My Testimony

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." -Proverbs 31:30


This verse has become a true guiding post for my life and my actions. I am striving to be a woman after God's own heart, and in the days we're living in, it's becoming more and more of a challenge to do that. Many times I find myself thinking of ways I can get people to like me - talk a certain way, dress a certain way, fix my hair a certain way, say all the right things. But I always come back to this verse that clearly says that CHARM and BEAUTY are fleeting. God looks at the heart, and all that other stuff doesn't matter to Him.

I'm sitting here listening to my worship playlist, spending some time with Jesus, and I felt lead to write this post and share a little bit of my testimony. I pray that my struggles and my failures will encourage others to keep pushing on and to keep running the race. I want all my friends and family, and even strangers, to stand before God one day and hear Him say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Honestly, it's all because of Jesus that I'm even here at this point in my life. I have always been such a goody-two-shoes (if you will), and I didn't really think I needed any improvement in my life. I was always so blessed to have loving parents and friends. I didn't want for things. I always had what I needed, and I know that not a lot of people can say that. Looking back, I know I didn't appreciate how blessed I was and still am. So, if you're like me and feel like you have always done the right thing - to the point of people calling you a goody-two-shoes (like they called me) - trust me, I've been there. And there will come a point in your life where you're faced with much bigger decisions that you'll probably struggle with choosing the right thing. Praise be to God if you realize you need Him before those obstacles come. I'm sure glad I did.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was a little bit of a loner. It was a strange transition for me from middle school to high school because I went to the same school with the same friends for nine years. All of a sudden I was thrown into a school where over 85% of the people in my class were not the kids I grew up with. Believe it or not, I was painfully shy when I walked through the doors of West Brunswick High School in 2009. Who knew that I would walk out four years later a completely different person? God sure did.

Anywho, I made a beautiful, Godly friend my freshman year of high school. I thought she was weird, weird, weird for her strong faith in God. I distinctly remember a time when the public water system throughout the city was contaminated and Lexi was drinking from a tervis that had her faucet water in it. I said, "You know you can get really sick from drinking that?" And with such boldness and certainty, she said, "I know. I don't care. If I die, I know I'm going to Heaven anyway." Talk about mind-blowing for someone who wasn't a follower of Christ. Needless to say, she didn't stop talking to me about God. And don't get me wrong, it's not like I didn't believe in God because I did. I just didn't have a relationship with Him. And that's what gets you to Heaven. She invited me to church many times, and I went. I was still awkward and shy, so friendly, Godly people freaked me out. 

I started attending Jennies Branch regularly in April of 2010. God truly worked on my heart and in my life for several months. He allowed me to be around people who loved Jesus with a passion, and that lead me to love Him too. A big part of my testimony is VBS. The summer I started going to JBBC, we did cardboard testimonies for commencement at VBS. Being the honest, goody-two-shoes person I was, I was completely honest in saying that I didn't have a testimony. I think at the time I didn't even realize how big of a deal it was. Looking back, I know it was the biggest deal to those who believe. Long story short, my cardboard testimony said "Scared to follow Jesus, need prayer." And prayer is what I got. Two weeks later, on August 15, 2010, I gave my heart to Jesus, and I haven't looked back.

There have been many obstacles, temptations, and battles that I have had to face since becoming a Christian. The devil stays on you once you've given your life to Jesus. Don't let him discourage you. You have to get back up, ask God for forgiveness, turn from your sin, and keep on running the race. During the past three and a half years, I have had my doubts about God's love for me. Could He really love me after the things I've done? Could He actually forgive my sins, casting them as far as the east is from the west? Could He still want me to come back to Him after I've turned from Him so many times? The answer to all those questions is yes. 

Since going to college, I've really gotten to spend a lot of quality time with God. Going to college really tests your faith. You get to see who you truly are in Christ, without leaning on the youth leaders you've had for years and the friends who have helped you through the hard times. Many times, it is just you and God. And you can choose to take that time to get right with Him or walk away. For me, it was wise to get right with Him because I have no idea what I'm doing in my life. I have my dreams and my plans, but the book of Proverbs says that the Lord's purpose always prevails. I am still struggling daily with certain temptations that are hard for me to walk away from. I'm not too proud to admit that I struggle and I fail all the time. But that's okay. That's why God sent Jesus to die for us and to cover us with His blood. Otherwise, we would truly be hopeless. God wouldn't be able to look at us at all. Our sin is too great, but Jesus paid it all (all to Him I owe... name that hymn!) 

I just really wanted to share a big part of my life and my heart with yall. Jesus has made all the difference in my life. There are times when I'm so distraught. There are times when I feel like I can't go on. But Jesus reminds me daily that prize has yet to come. I want to encourage you by telling you that God truly and passionately loves you. As I learned last night at my small group, God is obsessed with you. He follows you around. He watches you sleep. He cares about your anxieties. He wants you to come to Him. And His arms are always open. Don't let this world tell you anything about yourself that God specifically says is untrue. He loves you and wants more than anything to have a relationship with you. It's a life-changing relationship, and I've never met anyone who has it and says differently. Just be encouraged today, friends. God is loving and gracious, and He will always want you as long as you accept His precious gift to us - Jesus.


"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." -Romans 1:16