This Is My Story: I Am A Testimony of the Goodness of God!

Some may know this (but a lot might not), but I used to have a nickname given to me by my family. That name was Little Lulu. I was nicknamed after a cartoon character who was always a crying, miserable, unhappy little girl. Some might think it was mean to call me by that name, but for those who know me, I was nicknamed rightfully so. I do not deny how I was. But that is just the point—it was how I WAS! My grandpa told me that I was so sad and upset when he stopped calling me Lulu; we laughed and I said, “But I’m glad you don’t now because I’m no longer Lulu.” He responded, “You sure aren’t.” Then I told him, “Every day I’m glad I’m not. Every day I’m so thankful!”

You see, I did not change who I was out of sheer willpower. Growing up, I would try to be happy, but I wasn’t. I would work on changing that part of me, but I couldn’t. Deep down, I was very unhappy, miserable, and crying on the inside. It was not until Christ came into my heart and changed everything that my life was transformed! He did what I could not do. It was not just taking away the misery and the unhappiness—he took the root cause of it all. He took the sin out of my heart. He changed my nature. He completely changed me!

I am no longer Lulu, and we are all okay with that! Charity Gayle has written a song that has been on my heart— Because of Jesus. It is such a beautiful song about what

Christ did and does in a person. The bridge strikes me in particular:

You bring freedom to the captives, Good news to the poor, Healing to the broken, And joy to those who mourn. You turn ashes into beauty, The ruins, You restore. I am a testimony Of the goodness of the Lord!

I AM A TESTIMONY OF THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD! Praise God! Thank you, Jesus, for saving me, changing me, and taking that Lulu and making her into a new person and giving her a new name—Lauren, child of God, daughter of the most high King! For that, I am eternally grateful!

If I were to add one more thing, it would only be to include a verse straight from the Word of God. The Word is alive, and it stands true and will stand true through time. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Believe this and it will be true for your soul too, and you will become a testimony of the goodness of the Lord! May God bless you.