Tell Your Story (Part 2)
Do you have a personal story about how Jesus has changed your life? Maybe you’ve heard it called a “testimony” in some circles. A testimony, by definition, is just that — a personal story. It’s a public declaration (you don’t keep it to yourself) regarding a religious experience. Basically, it means the story of who you were before Jesus and how your life changed after Jesus.
Take some time to think through your personal story about how Jesus has changed you. Think through these questions, pray, and write down what comes to mind:
1. What did my life look like before I trusted Jesus?
2. How did I meet Jesus?
3. Did someone impact my life? If so, what did they do and why did they do it?
4. How did my life change after trusting Jesus as my Savior?
5. How does my life continue to change because of Jesus?
6. Why do I still need Jesus?
7. Who am I impacting now?
Why is this an important exercise?
1) I want you to remember, remember, remember what the Lord has done for you. All throughout the Old Testament we see “altars of remembrance” that were built so that future generations would know what God had done. We are a forgetful people and need reminders often of what God has done for us.
2) Like I mentioned in “Tell Your Story (Part 1),” we are to have a ready word available for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). If you wrote down the answers to the 7 questions above, you now have the framework for your story. It’s not likely you’ll share all your story all at once and all the time. But now, when someone says something in a conversation and the Holy Spirit quickens you to share part of your story, you are one step closer to having a “ready word.”
Keep praying and thinking through your story, and thank God for what He’s done for you (and continues to do) and for those who have come alongside you and impacted your story.
And, ask Him to show you how you can impact others! (Hint: Matthew 28:19-20).
I love y’all!
This article appeared originally on punkytolson.com.
