I knew it was coming. But the question was would I be willing to answer. Could I speak of things that I am ashamed of. Am I still carrying that shame. I know how to hold back, to tell the parts of my story in such vague terms. It was early, still at home going over the questions we would be talking about in our group. As soon as my husband read the question I knew. “Where is one area that you have been set free from the grip of shame? In what ways have you lived differently after being set free? How can you help others to be set free from shame and find freedom freely given in Christ?” When I say I knew, that is not to say I knew I would answer in our C-Group about that, only that I knew what I was supposed to do. But parts of my testimony are too shameful and I reserve those parts for the very few that I feel comfortable sharing with. Thinking back there really hasn’t been many to hear the whole story. It’s shameful and very weighty. The heaviness weighted me down the moment we first read it because I knew. But would I? So we’ve gone to church and are now with our group and we are openly discussing how Jesus bore our shame. Each person says something giving me freedom to speak. I’m still holding back and we haven’t got to that last question yet. They say “this should be a safe place; this is a safe place; it’s important not to hide in our shame because what we hide Satan still owns; some felt drawn to our church because of the honesty in the pulpit of past failures and God’s grace; one actually stated what he was freed from and we weren’t even to the question yet. I didn’t even list all the things said because there was more. Opening up the door of grace right before my eyes. So would I?, Did I? It wasn’t easy but I knew I was still carrying that shame and yes….. I told all. Like my sister said after, I am clothed in the righteousness of Christ. I know that I walked out of that class more free than before I walked in.