My Testimony

I’ve been asked to share my testimony… and if I’m being honest, I’ve thought about it for a while—because for the longest time, I didn’t think I really had one. I didn’t hit some major rock bottom. Looking at my life, it never went completely off the rails. I didn’t have this dramatic, overnight transformation story. And for a while, I think I believed that meant… my story wasn’t as powerful. But the more I’ve thought about it—and honestly, my husband has reminded me—I do have a testimony. It’s just not a “redemption from rock bottom” testimony. So I’m going to give this my best try.

If you would’ve met me a few years ago, you probably would’ve thought I had it all together. I was driven. Independent. Goal-oriented. The girl who could make things happen. But what’s important to know is—I didn’t grow up not knowing God. I actually grew up going to church. My Mamaw and Papaw would take me to VBS some summers… and I remember it so vividly. So much so that I recently found a t-shirt I made there—I had to be like 6 years old. It’s tiny. I still have my first Bible too, it's white with a little lamb on it and my name. So it’s not that I didn’t know God…I did. I knew who He was. I knew He was in my corner. But if I’m being honest… I chose to put Him on the back burner. Not intentionally. Not rebelliously. Just… casually.

There wasn’t this deep, ongoing conversation about faith in my everyday life. No shame to my parents at all—but declaring your faith, choosing God daily… it just wasn’t something we talked about around the dinner table. So for me, faith looked like this... I went to church on Sundays, and then I lived my life Monday through Saturday. And when I say “lived life”… I was a "good kid." I didn’t drink. I didn’t do drugs. I made A’s and B’s. I didn’t sneak out. I followed the rules. I was a "mini-mom" because my mom and step-dad both worked, so a lot of responsibility fell on me to get my sisters ready for school, on the bus, and even cook dinner. By the world’s standards? I was doing everything right.

But here’s what I’ve learned… you can be a good person…and still be far from God. Because I wasn’t doing life with Him. I was just doing life… on my own. I built a life where I didn’t need anyone… especially not God. I chased success. I chased the next thing that would make me feel like I had finally “arrived.” And for a while… it worked. Until it didn’t. Because what no one tells you is that you can be successful on the outside… and still feel completely empty on the inside. I remember seasons where I felt lost, anxious, and honestly just tired. Tired of trying to control everything. Tired of trying to be perfect. Tired of carrying the weight of my own life. And that’s where God met me. Not when I had it all together… but when I was at my breaking point. He didn’t ask me to clean myself up first. He didn’t say, “come back when you’re better.” He just said… come to Me. And slowly, everything started to change. Not overnight, believe me. But in the quiet. In the small decisions. In choosing Him over my own control. In learning to trust instead of striving.

And that’s when this verse became so real to me—not just something I had heard growing up, but something I now live by, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on you own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5–6

Because that was my struggle… leaning on my understanding. Trusting my plans. Trying to control my life. But God was inviting me into something better—a life of trust, not control. God took my need to control… and taught me surrender. He took my anxiety… and gave me peace I couldn’t explain. He took my identity that was rooted in achievements… and rebuilt it in Him.

And now? I’m still a work in progress. I still have moments where I want to take control back (just ask my husband). I still have days where I doubt, overthink, or feel overwhelmed. But I don’t live there anymore. Because now I know who I run to. I know that I don’t have to carry everything on my own. I know that God is not just someone I believe in—He’s someone I walk with.

And that’s why The SHE Club exists. Because I know I’m not the only girl who has felt this way. The girl who:

• didn’t have a “crazy” testimony… but still needed God

• grew up knowing Him… but never really chose Him

• did everything “right”… but still felt empty

• looks like she has it all together but feels overwhelmed inside

• wants control but is exhausted from carrying everything

• is searching for peace, purpose, and something more

  
  

If that’s you… I see you, but more importantly—God sees you. And you don’t need a dramatic story to have a powerful testimony. Sometimes the testimony is this, God didn’t just save me from a broken life… He showed me I didn’t have to live one on my own. And you don’t have to have it all figured out to come to Him. You just have to come.

🤍 A Note to Little Amberly (if I could tell myself then what I know now)

To the little girl at VBS with the handmade t-shirt and tiny Bible, you were never far from Him… even in the years it felt quiet. You don’t have to be perfect to be loved. You don’t have to have it all together to be chosen. And one day, you won’t just know about God—you’ll walk with Him. The same God you learned about as a little girl will become the One you lean on, talk to, and trust with your whole life. And all those years you thought you were just “being good”…He was still pursuing your heart. You’re going to grow into a woman who doesn’t just look like she has it all together—but knows where her strength actually comes from. And one day, you’ll help other girls find that too. Love, the version of you who finally chose Him.