Good morning, Arisers!

This month, as we camp on the topic of salvation, I can’t help but be reminded of the rich and meaningful testimony each Jesus-follower carries.

Regardless of your background—what you have or haven’t done—did you know if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you are saved—and you have a powerful testimony?

I was able to fully embrace the depth of my testimony when I was in college, even though I’ve been a Jesus-follower since I was around five years old. Growing up, I’d say I fit easily into the category of “goody-two-shoes.”

I’m a rule follower through and through. I don’t have to “learn the hard way.” I didn’t even really need the “why” behind rules growing up. I naturally leaned toward obedience and lived a pretty straight-and-narrow lifestyle. Booooring! I know, I know.

Then high school hit and…welp…nothing changed. I continued to live a life that was pretty joyful and simple, doing my best to be God-honoring in the way I obeyed, lived for Him, used my gifts for worship and leadership, and that carried me into my college years.

So, once college came around, THEN…yeah it was more of the same. My even-keeled personality kept obeying, kept investing in music, kept getting involved in student government and other leadership opportunities. I can’t report too much craziness worth a story.

I distinctly remember one evening in college. I was a freshman. I was living in a dorm on campus, and our hall of ladies met in the Resident Assistant’s room for an evening of getting to know each other. We each sat crossed legged on the floor, giggling, sharing stories of our first few days on campus, and I was enjoying myself until the R.A. announced that we would begin to share our testimonies throughout these meetings.

I didn’t initially have much of an issue sharing how I came to know Jesus. It’s a cute story of me listening to my mom explain the Bible verses from my AWANA class I was in on Wednesday nights. As a 5-year-old high achiever, I took the Bible verse memorization homework very seriously. And as my mom faithfully explained to me the words about Jesus I was committing to memory, I began to process and understand more and more. She soon prayed with me to invite Jesus into my heart. And…that’s the extent of what I remember in the moment I was saved.

It wasn’t until I began to listen to the powerful testimonies of the other girls in my freshman class that I soon became embarrassed of my “story,” if you could call it that. One by one, girls were sharing their life stories, and we all sat and cried tears of sadness mixed with joy. These girls opened up and shared the deep struggles, the deep addictions, and the deep pain they were rescued from because of Jesus. And it was then that I let the lie creep in that I didn’t have a powerful testimony.

Have you ever felt that way? Do you ever feel like God would never use your story? Do you ever think- Other people have stories more compelling, more dramatic…and God will use them. But not me. I told myself this, and I let it silence me for a while.

I continued on in life, embarrassed that I had nothing to share, until my sister sat me down for some real talk. I remember her words of wisdom in that moment:

“Emily, tell me what God has done in your life,” she said.

“Well…” I rolled my eyes, “He’s paid for my sins, given me salvation, and He has provided a way for me to have a personal relationship with Him,” I semi-recited like it was a Sunday school answer.

“Ok, so explain to me which part of that testimony is not powerful.”

It was a simple moment, but it has been so profound in my gratitude and understanding of my testimony. I wonder if the Enemy loves when we’re frozen and silent in our testimonies, too embarrassed to share who God is to us because we think it’s meaningless. It’s not.`

I want to take this opportunity to encourage you. Wherever you may find yourself right now—whether your story seems simple and boring, dramatic and riveting, or somewhere in between—you have a powerful testimony. And do you want to know why? It has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with God and the work He has done in you.

Let’s rejoice today in our salvation! Let’s share our stories!

God makes no mistakes, and I believe He wants to use your story and my story to bring glory to His name.


- Emily Heaton, Worship Lead