Amy's Story Part 1

Recently, I shared my “testimony” at a ladies’ brunch at my church.  Some of you have mentioned that you couldn’t be there, but would like to hear what I had to say.  So, here you go.  AND, so I won’t feel so self-centered and egotistical, share your story in the comments.  I’d really love to hear from you!

I’ve broken this into several parts and added things I wanted to share but just didn’t have the time for.  Come back next week for part 2!

I am blessed and a bit nervous to share my “sister story” with you.  I think of all your beautiful faces and I know there are so many women who’s stories I would love to hear.  But, I’m hopeful as you read this you’ll be encouraged to say, “You know, I could do that.” And, maybe you’ll be the next person we get to hear from.

Because you know we all have a story to tell, something remarkable to share, even if we don’t realize it.  I love a TV show called Once Upon a Time.  In that show all these fairy tale characters are thrown together in overlapping relationships that often don’t at first make sense.  For instance, in an episode I recently watched Alice in Wonderland is talking with Rumplestiltskin.

At this point in the story Alice is a troubled, lonely girl and “Rumple” is a city detective trying to help her.  But, Alice instead wants to help Rumple.  He tells her she’s confused, but Alice answers, “No, I’m not confused.  I finally understand.  I just had to see the whole picture, the whole story.  See, we all have stories.  I have a story…Even you, Mr. Weaver (who we know as “Rumple”), have a story.  And it’s a thing of beauty.”

Rumple, or Mr. Weaver, continues trying to interrogate Alice about a crime she witnessed and offers again to help her if she’ll just talk to him.  Alice says, “The answer is right here.  We’re all pieces of the same puzzle.  But without each other, it’s impossible to see the big picture. “

That’s like you and me.  We’re all parts of a puzzle and we all fit together, our stories intertwining for a reason.  It’s no mistake that I ended up here or that you did either.  We’re supposed to fit together somehow.  Sharing our stories, who we are, is the only way to figure it all out.   

I’m not from Pennsylvania but I’ve called Shiloh Bible Church home for about four years now.  It’s my privilege to share a gift with you and that’s the tale of how I ended up here, how my piece of the puzzle begins to fit in with yours.

I grew up in Lanett, AL, population 6,271.  My dad owned the local hardware store and my mom was a dance teacher.  When she and my dad had me, their second daughter, my mom hung up her tap shoes and stayed at home to raise her children.  When I began going to school my mom became a kindergarten teacher at the First Baptist Church.  It was a pretty idyllic childhood.

Little Amy

I grew up in church, but didn’t realize Jesus’ love for me was personal, that He had a plan just for me until I was a freshman in high school.  Through the influence of my Spanish teacher, a majorette instructor, and a book I randomly chose off the shelf of my school library, I turned to Jesus and offered my heart to Him.  I was sitting on the couch in my living room, tears streaming down my face as I asked God if I could really be His.  It was so simple to become part of God’s family.

But, as most stories go, things weren’t necessarily simple or idyllic from then on.

Hang on!  There are twists in the road ahead.