by Jeanni Ritchie
I sat down recently to write my testimony. It’s not the first time to write it, nor the first time to give it, but a lot has changed in the last couple of years.
Having the mental clarity I lacked in the past, I now faced a new dilemma: how to tell the integral parts of my story without telling someone else’s. It’s important to be authentic but also to be gentle.
Some of the stories are rather brutal.
One particular crossroads I faced involved other people. It felt wrong to include it but my story had holes when I left it out. People saw the effect; they didn’t see the cause.
It took nine months of prayer and seeking guidance from the Lord to get the six words needed. The Holy Spirit and I are co-writers.
When I first started writing my book, I was having trouble formatting it correctly. Chronological? Thematic? Back and forth? Nothing seemed to be working and every draft ended up in the recycling bin.
“Why am I having so much trouble figuring out how to put this all together?” I’d asked the Lord. I knew WHAT to say, just not HOW to say it.
“Because you are trying to incorporate Me into your story instead of trying to incorporate you into Mine.”
I understood immediately and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. These are HIS words. It’s HIS message.
There’s no room passive-aggressive revenge or ulterior motives. There’s only a desire to share my story- the book and the testimony- in an effort to help non-believers find salvation and Christians to break free from bondage.
Like Paul, in Philippians 1:13, there were things I endured in order to bring glory to God.
Like David, in Psalm 51:5, some of the burdens I once bore were due to my own sins.
God makes it all whole. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
I look forward to sharing my testimony both locally and across the country as I travel. It is never for my glory, but for His.
The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. Galatians 2:20
Read more faith essays at www.faithunfaded.com. To schedule Jeanni to speak at your church, email jeanniritchie54@gmail.
