Photo by Anna Shvets
These personal memoirs help those Christians going through a spiritual awakening triumph over their doubts and uncertainties and come through the other side with a profound faith.
It is part and parcel of a Christian’s life to have their faith tried and tested. Tribulations like that are embedded deeply into the history of Christianity. Remember the ordeals of saints and the hardships of martyrs, and the Biblical stories of Peter and John the Baptist; Jesus Christ himself faced the temptations of the Devil.
There are infinite reasons why doubt may spring forth. They are as varied and as complex as each Christian on this earth. Suspicions of the goodness of the Lord when so much of the world is suffering. Doubts about the holiness of the Scriptures. Some even doubt if God truly exists at all.
And, yes, they are not alone in their questions.
There are billions of Christians worldwide, and it is without a doubt that not an insignificant number of them have expressed some form of uncertainty about their faith.
Yet, no one ever said it would be easy. As Corinthians 5:7 says:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
What may happen might be beyond what our senses can comprehend, but faith still must be kept. James 1:6 says it best:
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
Here are some personal testimonies that every Christian should get a chance to read about to inspire their doubtful hearts and strengthen their faith.
I’m No Angel, by Kylie Bisutti
Despite the fame and the riches that come with being a Victoria’s Secret Runway model, Kyle Bisutti still threw it all away because of her faith in God. Realizing that there was no reconciliation to be had with a career as a model and being a devout Christian, she gave in entirely to her beliefs.
Bisutti shows us in I’m No Angel that the glitz and the glam of the material world can never replace the primal human need for devotion to a higher power.
I’m No Angel is excellent reading for Christians who find themselves tempted by the promises of earthly pleasure.
A Thread of Hope, by Jacqui DeLorenzo
Jacqui DeLorenzo’s journey in A Thread of Hope shows us that not everyone going through a spiritual awakening walks through a field of flowers. Despite her parents separating, her younger brother dying early, her diagnosis with cancer, and a bitter struggle against an eating disorder, DeLorenzo never left her faith. In return, her faith never left her.
She became more than just a survivor with God’s love and continues to thrive, appreciating all the Lord has to offer.
Every Christian, especially those in a dark place, would do well to learn from her deep conviction.
Affirming, by Sally Gary
In this intimate account of personal faith, Sally Gary reconnects us with the Christian value of open-mindedness and charity. She gives us a profoundly insightful perspective on what it means to be both a Christian and a member of a community generally ostracized by the faith.
It is a beautiful and thought-provoking read on what it means to be Christian in a quickly changing world and how faith adapts to the modern world.
LGBTQ Christians will find Affirming a fantastic read. It also serves as a shift of perspective for other Christians.
Keeping Faith and Growing Stronger
Nothing best encapsulates the need for faith than John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
To all Christians reading, you must be steadfast. Do not waver in your faith. You may doubt, but never stop believing. True Christians will forever soldier on until the Lord takes them, for the Kingdom of God awaits the faithful.