That's me.
This past weekend I got to share my 'testimony' at my youth group's winter retreat. But really, I look at it as sharing my journey of how I got to where I am today. Let me share it with you. Told as if we were talking together:
Welp, I'm Hannah, or Swan, Swanny, Schwann, anyway. I'm going to cry. Because that's the inexplicable thing that happens when I talk about me and God. I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was fairly young. It all started with my brother and a wordless book. He was just excited about what he had learned. I am incredibly thankful for the brothers and family that I have been given. It wasn't until several years later that I realized that there was more to this Christ following than I had once thought. I had believed in Jesus so I could go to heaven, but then I began to learn that I could have a relationship with Him. I wanted to honor Him in all I do, to learn about the things that He delighted in. Through the years, I got to see the example of my family, and went to camp. What I see as the biggest thing in my spiritual growth though, is that a few amazing friends and ladies were placed in my life. They we there to pray for me, encourage me, and to live life with me. We could be excited together. Whether through face-to-face conversations, or messages, we would ask, "What has God been teaching you this week?" Or, "Oh my word! This verse is incredible!.." I had friends who were willing to be real. And it changed my life. Still today, I see it as one of greatest things in my spiritual walk.
Over the last few years, God has caused the word 'all' stick out to me. I still smile whenever I hear it. It can be applied to so many aspects of your life. The thing about all is that if you hold back even just a little bit, it's no longer all. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Now, that the word all has meant a lot to me for a long time, there is beginning to be another phrase. "Be who you were made to be." Paraphrasing from Bob Goff, don't do what you are able to do, but do what you were made to do, and do lots of that. I ask myself "What am I created to do?" Still it's not all completely clear, but I do know that one of the things that we were made to do is glorify God. Live with purpose.
I do not want to come across as self-righteous or perfect. The last thing I want to do is say, "Look at me, I'm so great," but I do want to say, "Look at me, God is great." I did a little journal digging as I was trying to figure out what to say, and there was many a time that the first words on the page were, "God, I don't get it." "I don't understand." There have been some rough times, but God remains faithful. He has provided in amazing ways, protected, and done some pretty great things. I can look back and see what He has done in the past, and know He will do it in the future. I heard this phrase recently: I don't know what You're doing, but I know who You are. It is so true.
I'll leave you with one verse. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." ~Galatians 2:20
That's me.
Welp, I'm Hannah, or Swan, Swanny, Schwann, anyway. I'm going to cry. Because that's the inexplicable thing that happens when I talk about me and God. I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was fairly young. It all started with my brother and a wordless book. He was just excited about what he had learned. I am incredibly thankful for the brothers and family that I have been given. It wasn't until several years later that I realized that there was more to this Christ following than I had once thought. I had believed in Jesus so I could go to heaven, but then I began to learn that I could have a relationship with Him. I wanted to honor Him in all I do, to learn about the things that He delighted in. Through the years, I got to see the example of my family, and went to camp. What I see as the biggest thing in my spiritual growth though, is that a few amazing friends and ladies were placed in my life. They we there to pray for me, encourage me, and to live life with me. We could be excited together. Whether through face-to-face conversations, or messages, we would ask, "What has God been teaching you this week?" Or, "Oh my word! This verse is incredible!.." I had friends who were willing to be real. And it changed my life. Still today, I see it as one of greatest things in my spiritual walk.
Over the last few years, God has caused the word 'all' stick out to me. I still smile whenever I hear it. It can be applied to so many aspects of your life. The thing about all is that if you hold back even just a little bit, it's no longer all. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Now, that the word all has meant a lot to me for a long time, there is beginning to be another phrase. "Be who you were made to be." Paraphrasing from Bob Goff, don't do what you are able to do, but do what you were made to do, and do lots of that. I ask myself "What am I created to do?" Still it's not all completely clear, but I do know that one of the things that we were made to do is glorify God. Live with purpose.
I do not want to come across as self-righteous or perfect. The last thing I want to do is say, "Look at me, I'm so great," but I do want to say, "Look at me, God is great." I did a little journal digging as I was trying to figure out what to say, and there was many a time that the first words on the page were, "God, I don't get it." "I don't understand." There have been some rough times, but God remains faithful. He has provided in amazing ways, protected, and done some pretty great things. I can look back and see what He has done in the past, and know He will do it in the future. I heard this phrase recently: I don't know what You're doing, but I know who You are. It is so true.
I'll leave you with one verse. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." ~Galatians 2:20
That's me.
I don't know what you're doing, but I know who you are - LOVE THAT!!!
ReplyDeleteI love it too! I can't even remember where I read it so that I could give them credit, but wherever it was, it stuck out like bold print.
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