“My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”
Psalm 71:15-18
What comes to mind when we hear the word testimony?
Growing up in a faith-based atmosphere for the majority of my childhood, I often got the sense that there was a certain expectation surrounding an individual's testimony. In some church settings, the extreme, jaw-dropping tale of how a person struggling with addiction came to find themselves at the feet of Jesus is treated like a trophy; as people listen in awe and reverence of how far they had been, and how far they had come. On the other hand, I’ve also realized the simplistic story of a young person meeting Jesus in a Sunday school class is sometimes regarded like that of a participation award; a story less shiny and impressive, somehow less significant than the person who spoke before them in the small group circle. But the truth is, both accounts are important, and need to be shared with the world. Both experiences testify to the reality of a living Savior who came to offer anyone and everyone the gift of salvation.
I can truthfully attest to moments in life when I’ve doubted the influence of my own testimony, after hearing the power and eloquence that friends and family have expressed within their own narratives. On the contrary, I have dear friends that struggle to tell parts of their pasts in certain settings, omitting certain details out of fear of feeling shame or judgement from those listening. This reality is all too common, and at times I’m afraid we’ve been horribly deceived into believing that our stories are either too flashy or not as extreme as we’d like them to be, not enough, or just too drastic to share.
But, dear brothers and sisters, of this I am confident: once we allow God to step into our story, something undeniably powerful and transformative has taken place.
No matter who we are, or where we’ve been, if we know all the words to the books-of-the-Bible song, or we just recently stepped into a church for the first time in our lives: there is power when we attest to the work of Jesus in our lives. It’s imperative that we recognize this, and hold in high regard the story being written between us and Lord, not on account of what we’ve done, but solely because of His work in the trajectory of our lives.
Throughout the scriptures, Jesus proves to be an excellent storyteller Himself, using storytelling as His preferred medium of teaching. He utilized His words to reveal wisdom to those around Him, to convict the proud, and to uplift the hurting and broken. At EPAGA, we aim to do the same. We are asked to tell stories, just as Jesus did: our testaments of the miracles and transformation that He’s accomplished in our lives. Just as the stories that Jesus told were the doorway for so many to enter into the Kingdom, our own stories of His work in our lives can be the doorway for those around us to enter in His family as well. The ability to tell our stories with eagerness and joy is often the key to being a powerful witness to the world, as we proclaim His goodness and faithfulness.
This week, we encourage you to give yourself the chance to reflect on the beauty of your own testimony, to look back upon the landmarks of faithfulness where He has proven Himself faithful; the times you witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Find a way to express the story that has and is being written between you and God, whether it means sitting down in a quiet corner with a journal and a pen, or just by asking a willing friend to listen to your testimony.
At EPAGA Home Care, we wholeheartedly attest to the work that God has done in our midst and through our business as we set out to create meaningful connections with you and your loved ones. We’re extremely grateful that our testimonies are intertwined with so many of your own, and deeply cherish the community that we’ve built, and will continue to build. By working to provide the best care and comfort, we outwardly testify to the diligence and compassion of our God. More than anything, we aspire to be a living testimony of our Savior: a mirrored image of His unrelenting grace, His eager pursuit of the hearts of humanity, and His love and compassion for each of us.
