Several years ago, I was asked to speak at a fireside event at a retreat. The retreat coordinators had heard me give my testimony in a smaller setting before and wanted me to share it again for their whole group. Honored to do so, I started preparing my notes weeks in advance, but by the Monday night before the retreat, I was at a standstill.

My testimony centered around the death of my mother when I was ten, and it was a story of hope, comfort, and joy in the midst of tragedy. The problem was that the message didn’t seem to mesh with the current atmosphere or needs of the group to which I’d be speaking. The group was on a “spiritual high” at the time. Everyone was serving. Everyone was eager to learn. And everyone was full of joy. A message of hope, it seemed, was one thing they didn’t need at that time. Frustrated, I called a friend who had heard my testimony several times and expressed my concerns. She assured me that the retreat coordinators who asked me to speak knew exactly what my message would be when they asked, and more importantly, God knew my story as well. “There’s a reason why you’ve been asked to give your testimony,” she said, “and it’s not your job to figure out the reason. It’s just your job to tell your story.”

The next morning, I woke up and everything that made no sense the night before became abundantly clear within a matter of hours. It was Tuesday, September 11, 2001. Suddenly the whole world, including those attending the retreat, was in desperate need of a message of hope. And as I spoke to the group around the bonfire that Friday night, I was so thankful that God had prepared me in advance to share my story even though I thought no one needed to hear it.

We all have a story to share. How did you come to know the Lord? What is He doing in your life right now? What are some miracles you’ve witnessed during your lifetime, and how has He provided for you? Those are your stories. Perhaps you think your story (or your testimony as some call it) isn’t dramatic enough. Or maybe you think yours is too dramatic. Stop worrying. It’s not your job to question the outcome of sharing your story; it’s just your job to tell it. In John 9, John tells the story of a man who was born blind. Jesus healed him and after he received his sight, others asked him to explain what had happened. The man didn’t have all the answers. He wasn’t eloquent, and he couldn’t explain exactly how Jesus healed him or where Jesus received His power. All he could do was tell them, in very simple terms, his story. “I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind… I now see” (John 9:25 MSG).

Your personal testimony is one of the greatest tools you have to share Christ with others. It’s unique. It’s authentic. And it’s powerful. You don’t have to have all the answers; just tell your story and watch how God is glorified through it!

[Excerpt from At The Foot of the Cross: A 90-Day Devotional for Becoming Living Proof of a Loving God to a Watching World.]

Q: How did 9/11/01 affect your story? How have you shared it with others?