Words of Faith: Mytonia's story about truth and freedom

The Truth Will Set You Free
A Words of Faith story written by Mytonia Newman

How many times have we heard the saying, “The truth will set you free?”

Adults would use this phrase to coerce young children into full disclosure of their wrong-doing, and then turn around and deliver the worse punishments imaginable. What kind of “freedom” was that? 

But the truth of the matter is that the freedom of truth telling is more mental then physical. Telling the truth removes feelings of guilt, shame and anxiety and replaces them with an opportunity for repentance and forgiveness. While telling the truth has proven to be therapeutic and freeing for yourself, it can also free someone else.

I was recently afforded an opportunity to facilitate a seminar at a Women’s Ministry Retreat. My session was on finding your purpose and I used my own life experience to convey my thoughts on the topic. In preparing my remarks for the seminar, it was evident to me that a certain level of transparency, honesty and self disclosure would be necessary to convey my message effectively. I was so passionate about ensuring the authenticity of my story and working to make it relatable, that I never struggled with sharing personal details about my life. It was my truth; I had accepted it and I was willing to share.

At the end of the session and to this day, I have had numerous women approach me and thank me for my honesty about my life. Many expressed that it was exactly the message they needed to hear. Others stated that it was the best they had heard on the topic and others tearfully thanked me for sharing my story, which had now encouraged them to share their own. I was not an authority on the topic of purpose. There are thousands of people who could have done it better then me. But what I do know for sure is that people can be inspired, encouraged, restored, and drawn to Christ if we would only share our truth.

When the Bible talks about people getting over by the word of a testimony, this is what it’s talking about. Your testimony is your TRUTH about what God has done for you. There are people who are struggling and praying for clarity, answers and a break through that your testimony could offer.

We live in a society where everyone wants to put their best foot forward. We want things to be perfect or at least appear perfect. We use filters and perfect lighting to get the best “selfie” picture. We love to share pictures of happy times with our loved ones, amazingly plated food, our kids all dressed up and of course the breathtaking “current situation” vacation pictures.

But the truth is that while others are “liking” our selfies, we don’t like ourselves. Our families see more sad days than happy ones, our kids are nicely clothed on the outside but empty on the inside, and the real “current situation” is that was probably your last vacation together. That is the real truth and the unfortunate reality for many people. Very seldom do we find people brave enough people to admit these realities and acknowledge the faith they have that God has or will turn their situation around in their favor. We are “okay” with sharing our truth once God steps in. But what did it look before He did?

When Christ walked the Earth, one of his main requests was that people would go and spread the word of what he had done for them. His whole ministry of healing is what gave legitimacy to His message that he was our Savior. It has become vital that believers feel compelled to tell their story of what God has done for them. These firsthand accounts of God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness in spite of ourselves, can reach more people than a church sermon ever could. You don’t have to invite everyone you meet to church. Just tell them the truth: This is who I was and this is what I had done. But look at what He has done for me… Boom!

Yes, telling the truth and owning your stuff publically is hard. It is embarrassing and it is uncomfortable. I’m not saying to take out a newspaper advertisement and air your dirty laundry. I’m simply saying that every time you are willing to share with someone and tell the truth about what God has brought you through, it plants a seed of hope that God can do the same for them. Challenge yourself to be intentional about planting a seed of hope in someone today. Go ahead and tell your truth, and watch God set them free!

~*~
Author bio: 

Mytonia Newman was born and raised in Huntsville, Ala. 

She was educated in the Seventh-day Adventist school system from Kindergarten through college. She graduated from Oakwood University with a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science. She continued her education at Loma Linda University in California, where she received her Masters of Public Health.

Over the past 10 years Mytonia has worked in various sectors of state and local government as well as the private sector. And whether she is writing Women’s Health legislation, reducing the number of non emergent 911 calls, or increasing awareness of preventable traumatic injuries, she has undoubtedly left her mark in the Nation’s Capital and served her community well.

Although quite accomplished professionally, Mytonia believes that her greatest accomplishment was marrying Dr. Naeem Newman and giving birth to their two children: Mya, age 11 and Deuce, age 6.

Mytonia’s love for cooking and entertaining led her recently to launch a catering business. Mytonia believes that her new venture has become more about inspiration and empowerment and less about cooking and serving. She knows God has a specific purpose for her life and commits each day to walking in it.