Rolain Peterson
Rolain Peterson. Harare, Zimbabwe

How do you write about the great works that God has made in your life? I find myself in that position today. I would first like to thank Jayson for giving me the opportunity to share my story. It’s an honor and privilege!

I look at my life now and realize how far God has brought me and the crazy thing about it is how little I had to do with it! Don’t get me wrong, this is not a “I have arrived” story, far from it! It’s a story about what a great and mighty God can do with the most broken, unattractive vessel.

As I grew up, I was physically and verbally abused. I had no dreams, no purpose, nothing. To make things worse, I stuttered. That made things interesting! My self-esteem was non-existent by then. I hated myself. I isolated myself from everyone at school. I had a few friends who accepted me as I was, but it was so hard. There was no relief in that season of my life. I lived in fear at home, and at school I would crawl in my deep dark hole. I would talk to no one except with my friends. I hid from everyone. (Read Also: Stuttering ― The Importance of Looking Forward)

By the time I left school and started working, the damage was done. I was a zombie. The negative words of everyone in my past were a part of me. I lived out their script everyday. Those words shaped me. I remember an instance where I got a job and worked there for months with no pay and felt satisfied. “I shouldn’t get paid,” I told myself. “Why should I get paid when I am useless, a nobody?” It was that bad friends. I never knew the Lord through all of that. What darkness!

And then there was my country. Our economy crashed so fast. No food in the country, no money in the banks, no future! No water for days on end, never ending power cuts!

Through all of that God saved me. He gave me a purpose. He gave me a calling. He picked me up and called me His son. He told me who I was. In the most adverse of situations, He called me! Despite all my failings He came. The most humbling thing is that I didn’t know I needed a Savior. He came and took my side. I didn’t “snap out of it.” God came and snapped me out of it! He washed me and clothed me with His righteousness. Who I am today is because of Him alone! All the victories in my life are credited to Him.

There is still much work to be done. I will forever be a work in progress. All glory goes to Him. The take away is this: God can do great works in your life too.

No matter what is happening around you; no matter what people have said about you; God has the last say.

He will turn your ugliness into beauty and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Don’t believe the lies about you. Don’t believe the negative things you tell yourself. It’s just not true. God wants you to come as you are. You don’t need to “doll” yourself up for God. He made you. He knows everything about you.

Today, trust Him to do something great in your life. God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. What the world has deemed useless God uses. That’s how He rolls!

Blessings to you! ― Rolain Peterson, Kingspeech

About the Author

Rolain Peterson is a writer who is deeply in love with Jesus Christ. He passionately believes God has a unique purpose for everyone. Yes, everyone! Through the Word of God and real life experiences, he shows you how to walk in the amazing purpose God has for you.

My Story is a collection of posts written by readers who believe in the power of a story to positively impact other people’s story. It offers a safe space to share your personal life stories, as well as, inspiring adventures and moving insights that interpret and re-imagine what it means to live, love, and share. Tell us your story, right here.