First I just want to apologize. I totally forgot that yesterday was Wednesday so I gave you a regular episode instead of a witness Wednesday. However, I know many of you love to hear the testimonies, so I didn’t want to skip it this week. So today I am bringing you a witness Wednesday, just a day late on a Thursday. Today’s witnesses are from Matthew West’s website called popwe.org. If you don’t know who Matthew West is, he is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. This website is for the non-profit that he has with his father, a pastor. Matthew and his father encourage people to share their stories. They have various categories of stories. Today, I chose two testimonies from the Relationship Category. Relationships are hard. I don’t think we are sailing through life full of perfect relationships. Often, we can hear our own story in someone else’s story. When we listen to others tell their story, it helps us see that we are not alone. When we hear how God worked in their relationships, it gives us hope that He will work in ours, too! I pray when you hear these testimonies, you get the faith and hope to believe that miracles and healing can happen in your relationships also.
Karina: When I think of my story, I think of pain, grief, overwhelming sadness, hurt, and betrayal. Then I think of hope, redemption, love, grace, miracles, and my salvation in Jesus.
Five years ago, my entire world turned upside down. I experienced betrayal in my marriage after 12 years. I was in so much pain. My life seemed to have been one episode after the next of unfortunate events.I was so broken and so alone. I was in severe depression and taking depression and anxiety meds and using alcohol with it. I was doing anything I could to dull the pain I was in.
I’m so thankful that God loved me so much that He pursued me in ways I’d never experienced before. I was blessed to become a part of a church. At a time when I was deeply hurting, I was shown the love of Christ over and over again. My pastor would say during his messages (and he still does) that I MATTERED to GOD. Honestly, I didn’t even know that I did. God never left my side and He revealed Himself and His love to me. I had never known love like this before and he poured it out on me in waves and waves. He walked with me through the trials and the storms and he saved me and restored me. Then God led me to become a part of a women’s group that has encouraged me, prayed with me and laughed with me. These women have become my sisters. We’ve shared a bond stronger than any blood relationship I’ve ever had. Words can’t describe the love in my heart that I have for each of them. God has healed me in ways I couldn’t see possible five years ago or even three years ago. He resurrected my dead marriage which is a miracle in a way because there was no way I could see this being restored or if reconciliation was even an option. That’s the God I serve. He is full of compassion, LOVE, mercy, and GRACE… He pursues us even when we turn our backs on Him. He loved me even when I didn’t love myself; He showed me I was His, that I was never forsaken; that I was chosen, a daughter of the One True King. He healed my heart, renewed my mind and made me brand new! The only way I can end this is by saying “Thank You, JESUS” ❤️
Trent: Theme songs are an important part of our world. As individuals, I feel that we each have a personal theme song for our life. My name is Trent, and I am 19 years old. By no fault of my own, I was born into a family filled with extreme dysfunction. My earliest years were filled with domestic violence, extreme neglect, and extensive sexual abuse. I truly struggle to find the words to adequately describe the daily pain and suffering that I endured during my earliest years. I was hurt in every way imaginable. My theme song was one of fear.
I feared for my safety. I feared that I would starve. I feared that I could not protect my younger brother. I feared that the pain would never end. I feared that I would never have anyone to love me.
After a few traumatic years with those who gave birth to me, I was taken into the foster care system. I spent my early childhood traveling from one foster home to another. My theme song of fear amplified as I cried myself to sleep each night fearing that I would never have a family to call my own.
I would like for you to think for just a moment about how difficult it is each time you experience a change in life. Now imagine that you are asked to gather your few pathetic belongings, place them in a trash bag, and get in a car to be taken to the home of a complete and total stranger. This happened to me not once, but 5 times over the course of my first 8 years. Fear was the theme that dominated my existence. Although my foster placements were not exactly ideal, I was introduced to God very early on and was able to cling to the hope that He had a plan for my life. I was young, but I kept hearing about this God who loved me no matter what. I was given a dog tag with Jeremiah 29:11 engraved on the front. There were many times in my early years that I began to doubt that I would ever have a family of my own, but I pressed into God and prayed as I repeated Jeremiah 29:11 as a reminder that He was in control, despite the fact that my theme song of fear resonated loudly.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
That verse is still my favorite and served as a constant reminder that God was in control despite the fact that my world was filled with uncontrollable chaos and uncertainty. My only hope was found in God as I prayed each night that I would somehow find a family to love me and keep me safe.
By the grace of God, my life that had been consumed by fear and uncertainty changed in 2010. My prayers were answered and my younger brother and I were adopted by two amazing people who are now my Mom and Dad in every sense of the word. After being adopted I am so happy to say that my theme song began to change. I no longer spent every day in fear; instead I had HOPE for the first time in my life. If you asked me how those changes came about, I can answer in one single but very powerful word. LOVE. It sounds like such a simple concept, but being in a place where I knew I was loved by my family, and most importantly, by God was the key to healing. My new theme song became one of love.
The Lord delivered me to a forever family who never once wavered in their unconditional love and support as they walked my healing journey by my side and led me to the healing that can only be found in God. They cried with me as I mourned the loss of my siblings, held me as I exposed details of my sexual abuse, and allowed me to mourn the loss of my childhood. Over time, I began to trust that they were going to stand by me no matter what. That feeling of safety and security opened the doors to healing. The truth is, early trauma changes who you are and you can either let it take you, or decide to fight… and I was determined to fight. We pressed into the pain as a family unit and asked God each and every day to help heal me from my past trauma. I was not going to allow my traumatic start define my future. My self esteem was restored and I began to realize that God had a purpose for my life. Jeremiah 29:11 repeatedly entered my mind as I watched my life unfold. It may sound crazy, but I thank God for the pain and suffering I endured.
Every painful moment provided a learning experience that I can now use to help others. I am not a victim. I am not damaged goods! I am a strong Christian young man who has found his way home to a family who will love me unconditionally. Healing from my past trauma was the most painful experience of my life, but I am now able to see that God used my pain for His purpose. I began sharing my story at the age of 10 and published my autobiography “Shattered No More” at the age of 14. I do not share these accomplishments to boast in any way, but to break misconceptions about those who have experienced trauma. At the age of 17 I started a speaking and support ministry to provide hope to others who have experienced trauma (watchmerise919.org). I have had the true honor of walking this healing journey with others through mentoring, Bible study, support groups, and specialized trainings. In addition, I share my story of hope to others through our Watch Me Rise podcast. I am currently in college and on my way to becoming a licensed Clinical Counselor. Over time I was able to see the beauty that is found in the ashes. The Lord has transformed me and made me new. I strive each day to be more like Jesus and to bring others to the true healing that is only found in Him. I give God all the glory for my journey! That is HIS story.
Please reach out through our website if we can encourage you in any way, pray for you, support you in your healing journey or share our story. Thank you to popwe for allowing those who have experienced pain to use our pain for a purpose!
Thank you so much to Karina and Trent for sharing your stories. I know it is hard being vulnerable and sharing your story, and yet it helps so many people. I am sure your testimonies are helping others see the possibilities for their own relationships. I am grateful for the miracles you received and I am sure God is so happy you are sharing them with others.
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