Testimony Time, Blessing Time

It is Testimony Time and I want to share what the Lord has done for me. But this Testimony Time is different from my first experience. I am not 22 and just realized that I passed the Bar. I am not about to share a testimony as ‘big’ as the other testifiers; how they escaped death, got promoted or welcomed a new born to their home. This time, I do not find it difficult to explain to this large crowd, how I have just accomplished my first of many major feats of my life. This Testimony Time, things are simpler. I am the congregation, hearing again, what the Lord has done for me.

The time is just past 6pm, and I have just finished a big bowl of rice and an episode of Selling Sunset¹. Having decided which houses I don’t like and would absolutely not spend my imaginary $8 million dollars on, I think of how far removed my own life is from the show. I think of my to-do list that I have barely touched today, and my exhaustion to participate in adulting tomorrow. My mind continues to wander, until it begins to play a sour memory that I had shelved in its storage case, very far away. It comes to me strongly, holding my eye lids open so that I can see every single detail of the scene from this memory. In prior situations, I’d typically shake my head, hoping that by doing so, the memory will stop being played. Like I am insisting that the disc holding the memory, rolls out of the CD player, back into its casing and back into the shelf. In those previous times, this head shaking method has worked. Like magic, the memory goes back to its shelf and I continue to pretend that the memory did not happen, and I did not experience any part of it. But now in this instance, I notice that I do not shake my head. The memory plays in full. I see all the details; the clothes that were worn, the mannerisms and intonations in the speech. It just plays and I let it. I have no inkling to even shake my head. And from the corner of my face, I feel a curve form from my mouth. I realise that I am smiling.

This Testimony Time, with these words as my mic, and this post as me standing in front of a congregation, I have just shared what the Lord has done for me. An unpleasant, awkward and truly embarrassing memory has lost its hold over me. I am now able to think of it, without running away from it. I can sit in it, and even laugh saying, “Dolapo, you’ve actually been through a lot but you’re fine.” Even better, a lesson from the experience pops up. I now know what to allow, what to avoid, what to experience from afar. I now have one less disc to lock up in the shelf. I am…free. My testimony might not be as grand as that of when I was 22 and may be told in less exciting instances. But I hope that this small feat of mine, allows you to recount these seemingly small testimonies to yourself and even share it to others. Both times, proving that sour times won’t be sour for long. Let it be that Testimony Time, is indeed Blessing Time. For you and for others².

P.S: If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear a testimony from you in the comments. Refer to the title of this post for reasons why :)

1. A Netflix Reality Show about selling properties in Los Angeles.

2. Having reached here, please listen to Anendlessocean's D2D. Let it be the background song for this post.