Transformed by the Word with Debora Barr
Transformed by the Word with Debora Barr
73 - Power of Sharing Your Testimony
Rebroadcast of Episode 23
The Word of God says in the book of Revelation that we defeat the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and by our testimony. Listen in as Debora interviews Simene’ Walden as she shares how God has transformed her life. There is power and accountability when we share how God is working in our lives, even during the process of transformation.
Stay tuned for our next episode where we will explore – Exposing Pain and Glorifying God.
Links
https://www.facebook.com/simene/
https://www.facebook.com/thestudenteacher
Engage with Debora Barr at https://tbtwpodcast.com/
Announcer
Welcome to transformed by the word, a podcast about discovering how to live your life with gratifying purpose. God created you for a reason and the Bible contains the keys to unlock your transformed life. Now, here's your host, Debora Barr
Debora 0:29
Thanks for joining me for Episode 23 of transformed by the word. There is great power in telling and hearing a personal testimony regarding what God is doing or has done in a person's life.
The Bible is full of stories about what God did in the lives of his people 1000s of years ago. But don't you agree that it is sometimes a bit hard to relate to some of these stories of people who lived in a far different time, place and culture than our own?
What have you had the opportunity to hear from someone today? Who you know, and who lives right where you live about something incredible that God did in his or her life? What if someone you know was healed of what was called an incurable disease, when that have a stronger impact on you, than reading about king who Hezekiah being healed from the disease that was supposed to kill him? Around 700 years before Jesus was born? That story is in Isaiah chapter 38.
What about the testimony of a woman in your own town who was barren for years and prayed fervently and then was able to conceive and have a child? Wouldn't her story have a much more powerful impact on you than reading about Hannah in the Bible, who lived about 1000 years before Christ? Her story is in First Samuel chapter one.
Well, today I've invited a special guest to the show, who I met for the first time by telephone before she moved to Maryland. Her name is Simene’ Walden also known as the student teacher. She is an educator, a transparency expert, publisher, international speaker, book coach, and an Amazon bestselling author. She helps educators and leaders tell their stories, unapologetically, through written and verbal communication, seminars assists others in speaking their stories by hosting live and in person events, conducting online radio interviews, featuring other speakers during her social media events, providing opportunities for authors to write their own books to becoming coauthors in her anthologies, or being featured on her written blog. Simene’ also provides small group coaching for those who are ready to unmute and unmask.
Stay tuned. We'll be back in just a moment.
MUSIC INTERLUDE
Debora 4:23
Well, Simene’, I am so grateful to have you on the show today. It's such a blessing to see you again.
Simene’ 4:23
Thank you so much! I'm almost lost for words when I get to like reconnect with you again. So thank you so much for thinking of me to actually come on your show this month. So thank you.
Debora 4:35
Yeah, I know that the listeners will get great blessing by hearing what you have to say. I was thinking back and trying to remember exactly when you you and I first met, can you share with our listeners exactly how you found me and we got connected at first?
Simene’ 4:53
Yes - So I was living in North Carolina and I was a part of a group a women's groups called Women of all ages. And I was like the youngest one at that time, I was probably about 34, maybe 34-35. And I told them, I said, Hey, guys, I'm moving to Maryland. And I was like, you know what church you're going to go to? And I said, Yeah, I think I've seen one online. And then one of the ladys says, I have a friend who goes, First Baptist Church of Glenarden. And I said, Okay, she said, You should check it out. It has a lot of ministries.
And so when I was at my mom's house one Sunday, I was like, Lord. I don't even want to go to Maryland no more. But I went and looked at the website, I found all things new. And I was like, I never seen a ministry like that before. And I had been privately struggling with that. So I said, Well, let me reach and it says, like, you know, you can contact the person and I saw your name. And I said, Well, let me let me email her. And I emailed you. And you responded back to me. And that's how I got first introduced to all things new.
Debora 5:58
Yeah, I do remember that first phone call, and it was such a joy to meet you. And to actually have you come, and I got to meet you in person. It was awesome. Yeah. Can you share with us a little bit about your spiritual background?
Simene’ 6:11
Yeah, so I grew up Baptist, my great grandmother was very influential. Um, I didn't know that she pretty much raised me when I was a little baby, because my mom worked overnight shift during the week. And so she told me that my great grandmother said, You're not going to come and get his baby every day and bring her in and out. So I will stay with her from Monday through Friday. And you know, my mom that I work Saturday morning, she would come and pick me up. And I didn't understand that probably when I was a baby like five, six or seven. I was so attached to her.
And like it even makes me like teary eyed now, because the thing I always want every weekend, like it was like, I guess I knew, as a baby, I was supposed to be with her for a longer time. So on the weekends when I got older, or you know, when I started school, every weekend, I was going to my grandma's house. And every Sunday, she would fix me up and put me on that Sunday school bus and I will go and so we grew up back that she was very involved in my mom, she really wasn't saved when I was no younger. So it was my grandmother who sent me in. We only had church first and third Sundays. And it's still the same in 2021. And so when I went to college, and my friends were saying I was going to church every Sunday, I'm thinking, why are you doing that? Because we just go twice a month. And we had Sunday school on those other Sundays, and so you will go even back home by you know, 11 o'clock. And that was my, that was my background.
Debora 7:44
Wow.
Simene’ 7:45
Yeah.
Debora 7:46
Can you share with us also a little bit about how God brought healing and deliverance to your life.
Simene’ 7:54
Man,
After I've knocked myself out for many, many years, it wasn't until I got away. I'm on my own to college where I started just seeing other people because I was you know, I was a product of our environment. And unfortunately, it was kind of like, you did what you wanted. You can say you love the Lord, but you really just did you still lit there was no distinction between people who said they loved the Lord and went to church on first and third Sundays. People who never went to church so, you know, I don't really know that. I you know, you cannot sense but you're not, you don't really know, I didn't, I didn't know how to do it. And so when I went to college, I did everything I was big enough, bad enough and brave enough to do and it wasn't like met a lady who she was like a minister. And she just like, started like, mentor me. You shouldn't be doing I used to smoke, you know, and I was a proud smoker. So she would be like, you know, pretty girls like you don't smoke. And I'm thinking, Okay, so I just did smoke around her. So it wasn't until I've seen these women start to really take an interest inseminate to say, this is not how you should be. This is not how a pretty girl should be. And I say, well, it doesn't matter from pre doesn't matter what I look like, because I didn't even feel like I was pretty at the time.
And so I'm going through my journey really like okay, Lord, is this something I should be doing? And I thought we got hurt and betrayed and did all kinds of mean and bad stuff to other people. I was like, I don't want to be like this. And so slowly but surely I just started cultivating a relationship with God for myself and getting around other people who I saw clearly there's a distinction. There are certain things that we don't do that the world is still doing. And when I started really understanding that it's like I do want to be different. I do want to be set apart. And so that's how it came to me just being around other people have examples to see that you can be different than what the world is saying that You know, we could just have one do we want to do?
Debora 10:02
And being different is not a bad thing. I mean, people that are in the world, sometimes they think that to become a Christian, you have to give up stuff. Can you talk about that a little bit? Like, how is it that giving up, the things of the world actually put you in a better place to live life to the fullest?
Simene’ 10:22
And I'm so glad that you said that, because it's so much more you can do in Christ like it is a lot of things. So it's a lot you can do. Um, but being different isn't - definitely isn't a bad thing. And when I realized that I had to exchange old habits old friends. Initially it was for some of them, it hurt me because these people that they really did see me in my worst state, and they just loved me. So I was so that it was no judgment. But that also was no correction. And so I hit a replaced him with godly people in for a lot of them once I started changing the desire to hang out. Even the conversations that I will have with them about because a lot of older women, they just taken a liking to me. So I will share what they will say. And of course, you know, they're like 15, maybe 20 years older than us. So I'm telling them what the older woman is saying they don't want to hear that. So it was like because I started to change. Eventually, the relationships and desire started change. I wasn't cool anymore. You know, I wasn't going partying and getting high and being out my mind. So it was just like, well, what are we really going to do. So the more you start changing on the inside, it becomes a reflection on the outside and those things that you used to attract. I always say to every acceptance is not a good thing. And every rejection is not a bad thing in a lot of those bad things really started to reject me. And I started to reject them. And I started gravitating to the things that I wanted, even though I couldn't see myself fully in it. I knew I needed to be connected somehow.
Debora 12:10
Yeah, that's powerful. How has your relationship with Christ grown? Since even when I first met you? Can you share a little bit about that, and what caused the growth.
Simene’ 12:21
So when I came to Maryland, initially, I was coming because I was coming with my secret girlfriend. And I'd always lived like this down low homosexual lifestyle, even though when I look back at pictures, and people could say, girl girl, we knew I was very much masculine, boyish, I was, everything was reeking I don't want to man. So I thought I was coming here for that. And probably maybe a month or so before I was actually to move here. It all blew up. And I had to come here by myself.
And I remember reading in Revelation we got so that prepared the wilderness place for you. Because I hated everything about Maryland. Like I, I pray every day to go back, I was applying for jobs I did not want to be here in literally it was like only thing I hit was God I didn't have a whole lot of money. Um, I just had enough to do what I had to do throughout the week, enough gas to go where I needed to go go to your class, go to work, go to work, go to church to come back, I couldn't do anything extra. I didn't even have the resources to do anything extra.
And so I found myself reading and studying all the time, because that's all I hate. And I kept telling him God, if I ever get out of this place, I don't want to ever only depend on you when I don't have anything else. And so in those moments, it was like I had to see Him and I start it start showing me areas that I was broken and start showing me areas where I had grown. And one thing I loved about all things new is you would always stress us it's a Bible study. And the more I talk to Ms Rhonda, my mentor, she would always say similar you just chose a different path. We went through some similar situation, but you just chose you know a different scene to take on and you know, operate and so I really had to say Lord, you gotta help me, because there were things that I had never shared before coming to all things new and then having to process that one. Things even happened to me or to I did it to other people.
I really had to rely on him for forgiveness for love for their confidence for that grace to say God Listen, I don't even know how to do this. I don't even really want to be in this class much but I need you to help me do it. So I had nothing initially to depend on except Him and over time it became am insatiable love that you just want to be with him because you realize he loves you so much that he knows all of your funky, nasty icky stuff and He still loves you. It's like I definitely connected to Him. So that's how it's you know, it's definitely grown over the years. Initially, I would just go to like church and pray and read my Bible. But then I had to learn how to cultivate a relationship, and a discipline myself to say, I'm going to read, I'm going to study I'm going to pray outside of someone else encouraging me to or someone else sharing what they read, but having my own relationship with them.
Debora 15:25
Yeah, that's a powerful point right there. And for those listeners that don't know what all things new is about, it's a ministry for people who struggle with or have experienced same sex attraction in their lives. And it's a discipleship program, and a ministry where people like Simene’, just come to learn how to develop and cultivate that intimacy with Jesus Christ, because he is the one that transforms our lives from the inside out when we are willing to surrender our lives to Him.
You mentioned a scripture in Revelation. But there's another scripture in Revelation that I love that says it's Revelation 12:11. And it says, they overcame him, meaning the enemy of their souls, by the blood of the lamb and the power of their testimony. And another translation of the Bible, the New Living Translation says, and they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb, and by their testimony, why do you think that we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb, and by our testimony,
Simene’ 16:34
I learned this in All Things New actually, and I don't know if you said it, or somebody else said it. But um, the last part I talked about, he did not live your life until the death, I believe. And it was like, I think from what I gather is that sometimes we hold on to our personalities and our image, and what people would say, and so sometimes, it's hard to say, I used to do this. So I did this. So I still struggle with that.
And so when you start telling it, it frees you, it starts making you acknowledge that it helps other people encourages other people, and you realize I'm not in this by myself, you know, I'm not the only one struggling and not that it makes it better, because we're not the only one. But at least it lets you know, that someone has also went through it, and they have overcome it. And so, um, one of the things that the Lord helped me realize when it says, overcome by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimony, and is a conjunction, so it goes together.
And because the blood of Jesus is already a done deal, it is something that when you put your testimony to it, it's like a combustible experience that you have, because, you know, we can't refute the blood of Jesus. And you know, some people can say that this story is not true, or this didn't happen. But when you put it together with the blood of Jesus every time, very impactful, and so it lightens the load, it makes your heart feel, you know, lighter sometimes, and it will make you feel remorseful for telling it. But once you can stand and say, Hey, you know, this is what God did for me, then it becomes a responsibility for God to continue to help you keep your testimony. It is only us, I believe that when we decide that we want to go against it, or our flesh gets the best of us, and we just want to do whatever we want to do that, you know, we make the testimony alive. But when you add that with the blood of Jesus, it's like, it's like, boom. So yeah, that's what I that's what I believe.
Debora 18:40
Yeah, and the one thing that the enemy always wants us to do is to be ashamed of the things in our lives, especially saying that we know isn't, -, he wants us to be ashamed. He wants us to be quiet about that he wants us to hold on to that. And it's like, this cancer that just gets buried deep inside of us. But when we can bring that out and allow Jesus to do what he does best and bring that out into the light. It is almost like stomping on the head of the enemy..
So What has God been doing in your life? And how has he equipped you for your assignment in life? I know one of the lessons in all things new is looking at our spiritual gifts and looking at what God has equipped and empowered and anointed us to do and I know for a fact that you stepped out on that and are doing amazing things For God so share some of that with us.
Simene’ 19:40
Um, so when we took this spiritual gift test at first because we looked at like the top three So hey, like teacher evangelists in here preaching, I was definitely not a preacher. And when you look at it now, it doesn't necessarily mean that you know, have a congregation or church per But you are leading people, and you are guiding people. And so it wasn't that I was looking for anything to do. It was just the things that started to become a passion and a desire. And so I was just doing it because, you know, I just want to share with people, you know what God was doing? No, I just want to share, hey, I'm going to Union Station to minister to other people. And so it never was a thing I was looking to do or seeking NAFTA, it just became NAFTA. And because I'm an educator, you know, teaching is something I do when my eyes closed. So you just add the word to it. And it became something much more powerful and greater than I could have ever imagined.
And so now I'm still, you know, still making videos, encouraging people hosting events where people can share their story. Helping people publish their stories, tell their stories, and just really sharing my testimony would work with people. And it's not always easy. I don't know if you said this, or it's in your book, but you said that telling your testimony publicly is a level of accountability for you. And I often think about man, I hadn't said this. And a lot of people have heard it. And if I come back and say something different, you know, like, I always think about that, not that I'm, you know, I don't think about what God would say. But I also think about how it can be so confusing to people who have heard it can be such a conflict of you know, why I thought she said this, or I thought he said this, and now look at what they're doing, or what has happened in the process to make them change their mind or go back. And so I always think about that. So just sharing really the goodness of God trying to win more souls in the academic system for these young people, because these young people are inundated with so many things. And so they come to you with so many things. It's like, well, Lord, let me get the right answer and have wisdom for them. Because I don't want to just kind of, you know, not be a good example for them, or give them a mature answer that they may have not have heard of. So those are the things that I'm doing at the moment, which I foresee me doing for the long haul.
Debora 22:18
So what are some of the books you've written and tell us just a bit about them?
Simene’ 22:21
So the very first book idea is stemmed from Facebook Live. So I used to do Facebook Lives, because really, it was a way for me to connect with the people in North Carolina because I didn't have anywhere I couldn't go visit. So I said, Well, let me just record videos. And so then when I got to mail not seeing so much of me and the young people, and I was like God, like what can I do, I was in such a broken space. And then I had to come to your class. And I was ashamed about that. And it was so much I just started to pray, I started to pray for me. And I started to pray for the students. And then I started doing a conference call. And then in that December, he said, I want you to come Facebook Live. And so I took all of my Facebook Lives. And I turn and I will write my prayers down before I will come home. And that turned into my first book praise and devotion for the academic system. And from there, we will have another prayer books called spiritual combat. And then third book I kind of delve into this caught my heart under microscope, kind of delving into my love for women, and then my desire to be with the man that God had for me. That was like, oh, that will that really was like the heart of what, you know, I didn't know how to articulate to people. So I said, Well, let me write down. So it's like proportion and prose book. And then the rest of the books are like, let me encourage you in books and now fixed and I have a couple anthologies where women are sharing their similar stories or the things that they went through. So I typically write nonfiction books about experiences that I went over that can help other people overcome.
Debora 23:57
That's fantastic. Just so proud of you and all the God is doing through you. Because you're you said yes to Him. I mean, how many people out there know that they're supposed to do something and they don't do it? And the blessings of actually doing it because you are now blessing other people through that? How can our listeners find you and how can they get your books if they're interested in in pursuing that?
Simene’ 24:22
Okay, so you can follow me on all social media platforms. It's Simene Walden and I'm pretty sure it's gonna be in the description. So you can follow me on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, I'm not on Snapchat. I don't even know how that works. I started Tick Tock so I like Tic Tock videos. And then you can go to prettyhealed.com And you can get any of the books you can get any of the apparel that we have for men and women. Yeah. And you could just reach out to me through there. And I would love to connect with all the people who would love to connect for their own about ministry and miss that one thing I say is that I didn't understand how sneaky and cunning the enemy was because people will hear your story and they will come for the wrong reasons. And so always, when you're connecting, make sure you connect because God is connecting you not don't connect to me because of flesh or you feel like whoa, let me talk to her. You know, let me talk to him, but really connect because God is connecting us.
Debora 25:21
Yeah, that's really good. Do you have any last words of wisdom that you would like to share with our listening audience,
Simene’ 25:28
I will say stay connected to accountability. I don't think there's anything wrong with having more than one accountability. Because in case one person, you can't get ahold of them or something happens that you always have other people that you can go to because it's nothing like having people you could be honest with James, I hear a lot of people call know, the effectual fervent prayer, the righteous availeth much, but the beginning part of that it says, confess your faults one to another, that you may be healed. And I don't think people are doing a whole lot of confessing these days because you know, a fear of shame, or what are people going to say, or maybe if you've been hurt in the past, but I will say get you some good accountability, somebody that will see you outside of your gifts to things that you do your social media, your platforms, your money, but really get people who can hold you accountable that will prey you through and that will encourage you as you're going through whatever you need to accountability works. And that's been the best thing that has helped me and I pray that you guys can find some Godly counsel that will be able to help you along your journey.
Debora 26:31
Excellent. And I'm going to ask one last thing before I let you go. And that is if you would pray for our listening audience today. People that out there, especially that may be afraid to share their testimony publicly because of some of the things that you mentioned that fear that shame, but that you would help them by praying for them right now.
Simene’ 26:54
Father, I thank you today for the opportunity for us to just gather and for us to be your vessels. Father, I pray that when I open my mouth to pray that you fill it with good things, and I thank you for those who have ears to hear today. And I pray Oh God, even now that their hearts to be sensitized to what has been said and what you're even speaking to them, I pray now, Father, for the person who doesn't even know you that they will, they will be curious, they will accept you as Lord and Savior. Father, thank you. For those who want to unmute who want to unmask or want to share this story. I pray that you start aligning them with the right people, you say that you will send help from the sanctuary I pray today that you will send help from the sanctuary to connect women and connect me to the person that they need to get to that will hold them accountable, that will love them that will walk with them through their store that will also be very transparent and honest about where they were Father, I think you know, oh god that this word has fell on good ground today, that it will yield a heart but some 30, some 60, some one hundred fold in the name of Jesus, Father, I pray against backlash, retaliation and revenge. Now in the name of Jesus, Father, I think that you said we overcome him by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimony. We did not live our lives to death Father, thank You that it would not be pride. We will not be prideful, we will not be shamed. We will not be guilty oh god for the things that was done to us and the things that people have done that we have even done to other people father thinking now Oh God, that you will place the right people in their life at the right time. I think you know, oh God, that they will be conduce of your word that they will not die but live and declare that works for you. I think you got that they will open their mouths and you will feel them with good things you will feel their mouths with good thing that their heart will be sensitive to you. You said our heart so desperately wicked. Above all who can know it but you issue that test how hard it is you that tests our motives and our action I pray today oh god that you create a clean heart and all of us renew a right spirit renew a loyal Spirit in us today. Oh God, Father, I thank you that you will restore the joy in US restore, restore the joy of our salvation. I pray Oh God, even for those who have backslidden father you said that you're married to the backslide I think that she was married to me many times over and that now you would draw your people that they will come back to you they will not be feeling embarrassed or ashamed even to come back to you to confess to you to pull out their heart pour their hearts out to you today. But I think even for leaders Oh God, who have served and serve oh god who feels shameful and feel guilty, oh god about sharing but you will put people in their lives that they will be able to share and they will testify. Father, we give you all the glory. And we give you all the praise no man or no woman takes the credit for this. Father, we thank you for what you have done today. We thank you for what you will continue to do in the lives of other people and they will come back and testify and say look what the Lord has done. We give you glory and we give you praise. In Jesus name, amen.
Debora 29:35
Amen. Don't go away.
We'll be right back after this short break.
MUSIC INTERLUDE
Debora 30:22
We just heard from Simene’ a Walden how sharing your testimony with others breaks the power of the enemy over our lives. And it helps to keep us accountable. Personal testimonies can move some people toward God like nothing else can, to see living, tangible proof of the power of God working in a person's life today might just be the thing that leads someone to Christ. And, by the way, Satan hates it.
If you've never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, you can get right with him right now.
The Bible tells us that it is by faith, that we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. And if you are ready to place your trust and faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and receive the forgiveness of your sins. Would you pray this prayer with me right now?
God, I confess that I'm a sinner, and I need and want Jesus in my life. I repent of my sins and I turn toward you. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. He was buried and he rose from the dead. And I accept this by faith and invite Jesus to be Lord of my life, to reign and rule in my heart. Thank you for forgiving me, and saving me. Amen.
Now, if you just made a decision for Christ, I would love to hear from you. You can visit my website at TBTWpodcast.com. And click the link letting me know about your decision for Christ. So I can follow up with you and encourage you with your next steps of faith.
Please connect with Simene’ Walden my guest for today. Her information is available on my website at TBTW podcast.com. Look under the extras for Episode 23 of transformed by the word.
My prayer for you today is that you will seek an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, that you won't be afraid of what you might have to give up in life. But instead be excited about what a relationship with Jesus will do to enhance your life.
Stay tuned for our next episode of transformed by the word where we will be discussing exposing pain and glorifying God.
Announcer 33:05
Thank you for listening to transformed by the word with your host Debora Barr, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or Google Play and connect with us at TBTWPodcast.com. Until next time, be blessed.