First Testimony Shared!!!

Oh wow!  Talk about amazing healing!  I got to have a new experience for the first time this weekend, and how blessed I was to have that opportunity!  I gave my testimony for the first time ever!!!

I don't like to think my life has been horrible, but I have experienced some pretty horrible things.  I've done horrible things.  I've seen horrible things.  But I can see now that all of those horrible things have led to today, and that isn't at all horrible.

I wanted to share my story for a while now.  I had imagined myself sharing it, and imagined it being a blessing to someone else.  I never realized what a blessing it would be to ME.  But it surely was a blessing, and I really can't even describe how.

I know that getting it out there was part of it.  Just sharing it, knowing that I am no longer "hiding" myself from people.  Knowing that I am finally fully transparent and getting a better look at just how much God really has done in my life.  Those are part of the blessing.  But there is so much more, and I wish I could put it into words.

And, after I was almost embarrassed at the attention it got me.  Everyone telling me how great I was and how inspiring I was for sharing.  I felt like I was receiving the credit, where I truly deserve none.  God is the reason I was up there, God gave me the words, and God has gotten me to this moment.  It is God who did GREAT, and God who is inspiring!!!

Though, there was one compliment I received that touched me more than any others.  I was thanked for being so open and honest.  The person told me that they've always had a knack for being able to feel the honesty, and that they felt like I was one of the most honest people they'd ever heard give a testimony.  That the pure honesty was what moved them, not my words and not my experiences alone, but the honesty of pouring them out.  And truthfully, that is the one statement that meant the most to me.

I do want my story to inspire people, to move them in some way.  I want people to see how amazing God really is and to see His love shine through what He's done in my life.  I was blessed to be able to share it with a great group of people who were extremely supportive and encouraging, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for it next!!!