Testimony ~ Annelien
My Name is Annelien.
I would like to share a little bit of my testimony with you.
I grew up in a ‘oordentlike’ Church going family.
That’s what it looked like from the outside. The fact was my father was verbally and physically abusive, especially when he was drinking.
I realise now that my father was only doing the best he knew how.
When he suddenly passed away, I was only 13 my world was turned upside down.
I started believing the lie he unknowingly instilled in me.
THAT I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH. (THE LIE)
Not having a good father figure and now having none, I started to look for attention in all the wrong places.
By the time I was mid high school I was looking to boys for approval & acceptance.
This just took me down a path of more HURT and PAIN….
At 19 I met my Husband and for a while things were going very well, but then the cracks started showing. My husband slipped back into drugs and became verbally abusive and all those feelings of being *NOT GOOD ENOUGH* came flooding back.
I became very withdrawn and spent most of my time sleeping to escape my SAD reality.
I eventually gave in to using drugs with my husband, at one point it led us to being homeless and we had to move in with family, at that stage we were a family of 4.
I found out I was pregnant again and because of our circumstances no work, no home we decided to have and Abortion……….
Shame and Guilt become my new identity….
BUT GOD wasn’t done with us and that’s not how my story ends.
About 10 years ago now God found us and started to radically change my husband and I. God gave me REST, HOPE and WORTH.
As we grew closer to HIM - GOD started healing our marriage our family, ourselves.
It was at my very 1st Walking in Victory course that I attended, that God started revealing what was buried deep inside me.
While constantly reminding myself I am LOVED and ACCEPTED by HIM.
It was in my small group that God so perfectly placed me, that I took the brave step to share the secret that caused so much shame
And I asked God to forgive me, and he washed it all away with every tear I cried that weekend...
I chose to let go of all my HURT, GUILT and allowed my Loving Heavenly Father to set me Free.
To fill my HEART and MIND with HIS truths.;
• THAT I AM LOVED
• I AM ACCEPTED
• I AM FORGIVEN
• I AM GOOD ENOUGH
The lies I believed, the guilt if felt NO longer defines me.
*I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR STRUGGLE IS. BUT I KNOW THAT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO LET GO! ------ GOD WILL SET YOU FREE.