Testimony Tuesday on the Topic of Suffering

TESTIMONY TUESDAY!

“Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”

~ Luke 8:39

I introduce to you Testimony Tuesdays!!! A testimony by definition is: a formal written or spoken statement, a public recounting of a religious conversion or experience. The Bible commands us in numerous places to bring praise, glory, and honor to our God by proclaiming, declaring, and telling about His marvelous works to others. That is the purpose and heart behind this installment for my Tuesday posts. Each Tuesday (more or less), a testimony will be shared here involving the recounting of salvation, redemption, overcoming, and/or healing just to name a few; A story that brings glory to our God and in which we might be encouraged, spurred on, and challenged with at the same time.The stories that will be shared will either be of my own personal experiences, excerpts from books, testimonies I find via youtube or other media sources, as well as YOURS! I would love to know and give you the opportunity to share here with us a testimony of your own, of whatever fashion involving the Lord doing a transforming work in your life. Just email me your testimony and I will see what I can do about posting it on a future Tuesday! You may choose to have your name be known or anonymous. I look forward to hearing from you!
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If any of you are familiar with Paul's situation in 2 Corinthians 12, lately I've been feeling a lot like that; like I have a thorn in my side, or maybe picture a weighty burden slowing me down. Whatever it is, it's hampering my spirit. I guess if I am honest, I have circled back around to struggling with contentment again, like I do from time to time. My heart has been hurting and frustrated, maybe sometimes confused, longing and impatient. I feel like I have been throwing temper tantrums towards God in my prayers lately, expressing my dissatisfaction with where things are at in life for me right now. I could say it even feels like a form of suffering that I am experiencing, UNTIL I zoom out, stop focusing on myself, and stop having the woe-is-me attitude, but instead, count my blessings. But there is still something to be said about the very real emotions I am undergoing. I don't want to dismiss them entirely, but deal with them rightly.
In today's Testimony Tuesday we are going to consider the life of Joni Eareckson Tara. She is one that knows much of suffering and hearing her life story helps me to realize how all my troubles pail in comparison to what she and others like her have gone through. Watch below to hear her life-giving powerful testimony. She speaks with much authority and conviction. The Holy Spirit shining through her as she speaks is enough to convince me to take heart and have hope, aside from the fact that,if she can- I can too.

BONUS CONTENT: (I am absolutely obsessed right now with this timely reminder and the nuggets of truth nestled within the following 10 min. snippet from John Piper's website DesiringGod.com, read and written by Scott Hubbard) Better to Have a Burden Give it a listen! And may your heart be lightened.

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Thanks for stopping by! Have a happy and blessed Tuesday!

↓ For More Optimistic Reads ↓

The Occupied Optimist

Tuesday, September 20, 2022