Thank you so much for joining us on The Testimony Tour. You can check out Tiffany Perry here if you missed her post.
When I was 7 years old, a small group leader explained who Jesus was to me using the wordless Bible. Each color represented something different– God’s creation, sin, Jesus’ blood, cleansing from sin, and heaven.
My heart raced with nerves but I knew I wanted to say yes to Jesus, so I prayed with her, inviting the Lord into my life that day.
Now as a 45-year-old adult, I’m still learning how to say yes to Him. I’m still learning how to trust Him. Every. Single. Day. Click To Tweet
The beautiful thing about salvation is that the instant you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, that’s the moment you’re saved.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NIV)
But you know what? The moment of salvation is just the beginning of a lifelong tapestry of walking with Jesus through the good times and bad.
I see critical moments in my life when my soul was sifted through cracks of pain which ground me down to the core of my existence.
It’s in these circumstances where my relationship with the Lord is made strong as I discover anew how He rescues me with His love.
He doesn’t take away the hard times, but He uses them to purify me, to teach me who He is, and draw me close.
He saw me when I was an insecure 7th grader, desperately trying to hush my sobs in a bathroom stall, terrified of getting in trouble for cutting class.
I was a rule-follower, who had soaked up all the rumors that I was stupid. I had holes in my identity that I didn’t know how to fill up on my own. Jesus was my living water.
He saw me when I was a lonely high school freshman longing for friendship.
He gave me the strength to ride a church bus by myself to attend youth group. I told God if He didn’t give me a friend I would never go back.
I knew it was no accident when another girl sitting by herself, asked if she could sit with me. I don’t think I ever missed a Sunday after that day. I made a friend in the church choir, who I’m still best friends with today.
My faith grew strong as I learned who God was by being involved in a fabulous youth group. I made lots of friends and served with them in my church and community.
He saw my aching, 21-year-old, never-been-kissed, single heart that longed to be married and wondered if anyone would ever love me. A few years later, I met a man who loved the Lord and would become my soul-mate.
But soon, I found myself as a struggling newlywed whose world felt torn apart with unmet expectations. Jesus picked me up, held me, and continued to allow the trials in my marriage to make my faith and my marriage stronger.
Jesus heard my anger the day I questioned His love for me. The sound of chirping birds reminded me of His words in Matthew.
How could He possibly care about a sparrow falling from a tree when He didn’t even answer my constant prayers for a child? Why did all the fertility treatments fail, even after we prayed so hard?
But I came home and by no accident, opened my Bible to those same words in Matthew. He would use the sparrow to gently remind me of His tender care for me every time I saw one.
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns–and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. Matthew 6:26 (NIV)
He was the life-ring I clung to when the doctor told me my only pregnancy in 6 years was ectopic, that I was bleeding internally and needed emergency surgery in order to save my life. I turned my eyes to Jesus and allowed the things of my sorrowful world to grow strangely dim as I was wheeled into surgery and asked by the pre-op nurse if I had any children.
But when I woke up, my world grew strangely bright by the words, “the doctor thinks you’re still pregnant” and I gave birth 9 months later to a healthy baby girl, named Madeline Faith. Jesus is my healer.
And by His immense grace, He’s blessed me with 3 more children who were all conceived naturally.
God saw this overwhelmed, frazzled, guilt-ridden mother of 4 who desperately wanted to stop yelling at her kids and be the mom she always dreamed she would be. He poured grace over me and equipped me through His Holy Spirit with the tools to learn how to control anger. He is my redeemer.
Jesus broke through the walls of this middle-aged woman when He told me He loved me over and over again until the words penetrated my calloused heart.
He opened my eyes to see the anxiety I lived in and asked me to take His hand and trust Him so we could walk through fear together. He wanted me to know I could trust Him. Jesus is my deliverer!
He sees me when life shatters my heart into broken shards of glass, each beat cutting deeper while my stomach twists in knots of restless anxiety over things outside of my control.
He is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! Psalm 73:26 (NIV)
I honestly don’t know where I would be without the anchor of hope I find in my relationship with Christ.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. Hebrews 6:19
When the walls of my circumstances come crashing down, He is my sure foundation. Click To Tweet
What is your foundation built upon?
When your life is built upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ, you can take refuge in the fact that nothing in this world can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:38-39)
No matter what you are going through, you will NEVER lose the presence and the love of the Lord. You will always have Jesus.
If you don’t know Jesus, it’s never too late! You can have this same hope too! Simply pray and surrender your life to Christ by admitting your sin and believing that Jesus died on the cross.
Once you invite Jesus into your life, you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. You have a new purpose in life–to glorify God and spread His message of hope and salvation to others.
Dear Jesus,
I need you. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins. I want to live for you and find my peace in you. Lord, be my hope in this world when all seems hopeless. Be the anchor of my soul that I can hold onto when I feel like I’m drifting away. Be the strength of my heart and my portion forever when my heart is breaking. I surrender my life to you and ask that you would direct my path and draw me close to you.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Be sure to visit Veronica’s blog to continue on the tour!
You can also visit the rest of the Tour by visiting the links below!
Day One Milk and Honey Faith – Married By His Grace
Day Two
Searching For Moments – Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel
Day Three
Simply For One – Cord of 6
Day Four
VeronicaAnne – Shannon Geurin
Day Five Friends With God – Flourishing Today
Thank you for sharing your testimony. It is beautiful to see how God is for you who He promises to be.
I was especially touched with how He tenderly met you when you started going to youth group, in that time of vulnerability, of make or break in your Christian life. It is such an encouragement to read testimonies like yours from all over the globe and realize what a good and awesome God we have that can help all of His children at once without glitches. 🙂
God is so good. He meets us in special ways at just the right time.
What a great group of ladies to follow along with! I look forward to reading all of these! I love hearing the stories of others because it connects us so much more.
Valerie – I love this idea of the testimony tour! I love hearing other peoples stories. God is indeed our healer and I love your testimony of your daughter and other children being given to you as gifts from God – despite the doctors thinking and the medical procedure you thought would not make it possible. God is so good!
thanks for linking up with #TuneInThursday this week. Sorry for my delay in stopping by, it has been a busy week 🙂
Hi Debbie! Thank you for visiting and hosting the link-up!
Wow. What an inspirational and heartfelt testimony Valerie. Thank you for your willingness to open up and tell your story. It is not easy to share about the moments of weakness and helplessness we experience in our lives…but God. He is always watching and waiting for us to seek Him. I wanted to let you know how moved I was by your post today. I am so proud of what you ladies are doing via the Testimony tour. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and may God continue to bless you and yours.
Horace, I really appreciate that you took the time to encourage me today! Thank you so much! I’m thinking of you and your health and praying for God to give you answers and relief from pain. God bless you!
Thanks for sharing your beautiful testimony. It’s so encouraging to see how God met you at every stage of life and took you deeper in your relationship with Him. I don’t know how people go through life without knowing Him!
I’ve always wondered how people can go through life without knowing Jesus as well. I just don’t know where I’d be without Him. Thank you for visiting and commenting!
He always sees. I’m so thankful for that. And He always rescues. Not always in the timing we like tho! But eventually. Thanks for your encouragement to trust Jesus.
It’s always comforting to know that God always sees and knows what we are going through. I appreciate your kind words!
My dear Valarie! I was happy to read this testimony as I got to know you a little better through it. You have become my sister in Christ, in blogging, and I’m so glad to call you friend!
When your life is built upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ, you can take refuge in the fact that nothing in this world can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:38-39)
Amen for this beautiful promise He gives to His people!
Sue, you are my sister in Christ and it sure is a blessing to call you friend. Thank you for always being such an encouragement to me!
So beautiful! I got chills when the doctor said you were still pregnant. Only God. I’ll be sharing your words with a friend of mine who is wrestling with faith through trials right now. I pray your words reach many for God’s glory. Blessings!
So often “Only God’ gets us through those times when trials seem to have to end in sight. I really appreciate your kind words. Thank you for sharing!
Valerie- I enjoyed your testimony! God is really the unmovable anchor through life, isn’t He? What a confident message to others to grip tightly to Him!
Hugs!
Hi Julie! Yes, the Lord is an anchor for us during every storm! Thank you for taking the time to comment today! You are a blessing!
Thank you for sharing your testimony I have a testimony one day I would like to share with someone. Mine was thru addiction I am so Blessed now I have been clean and sober a few years now. Jesus has given me a second chance of life. He saved me I surrendered to him accepted him as my Lord and Savior. He healed me from my addiction. I thought I could stop on my own almost 20 yrs my addiction was slowly killing me..That little voice led me to church and I was saved that day.
Amen Lorraine! What an amazing testimony you have. I would love to read your story and hope that you share it one day as I’m sure it will be a testament of hope for all who struggle with addiction.
Your testimony is so gripping and I just love how it all began at the tender age of 7. To read about how the Lord was woven into the fabric of your life and how that faith helped you throughout it heart-warming. What a Testimony to the fact that He never leaves us. Once we are His children that is where we stay. Thank you beautiful Valerie.
Don’t you love the He never leaves us no matter what? Thank you for setting up this Testimony Tour. Sharing how the Lord has worked in our lives is such an amazing way to let others know about the love God has for us! You are such a blessing!
Oh, my heart! Val, I could hardly stop the tears. This is so beautiful and tender … and authentic. I love you to the moon and back and am so thankful to call you friend ♥
Thank you for being such a supportive friend. I feel so blessed by your friendship and that we can share our hearts safely.
Wow! I am absolutely amazed by your story! You have endured so much but yet you never let God go during any of those situations. Your faith is so inspiring to me! Love that you shared how God was in every situation of lost and heartbreak. You are a blessed woman Valerie and your grace is beautifully shown through it!!
Oh, thank you sweet friend! God has been so good to me throughout my life! It’s a joy to be a part of this testimony tour!
Valerie, I loved how you shared how the grace of God met you at every stage in your life. What a beautiful way to share how Christ has been there for you.
I love this tour! So often us mommy bloggers are sharing about marriage and motherhood, which is all fine and good, but taking a moment to pause and let the world know how we encountered the One who is the reason why we blog,..well, that’s priceless.
Blessings,
Tiffiney
Such encouraging words Tiffiney! Thank you. It’s wonderful to share the reason why we blog. To God be the glory!
What a powerful testimony of God being present and ministering to you in both the middle everyday of life and your most trying and desperate moments. Such a picture of the intimate relationship we have with a loving Savior. Thank you for sharing your story with such vulnerability and authenticity, Valerie.
Thank you Tiffany! It was so fun being neighbors with you on the Testimony Tour!
This is just so beautiful, Valerie. How you walked us through Jesus’ love throughout your life is the perfect picture of His goodness and grace. “But you know what? The moment of salvation is just the beginning of a lifelong tapestry of walking with Jesus through the good times and bad.
Thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous testimony! You are so appreciated!
I’m so happy you stopped by and left such a kind comment Erika! Thank you so much!