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I remember seeing a book called PostSecret, where people would confess their biggest secrets on a postcard and mail them to the author. I guess there is something liberating about putting the truth out there. This is, however, materially different then putting the truth out there because you've been liberated. Once Christ has freed you, then your story is given power. God uses it to encourage others into a deeper relationship with Him. Your story is His Story.
Last week at The Porch we ran an experiment. We asked people to share their story in 132 characters and post them on Twitter including the hashtag #MyStory. Tuesday at 7 p.m. there was not one #MyStory on Twitter. I woke up Wednesday to over 4,500. They were being posted at a rate of 10 per minute. I'd refresh my Twitter feed to 50 more stories. Powerful stories that included "abortion," "drug addiction," "sexual abuse," "religiously prideful," "porn addict," and on and on. They all finished with some variation of "…and Christ has set me free." These people were free and there was power in their story.
Celebrities, rappers, musicians, athletes, and pastors began to share their stories. We shared some here last Wednesday that were from that first night; but having collected a few hundred pages of #MyStory tweets since then, we thought we should post at least a few of those Twitter testimonies here.
I lived for myself- indulging in the world & never satisfied. Now I live for Him & He lives in me. I am free. #MyStory
Looked for worth in eating disorders, alcohol, men, control & perfection. Empty, broken & weak. HE is my strength! REDEEMED by Jesus. #mystory
joeanna.thompson @followjoeanna
Raped at 13, abused, perfectionist, depression, suicide attempt, abortion, divorce, love of money, failure. Jesus is my Savior! #mystory
Alone inside and outside my mind, desperate for someone to love me. Addicted to porn, smoke, drugs, alcohol. God saved my soul. #mystory
Pervert, liar, thief. Prideful in being "not as bad" as the rest but blind to my own need. Christ turned my darkness into light. #mystory
After being raped, I felt isolated, empty, and worthless. Jesus gave me comfort, healing, peace and worth for eternity. #mystory #JOHN1412
followed the rules + thought i didnt need Jesus. then broke the rules + thought i couldnt be forgiven. now His grace has set me free! #mystory
continually rejected, eternally accepted #mystory
Michael Frisbie @PastorFrisbie
Molested as a boy. Addicted to porn. Became a pastor to earn forgiveness. Gloriously delivered by grace. Free indeed! #mystory @WatermarkChurch
Kelsey McKinney @kelseynmckinney
Jesus replaced my depression with joy, my insecurity with knowing I am loved by God, & my shame with forgiveness & redemption! #mystory
I'm a selfish, greedy, prideful man who has been made new through Jesus. Fame and money are fleeting but His love endures forever. #mystory
Cheyenne Sanderson @Cheybaby100
Parents divorced. Molested by 2 guys. Addicted to self-harm & was suicidal. God met me where I was & turned it into a victory. #MyStory
Party after party, unsatisfied hunger, looking for love in all the wrong places, hated myself...Now Jesus is my life. #Saved #MyStory
An athiest; a drug, porn, and sex addict; depressed, angry, suicidal woman searching for more. Then He called me and now I LIVE! #mystory
Sara 'Sassy' Smith @BrightEyes848
Eating disorder, countless insecurities & lookin for love in wrong places! God had grace, mercy & the ultimate love for me; that's #mystory
MIP, 2 PIs, & DWI fresh out of college. Then ppl pleasing & identity issues-->Found church, community, & life n His word (Gal 2:20) #mystory
Sabrina Pennello @SabrinaPennello
I was a depressed, suicidal, hypocritical people pleaser. Now I'm a content, redeemed, and transparent God pleasing individual. #MyStory
Colton Parker Dunlap @coltonB3lov3d
Ex-homosexual. Suicidal for many years. Weird goth geek. Found Jesus, the supplier of my joy. #mystory
I thought Jesus wasn't real, Christians were annoying, & church was boring. Met Jesus. I love Jesus, Christians, & going to church
#mystory
Jessica Richardson @Its_Jess__
Atheist. Hated Christians. Over my head in sin. Wooed byJesus. Overwhelmed by the evidence, faced the truth, surrendered to Christ #mystory #saved
addict, thief, and a drunk driver. took a semi-truck to the windshield to wake me up, and realize God’s grace had lifted me up. #mystory
Trying to make myself perfect led to depression and an eating disorder, Jesus pulled me out, I was made as I am for his purpose. #mystory
Kristin Mercer @kristin_mercer
Raped. Chained to shame, anger, fear, and false guilt. Didn't think God cared. Jesus saved, sheltered, and healed. He set me free. #mystory
Abused, neglected, broken, lonely, depressed, anxious-ready to commit suicide then I encountered His love and knew I had a purpose. #mystory
Brkn home, molested, lost. Numbed my depression w drugs, sex & alcohol. I was defined by my "feelings"...now free & defined by Christ! #Mystory
Sexually abused, drug dealing, drug smuggling, drug addict, alcohol addicted, atheist, porn and sex addict, saved by Jesus Christ! #mystory
Kenzie Bingaman @kenziebingaman
stolen innocence and damaged goods. too dirty to be clean. and then He called me beloved. by grace I was made free. #mystory
Jeffrey Welskopf @JeffreyWelskopf
Ran from God. Hurt by the world. Sought same sex relationships. Ended up empty and alone. Learned that God loved me no matter what #mystory
Drugs, alcoholic, runaway, depression, gangs, living on the streets, hospitals, suicidal, then Jesus came and rescued me! #mystory
Andy Thompson @andyanajones57
Brokenness, shame, self worth, disability, porn, sex, deceit ruled my life. Jesus gave me purpose, hope, truth, freedom. #chainsgone #mystory
Went to church on Sundays yet was addicted to pornography. Jesus found me and set me free and then invited me to join his mission. #mystory
Self-righteous. Showing the "good". Hiding the "bad". Exposed as a hypocrite. Met with grace & truth. Forgiven. Restored. Free. #MyStory
Sierra Starr Klein @sierrastarrxx
Abused, drug using, sex addicted, emotionally dead. Saved by grace and now a Jesus loving, mother, wife, Sunday school teacher. #MyStory
Mike Lewandowski @mikeWazowski825
Grew up in a cult that believed doing good gets you heaven. Christ revealed himself and showed that I'm nothing & He is everything. #MyStory
Jefferson Bethke @JeffersonBethke
Glory thieving, people pleasing, worshipping all that felt good. Then met Jesus, collided with grace, and have never been the same. #mystory
Drowning in alcohol and sex worth found in others broken divorced Jesus pulled the gun out of my mouth and gave me a new heart #mystory
Sexual sin and cutting use to be my outlet. Now Jesus fights that sin with me. Jesus is all I need!! That's #mystory
And here's where it all started, in case you missed it:
Not on Twitter? Feel free to post your own #MyStory below. Or if you have any questions, contact us at theporch@watermark.org.