectation. Sometimes people would share and I would share, but honestly – it was hard to get people to come forward for this.
Maybe it was the mike that scared them, or maybe it was something else.
The woman who was in charge of our group that year needed someone to back her up with things like praying out loud. And that summer, before our group kicked off, I had the idea to add a “testimonial time” at the microphone where moms could come up and share each week what God had done in their lives.
Sort of like sharing our “God stories.”
So at our meetings, whenever I announced it was time to give testimonies, I would wait in expectation. Sometimes people would share and I would share, but honestly – it was hard to get people to come forward for this.
Maybe it was the mike that scared them, or maybe it was something else.
One day, I decided to try to recruit someone to give a testimonial and I remember asking a mom if she would be willing to get up sometime in front of the group and share what God was doing in her life.
Sadly, she declined, and said something like, “Well, I just wouldn’t know what to say.”
Ugh! Not know what to say? I couldn’t believe her answer. She had a beautiful, healthy little girl – maybe we could begin there for starters…?
But you know what, when we get busy, I think most of us have a hard time honing in on the things we need to glorify God for.
Maybe we just take things for granted, or chalk our blessings up to “luck.”
Either way, I think we need to reexamine the power of the testimony and see what it really can do for our own lives and those around us.
Sadly, she declined, and said something like, “Well, I just wouldn’t know what to say.”
Ugh! Not know what to say? I couldn’t believe her answer. She had a beautiful, healthy little girl – maybe we could begin there for starters…?
But you know what, when we get busy, I think most of us have a hard time honing in on the things we need to glorify God for.
Maybe we just take things for granted, or chalk our blessings up to “luck.”
Either way, I think we need to reexamine the power of the testimony and see what it really can do for our own lives and those around us.
In the Bible it clearly states how powerful our testimonies are: “Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has happened at last! God’s salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here; for the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven onto earth—he accused them day and night before our God. They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony; for they did not love their lives but laid them down for him” Revelation 12:10-11.
Wow. This scripture talks about the end times and how the strength of the blood of Jesus and believer’s testimony defeated Satan.
Yay! Now, can you imagine what we can do on a daily basis with our own testimonies or “God Stories” as my friend Jamie would call them? A whole lot right?
I walked in late to Sunday School last week, just in time to hear a last call for praises and prayer requests. That week had been a good one for me. I had just landed a job I had been praying for, and I knew couldn’t let that one go with out a praise report.
It felt great to share what God had done for me, and who knows what it did for the others in the room or in the spiritual realm?
What’s your God story?
Wow. This scripture talks about the end times and how the strength of the blood of Jesus and believer’s testimony defeated Satan.
Yay! Now, can you imagine what we can do on a daily basis with our own testimonies or “God Stories” as my friend Jamie would call them? A whole lot right?
I walked in late to Sunday School last week, just in time to hear a last call for praises and prayer requests. That week had been a good one for me. I had just landed a job I had been praying for, and I knew couldn’t let that one go with out a praise report.
It felt great to share what God had done for me, and who knows what it did for the others in the room or in the spiritual realm?
What’s your God story?
Here are some Bible verses that'll help you on your journey:
Mark 5:19 New International Version
19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
Matthew 10:32 New King James Version
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Psalm 35:28 King James Version
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
Matthew 10:32 New King James Version
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Psalm 35:28 King James Version
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.