Have you been considering sharing your abortion testimony? Has God placed it on your heart to go and tell? Have you had a desire to help out in the pro-life movement, but feel alone and terrified at the thought of having to share all of the messy parts of your story?
More than once this week, I have heard Revelation 12:11 (And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the power of their testimony) and I believe that God has intentionally placed that scripture on my heart at this specific time for a reason. Perhaps it’s this blog post?
Regardless of your answers to the questions I just asked, I pray you’ll read this with an open heart to hear how God can use your story for His good, no matter what capacity you wish to share it.
I remember when God first started placing it on my heart to share my story. I had this journal that was created by this famous influencer and motivational speaker. I wasn’t married yet, and was involved in network marketing and had some great success. This particular influencer had been invited to one of our leadership conferences, and I remember watching her on the stage and thinking, “I want to do that someday.”
I thought God had placed public speaking on my heart because He had a plan for me in my network marketing business. If you had met me in high school, or even early college, and someone had said that someone like me would be able to speak on stage and go on Facebook live every day, it would never have been believable. I was extremely introverted and timid for most of my life, and have a large running list of awkward moments that still tend to play themselves over and over again when I can’t sleep at night. Yet, I had found something I was passionate about and loved and I had this deep desire to continue to grow in that and connect with people.
So back to this journal – in this journal, we were supposed to write 10 dreams but write them as if they had already happened as a way to declare them. After all, if you don’t believe something, how will it ever happen? So, every day, I made this journal a part of my quiet time with God. I would read my devotional, write out in my prayer journal, and then do this additional journaling exercise after reading a self-help book. This is much different than what my quiet time looks like today, and I’ll write a post about that in the future, but at this point in my life, that’s what it looked like for me. So, I would take out this journal, and write my 10 declarations. Example: I am an exceptional wife. I am a present and loving mother. I am a successful podcast host. I am a hardworking business owner. I am a disciple of Jesus. I can’t remember all of them, but those were a few that I would write over and over again every day. And I would always end with this one as number 10: I am an advocate for the sanctity of life and for women.
You guys, so many of these have come true. Not in the way I thought they would when I wrote them, but that’s how God works, doesn’t He? His plans are far greater than we could ever imagine. I firmly believe He put those dreams on my heart, but for so long I tried to control what they were going to look like.
I stayed with that company for a long time, and I am forever grateful that I had my time with them because honestly, I think God used that opportunity to prepare me for what I do today. However, I stayed with them thinking I was supposed to speak on their stages and teach other women how to sell clothes on Facebook Live. Which, honestly is pretty fun, but it’s so clear to me now that I am actually rooted in God’s plan for my life. God asked me to shut the doors of my successful business to surrender to him and sacrifice that lifestyle for Him. Sharing the gospel with women who feel lost, and too far gone, is far greater than I could have ever imagined. Have you seen that picture of the child that has the teddy bear, and Jesus is holding his hand out to take it, and the child is saying, “But I love it, God,” and what the child doesn’t see is the huge teddy bear behind Jesus’ back? Jesus is saying, “But I have something much better for you.”
I know that was kind of a tangent but I promise I have a point. You may be reading this right now having even just a little fraction of a desire to serve in the pro-life movement or post-abortion ministry space in some way. It’s natural for us to have even a little bit of that. And, I do want to honor the fact that God gives us all different callings and so if that isn’t on your heart right now, that is ok. But perhaps something is on your heart, and you’re telling yourself all of these reasons why you can’t, or why you shouldn’t. But, what if you surrendered it to God, laid it down at His feet, and trusted Him with the plan instead? I can guarantee you, that you will see in the future why His plan is so much better.
So, for my friends listening today who want to begin to step into this space, but have no idea how to find the courage to do so, I have 5 tips for you. I pray that you take these tips, pray over them, implement them, surrender your life to Christ, and allow him to guide you on your way.
5 Tips For Finding the Courage to Share Your Testimony
- You need to heal first before you can help others.
Some people may disagree with me on that, and that’s ok, but I firmly believe that God wants your heart as whole as it can be before you go out into battle. When you have an unhealed heart, the enemy knows it. Healing looks different for everybody, and I’m not saying that you have to go through a specific method of healing, but I highly encourage you to go through some sort of post-abortion healing program, whether 1:1 or group setting, before you begin serving in pro-life or post-abortion ministry.
2. Don’t do it out of obligation.
If you’re feeling like you have to share your story, or have to volunteer because that’s how you’re going to win back God’s grace, that isn’t the right reason to do it. We can’t win or earn our salvation. God is merciful to us in our heartache, and He doesn’t withhold the mercy from us for not serving in a way that we think we’re obligated to. Oftentimes, we become passionate about pro-life ministry or post-abortion ministry because of what we went through, and that is perfectly fine and great and can help us step into a possible calling from God, but we shouldn’t feel like we are required to for God to love us again.
3. Ask God to reveal His plan for you, don’t look to society for answers.
If I would have continued to listen to society, I wouldn’t have this podcast. I would still be overworked, trying to run a business God was telling me to step away from, and would constantly have this longing on my heart because I wouldn’t be nurturing my relationship with God. You may not like what God reveals to you, but make sure to ask Him for the answers and the direction. Does He want you to volunteer at a pregnancy resource center? Does He want you to lead a women’s group at church? Does He want you to run for political office? Does He want you to start sharing your story on stage? Does He want you to sidewalk counsel outside of the abortion facility? Does He want you to share your story in less public arenas, but in a way that shares the gospel with someone? Ask Him what He desires for you and ask Him to help you share those same desires.
4. Take a spiritual gifts test.
We all have been given spiritual gifts from God and sometimes, those point us in the direction that He wants us to go. Mine are intercession, Shepherding, Fatih, and Giving. When I look at those, they help me see which areas of ministry I should be serving in. What are yours? How could they help you find the courage to share your story the way that God wants you to share it? If you want a test to take, you can go to assessments.giftspassionstory.com to take a free spiritual gifts test. I also recommend reading Find Your Place by Rob Wegner.
5. Don’t let excuses keep you from stepping into your calling.
Remember how I told you I was an introvert? I could have used that excuse to stay away from what I do now. I hear people do it all of the time. “That won’t work for me because I’m just too introverted.” Or replace that term with whatever term fits your situation, “I can’t do that because ________.” That’s imposter syndrome and that’s putting a limit on what God can do through you. When you start using those excuses or start speaking those things over yourself, stop immediately and begin saying Biblical affirmations over yourself. God has chosen me. He has not forsaken me. He has anointed me. He has a plan for me. His plans for me are greater than my own.
No matter where you are at in your journey right now, I pray that you will let God in and put desires on your heart that follow His plans for you. I can’t tell you what those are, but I can tell you that God does call us to share our testimonies of how He saved us from the pit of despair because those testimonies are what reach the lost and help them come home. I pray that if you desire to share someday, this blog post has helped you get one step closer to doing that.
XO, Brittany
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