Lili sharing her testimony
Our very own, Lili, bravely gave her testimony this past
Tuesday at MOPS. She got up before her peers and talked about who she used to
be, and how Jesus took the broken pieces and completely transformed her. As she
hashed over the painful choices of her past, she boldly debunked the lies she
once believed and beautifully claimed the truth in scripture. You could’ve
heard a pin drop while she was talking. There was only the sound of quiet
sobs while truth was proclaimed. Lili stated, “That was my past. I don’t live
there anymore.”
How freeing.
I recently listened to a great talk by Jenny Allen. She’s a
Bible teacher and author who loves Jesus & has a heart for women. During
her talk, she showed a picture of a group of women she ministers to in a
maximum-security prison. Here they are singing to Jesus.
Here’s what Jenny had
to say about them:
“Honestly, let me just tell you, they
are more free than most people I meet in churches…Let me just say what’s so
powerful about this and why they feel so free.
It’s because they’ve been caught.
There’s no pretending. They have
nothing left to prove. Nothing left to earn. Nothing left to protect. They long
for heaven, because as far as they know they may never get out of this place
until Jesus. They love Jesus. They know what forgiveness is. They know what it
means to be saved. And here’s they thing, guys. I think sometimes we just need
our heads lifted to go, ‘You know what? I am broken. I am messed up. I need
help. I need God.’
It feels so vulnerable, and then you say it and the other
person says, ‘Me too!’ And then, all of a sudden there’s a freedom that
comes…There’s something about being caught. It’s like, ‘Yep! Messed up, need
God.” (From Momcon - "Be You, Bravely - Because you are His http://new.livestream.com/LouisvilleLive/events/3394960/videos/63824366 - at 1:27:25)"
After Lili’s talk, the room buzzed with conversation. One of
the gals at my table said that Lili was so brave - SO BRAVE – that she just wanted to
give her a hug. I agree.
Within 30 minutes of testimony, Lili reminded us of the
freedom we have in Jesus. We were reminded to breathe in His grace and let go of
the former things that have held us captive. We were reminded that we could
break the chains of our pasts.
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See,
I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making
a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
I
loved how Lili encouraged each of us, whether we have an “exciting” or “boring”
testimony, Jesus can use it all.
I want
to be like Lili – open, brave, and free.
We have an amazing theme at MOPS this year. I hope each of us can be brave in
our own ways. I’m hoping we can be brave with each other and hear that “me
too.” I hope we remember how recklessly our Jesus loves us. Look at how He
pursued Lili! May we not only say, "That was my past, I don't live there anymore," but boldly live it out. And, because of His love, His forgiveness, and His mercy, we can
shine in a dark world. We can be brave because we are His.
Love,
Jenn
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