“I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” Psalms 57:9-11

I have to be honest with you. I chose this verse last week and planned to praise God for the beauty of His wonderful creation. (If you read my blog you know that this is a common theme for me.) I live in the middle of an Appalachian cove forest and I can see God and His masterpiece of creation everywhere. However, since picking the verse, this word seems to keep coming to mind, “testimony”.

I have heard some marvelous testimonies over the years. People on the brink of death or destruction or completely lost, saved by the grace of God. They inspire us and help us to see the mighty power of our Lord. But I don’t have an awe-inspiring testimony. So as I try to revert to my original plan, I still hear the word “testimony”. And so, here we are. My testimony…

I did not grow up in the church, but always considered myself a “good” kid. I did well in school, didn’t get into (too much) trouble, and tried to do what my parents asked. The only times I attended church as a kid were with my maternal grandparents when we visited in the summers. I remember those pastel picture and verse fans on big popsicle sticks! One Christmas when I was nine, my grandparents gave me a beautiful Bible; a white leather-bound King James Version red-letter edition. I loved to read, mostly mysteries at that time, but I read parts of the Bible. Even though I didn’t understand all that I read, God began to open my heart.

How I got to church is a bit complicated. The “Builders for Christ” came into Erie, Pennsylvania, and someone (I don’t remember who or why) asked my dad if he would help with the building. My dad agreed, he had worked for Lincoln Homes in Indiana. We would go to the building site some days and bring my dad lunch. The church was finished and named Millcreek Baptist Church. God was still working on me.

My older sister and I began attending the church. My dad would take us and pick us up afterwards until my sister could drive. We both became Christians and were baptized in that church. I met my husband in that church and got married there seven years later.

Although most of us (like me) probably don’t have a dramatic or inspiring testimony. We do still have dramatic and awesome ways that the Lord has worked in our lives. My husband, Mark, was from South Carolina. I was from Indiana. We somehow both ended up in Erie, Pennsylvania. But we lived on completely opposite sides of town and went to different high schools. But we met in the one Southern Baptist church in the city! God was still working in my life.

And God has continued to work in my life:  a teaching career, two wonderful children, a beautiful place to live, answered prayers, friends and family, church family, and Jesus as my personal savior. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams. And so I will share my story. I will praise my Lord among the nations, and I will sing of Him among the peoples!

This week, share your story of how God has worked in your life, answered your prayers, blessed your life, or simply saved your life. God is working in all our lives.

I thank God for each of you! And I thank your for joining me this week as we share our awesome God.

Blessings!