My Journey, My Story
Testimonial
Our families give us the foundation for relationships. It is here that we learn values and morals about work, school, friends, church and God. Sometimes we are taught what it means to be responsible, productive, loving children. Other times health eludes us and there are no apparent signs as adults that we learned anything other than dysfunction as a child.
My father was an alcoholic so addiction played a major role in my childhood experiences. It was difficult to find any sense of wholeness or well-being. My days were filled with constant questions and not many answers. At some point I stopped asking, went silent, and waited to be rescued from this family where I knew I didn’t belong.
As a little girl I was taught that God loved everybody but I couldn’t understand when all of the abuse and violence was going why no one came to “rescue” me, not even God.
I now know that God truly was with me and yes, He was watching over me. I also know He placed me in the only family that could provide what I would need to develop into the woman I am now. As an adult, God sent some friends into my life who would not let go of me. He sent them to practice Isaiah 61:1-3 in my presence and to show me how involved God had been in loving me into relationship with Him. They helped me look at my heart and acknowledge the struggle and anger I was having with God. I didn’t know I could do that and I didn’t know that God and others would listen to my story and still love me.
The Bible says, “ And they overcame by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Your testimony is your story and it is an important part of the journey to wholeness to tell that story!!! I hope this serves as an encouragement to tell your story!!
Joanne P.