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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

What Would Be My Cardboard Testimony?

This morning I woke up early and had some quiet time to read and pray before the boys get up, the house gets noisy and life starts around me. I was just sitting here on my sofa praying a simple prayer – Lord speak to my heart through Your Spirit in me leading me to what You want me to focus on today- not just while I read my Bible but all throughout my day.

A close friend is struggling through a very hard time with her teenage daughter. I have been that daughter. I have broken my mom’s heart and her trust. Although our stories aren’t exactly the same, her story has brought me back to mine. Today I sense Jesus wants me to think back, to remember where I was when I was searching – before I knew Him. To completely rewind my thoughts and my memories 19 years back. To remember that aching, lonely, empty feeling of being lost and to think through the details of how He rescued my heart.

He used this powerful video clip Micca had on her blog last week. It draws me back. It leaves me speechless and so aware of where I was and who I’d be without Christ’s rescuing, redeeming love and His transforming power in my life.

Please take 8 minutes to watch it and ponder the amazing grace of our rescuing God who called us out of darkness in to His Light so we can tell the world about the Love that found us! But also so we can remind ourselves again and again of the hope we’ve found in Him. This is not a drama. There are real-life story clips.

My cardboard would read: Lost, empty, confused, suicidal young woman with no hope or direction.

My other side would read: Found by God, and filled with His endless hope, unfailing love and unconditional acceptance.

After you watch the clip, I’d love to know – what would be your cardboard testimony?

Comments

  1. dude, this is some serious thing here. you benched this easier than you did those 355 the last time. and maaan, when you took off your hoodie, holy shit, your arms seem soo big. just wanna go to workout chest although i did a heavy legtraining a few hours ago. unfortunately its bed time . keep it up and i think you could bench the 405 in a 4×4 routine within the next 3 weeks, just insane.

  5. My cardboard would have to be very big and wide. It would probably read
    :Porn and romance novel addict, party-goer and drinker, low self-esteem, liar and thief:

    CHANGED TO :
    "God's treasure,full of potential and saved by His mighty and matchless grace"

    Renee I want to thank you for this post, it helped reaffirm my believe in the power of God to heal and transform.

  6. My cardboard would have to be very big and wide. It would probably read
    :Porn and romance novel addict, party-goer and drinker, low self-esteem, liar and thief:

    CHANGED TO :
    "God's treasure,full of potential and saved by His mighty and matchless grace"

    Renee I want to thank you for this post, it helped reaffirm my believe in the power of God to heal and transform.

  7. Hey friends, I am going to do a follow up today for the “praying friends” postlast Friday. Please get ready to post on my next post what has happened since you left your prayer request and started being prayed for. I can’t wait to hear the updates and more prayer needs. We are at almost 370 comments/requests/prayers last week!

    I would’ve done it sooner but I’ve had two whirlwind days! And I am heading out the door to an indoor bounce center with my kids, a friend’s two little ones and a friend of Andrew’s. Praying they have Wi-Fi!

    Be back soon so you can let us know how our prayers are being answered!
    Renee

  8. I’m going to post it as well…and share it with my family.

    I like the comment about needing more cardboard!

    Here is my testimony…and it’s always changing thanks to God’s continual work in my life:

    Scared Mom Facing Autism Giant
    God’s Warrior Called to Share God’s Hope for Autism

  9. cardboard front would read: broken, lost, thief, liar and unworthy

    back: Made in the image of the ONE that makes no mistakes, that loves me beyond words. I tear up every thing I think he knew my name, knows the hair in my head and loves me beyond words, for that I try each and every day to be the best I can be.

  10. Hey, Renee, I know you are probably miles ahead of me…. If you see this comment, can you tell us if you are planning to do a “follow up” for the “praying for one another” post (sorry, I forgot the exact post title). I would love to hear how the ladies I was praying for are doing. And, if you don’t mind, I will kick it off in the form of a sneak preview.

    I’m doing FANTAS—- Oh, OK, I’ll wait until you give the go-ahead!

    Love, Helen

    P.S. the coffee card arrived. It will make such a nice date for us. (He’s on his way home after traveling since Sunday night. Ooooh, I miss him!) Thank you so much for the extra gesture of remembering my his “name.”

  12. This is such a powerful video! We are thinking about doing a version of this at our Tea and Testimony meeting for our MOPS group this year.

    My cardboard testimony would read:

    Abuse by step-granddad and daughter of an alcoholic led to a life of insecurity, people pleasing and sexual sin to …. A woman who is secure, free, a new creation and pure bride of Christ!

    Praise You Jesus!

  13. I could not stop the tears. How awesome is our God! Thank you, Lord, for all their stories.

    Mine would be:

    Front: I looked for my self-worth through the eyes of the world.

    Back: Now I find it in Him.

    Although…I think I have that reversed. My back is now my front. Thank you, Jesus!

  15. This is such a great video. I posted it on my blog about a month ago and I cry everytime I watch it.

    Abandoned, Rejected, No One to Count On … —>

    Absolute Trust in a God Who Never Ever Forsake Me…

  16. Girls, your testimonies take my breath away. WOW – it’s so powerful to read about where you were and where you are now. Is there anything more amazing than the love and power God offers through Jesus and the Holy Spirit to take us just as we are and transform us into the beautiful women He knows we were created to be.

    I am praying for you sweet “anonymous” two. Thank you for your transparency. I prayed (when I posted this) for those may not know what the second side would say yet. Just know that God is writing that story, He is turning that cardboard over and He is willing and able to “make all things new” – He loves you just as you are and He wants to take all of those hurting and broken pieces and make them into something beautiful – and whole.

    We are praying for you and we love you!

    ~ Renee

  19. To the second anonymous poster. . .

    . . .Keep reaching for HIM! He loves You! He wants to fill you with His peace and grace. No matter what the front of your cardboard would say, NOTHING is too big for Him and you are His wholely loved child. Just lay it all at His feet. He is excited, and standing open armed ready for you to fall into His embrace. When you give it all up you will know exactly what the second side of your cardboard should say. I’m praying for you! God Bless!

    As for my cardboard. . .
    . . . it would read ~

    Self absorbed slave to patterns of poor choices and poor behavior

    God focused ~ Grace delivered ~ Laying it ALL on the line for HIM!

  21. Wow!!! Mine would read

    “Immoral, hypocritical, selfish, malicious….. list goes on!!” The back of it would be “Forgiven, cleansed by His blood, New in Christ!” I could not stop crying when I saw this clip!! Amazing how great our God is!!

  22. Rene,
    I loved this video, what a powerful message without even a word spoken. Thank you my friend once again for pushing me forward. So here is my Cardboard Testimony.

    Used, abused and addicted………

    Forgiven, set free and spiritually raised from the dead………….

  23. Renee, I cried ALL THE WAY through .. BUT GOD! BUT GOD! I hope it is ok that I borrow this for my blog AND I plan to share w/ my pastor as well. THANK YOU

    Jai’s Cardboard: Looking for love and fulfillment in all the wrong places/Loved completely by the savior and filled w/ the Holy Spirit!

  24. I’ve seen this on several blogs and it is so powerful.

    My testimony would read: Hated myself and wanted to die…full of life and God’s unconditional love.

  25. I remember the tears streaming watching one amazing story after the next. Thanks so much for chance to re-visit this again. I remember asking myself, “What would mine say?”

    performance based perfectionist, people pleaser, professional mask wearer

    free, God-pleaser, professional weakness sharer

  26. careless, shamed, confused, lost and abused but for His REDEEMING grace…

    Now Recovering Pharisee…by His RENEWING grace
    Psalm 40:

    I WAITED patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.
    2He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings.

    3And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many shall see and fear (revere and worship) and put their trust and confident reliance in the Lord.

  27. Wow! I, too, am crying tears of thankfulness and freedom. My cardboard would say (on most days):

    Always striving to be “good enough on my own”….Now resting peacefully in HIS perfect love.

    • You can’t get tax dollars out of people who have poor credit or no credit at all. You get tax dollars out of people who work and make money. How many tax dollars are going to be taken away from those who probably didn’t pay much in tax dollars in the first place. Not only did people become purchasers of homes they could not afford or even deserve to own, they won’t even be on the hoof to help fund the bail out.Just another way of looking at it…..screwed in all orifices.

    • that a reward-maximizing creator gets intrinsic reward for the learning progress (the wow-effects) of a separate predictor or encoder of the observation stream which is created through the actions of the creator. Anyway, my general advice would be to do what all the other international teams did: Apply your system to data from the competitions mentioned in the interview. If you can beat the state of the art, you won’t have to complain about a lack of attention.

    • Wanting to lick! I am buying a sexy woman to strip down and i can please her with my language! I have men sex hot been told i am really talented with your tongue, so I think I will show you. If you have an interest, email me with a pic and place the subject line “lick me”. I can responde with a pic. We’re not expecting anything in yield.

    • I Will have to return again whenever my course load lets up – however I am getting your Rss feed so i could go through your internet site offline. Cheers.

    • Yes, Kaltag has always been my home. I have lived a few years in Albuquerque for college and in Fairbanks as recent as last year. It seems that Kaltag is always calling me back home though. I love the remoteness of Kaltag and all that it has to offer. Just this past weekend I got my first moose.

  28. Wow! Are there words, not sure but i’ll try –

    Front – A depressed and insecure, people pleasing young woman looking for a purpose in life.

    Back – Daughter of the King – seeking to know Him, living to please Him and longing to see Him.

  29. I love that video! And your testimony.

    My cardboard testimony would say:

    Brokenhearted & Depressed & Very Selfish

    on the flip side

    My Heart Now Beats for Him

  30. I’m not sure there would be enough cardboard on the front either but one word would sum it all up – LOST…still trying to reach the point where I could honestly have a second side. I know all those things to be true, but at times I am still so weighed down by the aftermath of the front side that they seem just out of reach.

  33. Just a couple of weeks after She Speaks, I spoke at church. I used the story of the blind man healed by Jesus who said, This I know, I was blind, but now I see.” I showed the you tube clip. The title of the message was “The Power of Your Testimony”

    I did not share my testimony that night. But my cardboard testimony would be: mosested, looking for love, dying … healed, loved by the King, living for Him

    Deanna

  34. Renee,

    I loved watching this on Micca’s blog…it is SO VERY POWERFUL!

    My cardboard sign would be:

    Lonely, abused, lost

    then…

    Found, loved and accepted by Jesus

    Prayers and blessings,
    Rebecca

  36. Renee,
    I couldn’t stop crying…God is the healer to our souls!

    My cardboard would say:

    Life was about ME,destorying the lives around me…
    But now life is about Christ!

    In His Grace,
    Tammy

  37. Oh My! I am still shaking…That was so powerful! Thanks so much for sharing it with us!

    My front would read:
    Crippled, sick, expected to die, accused of being mentally slow, and phsically ugly!

    My back:
    A 46 year old Special Ed teacher with a Masters of Divinty degree, Women’s conference speaker/writer who wears Hot Pink Shoes!

    Pamela R.

  38. The front side would say..”broken and in the pit of sin, dispair and rejection”….the second side would say “redeemed, forgiven, living in grace, SECURE in Him (my verse from She Speaks).

    In His Graces~Pamela

  39. Hey Renee,

    I blogged about this a few weeks ago. I called it Signs, Signs What’s on your cardboard? This You Yube clip is so powerful. My Sunday School class decided to write our cardboard story. Everyone had something to say about Him. If we know Jesus, we all have a before and after look we can show on paper!

    The other wow God thing for me is that after I posted this, I received an invitation to speak at a charity fundraiser for the homeless. God had been showing me their cardboard signs before the You Tube video. He is showing me my neighbor. He gave me the idea to open my talk with a piece of cardboard and His story written on it.

    Jesus is always showing us signs of His Presence, sometimes even through a recycled piece of cardboard.
    B His Girl

  40. My cardboard testimony would be:

    Rejected by an alcoholic mother – –
    Accepted by a Heavenly Father.

    Praise God!
    I love that cardboard testimony clip. I’ve seen it several times and I never cease to tear up. Just too emotional for me!

  41. How on earth am I supposed to type with these tears pouring out? What a powerful video!

    My cardboard would say:

    Abused, rejected, emotionally wounded, insecure, angry…BUT NOW: Healed, accepted, secure in Christ and filled with His love and peace.

    Praise God.
    Praise God.
    Praise God.

    Amen.

  42. This video brought me to tears. We see God’s healing in body and spirit often but to put so many into an 8 minute time frame- it is just so overwhelming!!

    Mine would say – Worthless, unloved, emotionally orphaned….Child of the KING!!!

    What an amazing God we serve!

  43. Renee, I can barely breathe, I’m crying…

    My cardboard would read: Faking it, insecure, afraid, lost, chained, performance, broken…to…Authentic, secure, righteous confidence, found, FREE, real and restored…all because of Him! Oh thank You Jesus!

    Praising Him,
    Joy

  44. Wow…I have to share that with my pastor. He preached on Sunday about the importance of “remembering the lostness of your lostness” so that we will weep for the lost and pray and witness fervently.

    My cardboard would say:

    Afraid of being unloved……Loved with an everlasting love.

    • Hi, Christine!It's me again, Christine. I hope you're having fun at that writer's conference. You sure have done a lot of work on this "Blog Tour" and the least I can do is buy one of your books as a reward.Hmmm…why would I reward MYSELF when YOU did all the work? I'll have to explore that question later, I guess, huh? (~LOL!~)See you lagap,*Huts*CyndeParticirent No. 8032

    • My other comment got lost; musta pushed the wrong button.This will cause quite a stir. The Dems here have been trying to get Craig to state firmly whether he’s running or not. Larry LaRocco is running ‘against’ him.

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    • well you might, it’s not something I’ve come across.Razor @ 89: not at all, sorry if my post implied this was a brand new phenomenon. I do think it’s growing though, in part because most Aussie tours of Gallipoli include the Turkish side of the story and more Aussies are taking those tours.To be clear though, I don’t think it’s just a recognition of their ‘honour’ in battle. What I’m grasping at (badly it seems) is the affection between the two countries. From my position of ignorance, it seems an unusual and unlikely outcome of us invading their patch.

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