The Power of Testimony and Identity

• by Amanda Beres posted Feb. 1, 2025

  Amanda Beres is a writer and freelance editor based in Rhode Island. She has a Master's in Professional Writing and Communication and has worked with The Global Poetics Project and Massachusetts Department of Agriculutral Resources.

Today I want to spark a conversation about identity in Christ, and testimony. So to start things off, I would like to share my testimony. I officially gave my life to Christ when I was twelve years old. I want to emphasize this point because, as a pastor’s kid, it can be easy to think I was forced to believe or that I simply accepted what I was given. That’s not the case with me though.  Let me explain.

It was my first night at the First Church of the Nazarene youth group—a space for Christian teens to connect. I participated in the small groups after the youth director gave the lesson. We delved deeper into the Bible verses to better understand them from a teenager's perspective. This is important because, at every stage of life, we grasp things differently. Teenagers need lessons designed specifically for them, just like kids and adults do. Teachers are a crucial part of ministry, and different stages of life require different teachers. As my first youth group night came to a close, the youth pastor gave an altar call. I can’t recall the specifics; it may have been a general invitation. All I remember is the pastor encouraged those who needed God to move to come forward, and I fell to my knees. 

As I knelt there, asking for God to move in my life, I began to weep. It was strange because I had no reason to feel this way. My classes were going well, I had friends, and home life was great. Life was good! Yet, I knew that something was missing. A youth leader approached and asked what was wrong. I explained that I didn’t know but felt the need to know God better. She listened gently as I shared, then asked a pivotal question: “It sounds like you know God, but have you asked Jesus to be your Savior?” I mentioned that I was a pastor’s kid and had always believed, but she pressed on. She referenced Romans 10:9: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (NIV) 

At that moment, it hit me—I had never made that declaration for myself! I realized I was relying on my parents’ faith and my church’s faith in Christ. That wasn’t enough anymore! I was desperate to know God and to have a personal relationship with Jesus. She then prayed with me, and on September 14th, 2011, at twelve years old, I declared Jesus as my personal Savior. It has been a wild ride ever since! 

Now why is any of this important? Why did I start with the fact I was twelve? Well, I believe it shows I didn’t walk into Christianity blindly. Growing up, my parent encouraged questions, and doubts to strengthen my faith. They wanted me exposed to both the world and the church. Yes, I was raised in a pastoral home, but that doesn’t mean anything if I’m forced to believe. The best way to put it is this, my parents presented me with Christianity and made sure I knew my options. Then they said, here’s what we believe and why, we hope you do too, we love you if you don’t. It was so easy for me to ask about this religious stuff because none of it felt off-limits. My trying to figure it out, wasn’t a bad thing or a sign I lacked faith. So knowing my options, and asking questions, I had enough information at twelve to make up my mind, on whether or not God is real, Jesus is His Son, He cares about me, and He still moves now. 

After looking at the world around me, choosing God made the most sense. I mean, a single blade of grass is so intricately designed that someone had to create it. The earth is positioned exactly to the millimeter so that we don’t freeze or burn. Someone had to place it. Now, if you’re wondering why couldn't it have been any other ‘god’ let me ask you this: What other religion tells of a Creator who cares so much about His creation that He positioned the world to the millimeter, provided an order to the way it was made, then sent Their Only Son to die for people He knew would reject Him? In what other story does the Creator put so much effort into a blade of grass? 

This is all testimony! But what is testimony? Testimony is a story, an eyewitness account of something you witnessed or know is true. Sometimes, testimony is backed up by your identity. For example, in cases of medical malpractice, they call a doctor to testify. Well, in cases of miracles, healing, and redemption, God calls Christians to testify.  Matthew 28: 18 -20 says “18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV). It seems, as Christians, that our testimony is at least somewhat connected with our identity in Christ. Let’s break this down a little. 

First, Jesus reminds us who He is, saying all authority is given to Him. But then He does something interesting. He then commands us to go out and share the Gospel in the power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The question is, how is this possible without Him? Well, Jesus says that He will be with us to the very end of the age. So to sum up, Jesus has given us the same authority the Father gave Him, and as the Gospel according to John says, we will do and see greater things. Then He reminds us again, that He will support us. Just based on this one verse we can see just how much Jesus cares for us, and just what authority God has given us.  Of course, there is so much more to dive into, and so many different verses to read. Yet, I have to wonder if God would have given us the Great Commission if He didn’t hold us in high regard despite how broken we may feel. 

Speaking of the Great Commission, this idea of telling others about Christ, where do we even start? I know personally it’s always hard for me to figure that one out. My advice is maybe start with your testimony, like I did here. Often, when I tell someone I’m a Christian, they want to know why. They want to make sense of why I believe the way I do. So I share what I know, and what I’ve seen. I testify. Then I tell them about my first night at youth group, or about how God got me through my week, or about the ministries I’m a part of, or how I’m a pastor’s kid. I lead with my identity and who God says I am. Many verses in the Bible tell us to share how God moved in our lives. From 1st Peter 3:15 to Titus 3:3-7 to any number of the Psalms and more! Interestingly, in each one of these verses, there is a connection to how God redeems and loves us, takes us into His family, and shares with us His authority. How awesome is that! 

This is all the awesome stuff. The how much God loved us stuff. But what about when it doesn’t feel good? What about when our identity shifts? Like mine did when I went to college and became a college student.  

There is a lot more to talk about with identity and testimony, and so many other things mentioned here. But hey, this is just the first blog post!  I hope as you go about your day, you think about just how much God loves you, and who you are in Him. It’s not always easy to remember but, I pray that this can be just a little light. And if you’re wondering if I have it all together, I do not. I need this reminder too. That’s why I started The Standard, so we could uplift each other! So share what you know and encourage someone this week. And may Jesus Christ bless you today! 

• Amanda Beres