I would hope that anyone reading this would agree with me that God is a Magnificent God.  If you struggle with this belief, I’d say that if you’ll stick with Him, He will bring you to this truth one day at a time.  Let me tell you why I say this.  Throughout my journey I’ve lived through a childhood of sexual abuse that lasted 12.5 years.  I lived through physical and emotional abuse which lasted 21 years.  By the time I graduated from college I had so many character defects and I was in such denial I thought that living the full life was all about keeping everything from my past hidden.  Now, today, my life is fully turned around.  Instead of keeping my life a secret, God is encouraging me to make my life known.  In doing so I have found there to be no judgment, only encouragement.  I have also found no one distancing themselves from me, instead, I’ve found people want to be closer and to know more.  These things and more are the reason I say God is Magnificent.

The Bible is full of promises God makes.  I really became aware of these when I began working with Celebrate Recovery.  James 5:16 says if we confess our sins one to another we will be healed–now that’s a huge promise.  I’ve longed for healing from the mental torment of my abuse.  Now, the torment is gone and it is replaced with a longing to help others struggling with the torment.  God gave man free choice when we were created so long ago.  However, He also gave us a promise that if we accept His Son Jesus into our hearts, we would be saved–John 3:16.  I have learned that what we are saved from is far more than the eventual hell vs heaven.  I’ve learned that I have been saved from the earthly hell I lived in for so long.  The torment I had was nothing but hell.

Freedom, and living in it, is a gift with responsibility.  We know this as a country.  I now know it from a spiritual point.  It seems tough when God tells us to tell what is tormenting us.  We conjure up all kinds of reasons we shouldn’t tell from man’s point of view.  However, God promises in verses like Isaiah 1:16-18 that we will be white as snow by following God’s lead in confessing.

Tonight I give my testimony to our group.  I will be doing this with more freedom that I ever have had in the past.  I am actually looking forward to it!  God has replaced my fears with a yearning to share His promises of healing and His truths.  Reach out to Him.  He is a kind and loving Father.