Share Your Story: Making Room for Testimony, Healing, and Forgiveness

Nowadays, it can feel as though there is little room for people to share their stories; not always in the way they hope or need to. Too often, we tell people to wait. We invalidate their experiences, dismiss their pain, or make them feel as though their voices are not important enough to be heard.

I know what that feels like because I have experienced it myself. The message I received was, “My voice isn't important enough to make a difference.”

But why do some stories and people receive more recognition than others? Who gets to decide which testimonies deserve to be heard?

I believe God operates differently. I believe He calls us to break through the limitations we place on one another; not for our own glory, but for His.

So how do we break the cycle? We become trailblazers. We lead by example, creating space for others to share honestly, even when their stories are uncomfortable or difficult to hear.

Tonight, I am choosing to break that barrier by sharing part of my own story.

I was molested at the age of five. Little did I know how deeply that experience would affect me years later.

I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I was the youngest of five brothers and one sister. My childhood was filled with many memories, some joyful and some complicated. We went to baseball, football, and basketball games, got ice cream, and traveled six hours to visit my grandpa and other family members. We played cards and football in my grandpa's backyard, sang in choir, attended church, and played in pools, sprinklers, and slip-and-slides.

Going to QuikTrip became a family tradition. We gathered to celebrate graduations and other milestones, making a point to celebrate one another's victories. Food was a big part of our family life, especially fast food. Looking back, I recognize that families make the best choices they can with the time and resources available to them.

I also grew up in a charismatic church with a deep longing for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. For much of my life, I viewed the church as one of the safest places for me. In many ways, that sense of safety was real and meaningful.

But as I grew older, my understanding of that safety began to change.

Today, the words church hurt can make some Christians uncomfortable or defensive. Yet church hurt is real, and I will not be ashamed of my testimony.

What I experienced was not simply an offensive comment, a misunderstanding, or an ordinary disagreement. It was deeper than that. I experienced hurt and heartbreak involving people I had once considered family and friends; people I had trusted and held close.

I am not sharing my story to condemn anyone or to keep old wounds open. I am sharing it because I believe healing requires honesty. And today, I want those who hurt me to know that I have chosen to forgive them and that I do not wish them harm.

Bitterness seems to be rising in so many places in our society. It is easy to carry offense, allow pain to harden our hearts, and blame the world around us. We see anger, hostility, and division across political parties and throughout communities. People are hurting, and that hurt can turn into resentment when it goes unacknowledged.

I believe we need to make room for honest stories; not to encourage bitterness, but to create opportunities for understanding, accountability, forgiveness, and healing.

I am giving myself permission to share my story. And I want to encourage you to give yourself permission to share yours, too.

You do not have to pretend that something never hurt you. You do not have to minimize your experience to make someone else comfortable. And you do not have to let your pain define the rest of your life. Your story deserves to be heard with compassion, and sharing it can be one step toward healing.

As we talk about church hurt, we must also consider the role the Church plays in the healing of our nation. If we want to see America heal and be restored, we must be willing to acknowledge our own shortcomings and sins, beginning with ourselves and within the Church.

The Body of Christ is called to reflect the character of Jesus. We are called to demonstrate His love, humility, grace, truth, and forgiveness. When people witness hatred, strife, and division within the Church; even over disagreements that could be approached with grace; it can create confusion, deepen wounds, and undermine the very message we proclaim.

The Church will not be perfect, because it is made up of imperfect people. But we can choose humility over pride, reconciliation over hostility, and love over the need to be right. We can listen when someone tells us they have been hurt. We can take responsibility when we have caused harm. And we can extend forgiveness without pretending the hurt never happened.

If we want to see healing in America, let it begin with us.

A Prayer for the Church in America

Father, I pray for Your Church throughout America. Strip away our pride and rebuild Your Church according to Your will and the purpose You intended for it. Teach us a new way; Your way; of leading the Body of Christ.

Show us how to love others as You love us, how to forgive as we have been forgiven, and how to respond with humility when we have been wrong. Help us create spaces where people can share their stories without fear of being dismissed, shamed, or silenced.

Lord, let bitterness fall away. Heal the wounds we have carried for years, restore what has been broken, and help us become people who bring peace rather than division. Let our lives reflect the character of Jesus so that others may encounter Your love through us.

Have Your way in Your Church and in America. Begin the work of healing in our own hearts.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.