How To Write Your Testimony
Whether you’re preparing to share in front of your church, within a small group, or online, this guide will take you step-by-step through the process of crafting a compelling and heartfelt testimony.
If you follow the steps in this process, you will have a 10-12 Minute Spoken Testimony.
step 1: write your first draft
Nobody can edit a blank page. So the key here is to simply get a working draft out of you that you can come back to and refine. Your testimony is something you want to think long term about. It’s not a sprint. It’s something you’ll be telling for the rest of your life. When I work on a piece of writing (especially one that I plan to speak out loud) I’ve always got about minimum of three drafts—however it’s usually many more.
Through this simply process, you’ll have a full first draft in just over an hour. Below, you’ll go through a series of 7 prompts. And I want you to think of each prompt as a sprint that you’ll write through for 10 minutes.
Personally for exercise like this, I do like writing by hand because it opens up the more creative side of your brain and it’s much easy to stay in the writing flow when you know you can’t press the delete button. That being said, write in whatever way you’re comfortable, but if you do type right off the hop, please resist from deleting anything. Your first draft is not a time for editing.
~ Write the prompt at the top of each page of your journal.
~ Set a 10 minute timer for each prompt.
~ Aim to write about 1 page per prompt.
I find it’s very helpful to write point form in this first draft in order to get as many details on paper as possible. Then in draft two you can pretty it up by putting each section into sentences and paragraphs. The most important thing to keep in mind is not to overthink or edit as you go—this first draft is about getting your story out on paper. Messy means you did it right.
WARM UP PROMPT
right now I feel…
This is a warm up prompt simply to get the junk out of your mind so you can start writing your story from a place of greater clarity. Start by journaling about how you’re feeling at this very moment. Be radically honest with yourself and with God about how you feel. Let this be a space where you confess with no bounds.
If you need more advice on how to do this, follow my Creative Confession Method here.
PROMPT 1
I grew up…
Write this heading at the top of your page, set your 10 minute timer and start listing as many details as you can point form. My granny always told me ‘you had to grow up between a rock and a hard place.’ She was describing she was describing my back and forth up bringing between two young single parents. Metaphors like this can go a long way when you piece your story together later on. Use this page to describe your upbringing. Was sin normalized? What do you remember being taught? What was your home life like? What were the profound memories or experiences that made up your childhood and formative years?
Writing your testimony can be a very emotional experience. It can bring up suppressed memories and past traumas you don’t feel ready to process. But I do want you to know that this is part of the miracle that god invites us into. By writing this part down, you are actually distancing yourself from your past so that you are not so emotionally entwined with it. And it can actually become a story you are telling.
All that being said, if you find this prompt too emotional or triggering to start with, simply move on to the next one—then come back when you’re ready. And if you need to, try cutting this prompt in 1/2 with a 5 minute timer instead of 10. It might not feel like it right now, but your story will liberate you.
Know that I believe in you. And God has given you this story because He believes in you too, and He want you to use your story to liberate others from bondage. I was saved because someone shared their testimony. So imagine writing your story right now, not for yourself. And not for a church of believers. But for the person who finds themself at the back of the room on that given day because God led them there, and it was your story, your testimony that was the final watering of the harvest to bring them to the Lord. To save their soul.
Write your story for them.
PROMPT 2
Early Interest OR Resistance toward God
List out your earliest memories of religion, God, and the name of Jesus. Were you drawn to the supernatural?Or did you grow up surrounded by atheists who condemned the idea of God? Note the key moments or experiences that stand out in your early life where God was either encouraged or discouraged. This could have been at school, at home, with friends, or conversations you may have routinely overheard growing up. Describing your early feelings and beliefs toward God during your childhood or teenage years helps paint a picture of your spiritual journey before you encountered Christ.
PROMPT 3
How & Why I got Into…
For me, this was the occult. But for you this could be the drugs, the alcohol, the addiction, the fighting, the partying, the promiscuous lifestyle, the abusive relationships, or whatever the thing was that was separating you from God. In essence, it’s how and why you merged onto your own personal highway to hell. It is the thing you held onto as an idol, the thing you put above all else. This isn’t an exercise in glorifying past sin. But what it is, is an opportunity to reflect on what you were either truly looking for—or what you were attempting to escape, and the acknowledgment that it was and always ever would be Jesus Christ who could rescue you from that bondage.
PROMPT 4
The Tension Leading Up To Being Saved
This is your all is lost, dark night of the soul, climactic moment. It’s the part of your testimony that if we were watching your story as a movie or reading it in a novel, it’s the emotional or external breaking point that leads to your realization or decision. Paint the picture as a scene of what was going on during this time. Describe the moments of tension, emptiness, or longing that preceded your decision to follow Christ. This is the scene of your testimony where it was truly darkest before the dawn.
PROMPT 5
Getting Saved
Where did God meet you? Describe the moment when all the dots connected. The moment the scales fell from your eyes. The moment the idol in your life was smashed. The moment you were stopped in your tracks. The moment you couldn’t unseen the Truth. The moment when the way you were living came to a halt, and your whole life before this moment had now become your past. Write about the moment you were reborn.
PROMPT 7
extra details
This is your chance to list out any details, memories, or moments you haven’t yet written down. Remember to set your 10 minute timer, and write down everything the Lord is urging you to take note of. Again, these don’t necessarily have to end up in your final draft but these moments are like keys that open up important doors of revelation. Take note, and let each word you write lead where God wants to take your story. These could be specific people, moments or conversations where the seed of your salvation was being watered that you couldn’t see them, but you do now. These are any additional events that played a key role in your journey.
This is also the time to take note of ‘what do you wish someone would have told you? What would have made you ‘get it’ sooner? What advice do you have for someone who is currently in the situation you were in?
STEP 2: type it up
If you hand wrote your testimony, the next step is to type it up in Google Docs or an even faster way to transcribe your testimony is to voice dictate in the notes app on your phone, then copy and paste it into a Google Doc from there. You should have roughly 5 typed pages.
STEP 3: edit & refine
With your first draft complete, it’s time to revise and refine. This is where your testimony takes shape and becomes more cohesive. Go into your Google Doc and start editing. Start weaving your bullet points into sentences. Sometimes I like to use a colour coding system in my first big edit by blacking out pieces I don’t like, adding green highlights to what I love, and using the comment feature in Google Docs to make notes to myself with ideas of additional details to add. After this, duplicate your draft (so by this point you’re on about draft 3) and impliment your changes. I personally like to make multiple drafts so that I can edit relentlessly but with the confidence of knowing I can go back and find something I deleted just incase.
STEP 4: weave in scripture
Next, you’ll want to start listing out the meaningful Bible verses that stand out in your journey. You can do this in a separate document, or write them out by hand. Then, look for opportunities of where you can weave in the scriptures throughout your story.
STEP 5: craft the final version
Once you’ve gotten to a draft you’re happy with, you can then organize your testimony into the following 3 parts. Think of this as your beginning, middle, and ending. This not only makes it easier for you to organize and consolidate your story but also helps your audience follow along. You can use the following as headings in your document, then move sentences and paragraphs around so they follow this format.
Life Before Christ: What your life was like before you encountered Jesus.
The Moment Everything Changed: The moment your eyes were opened and the expereince that occurred when you decided to follow Christ.
Life After Christ: How is your life direct now? What’s changed?
final steps
Your Goal: A 10-12 Minute Spoken Testimony
(roughly 1500 words or 4-5 double-spaced pages)
Practice reading out loud: Pay attention to pacing, tone, and clarity. Does it feel natural? Does anything sound confusing or out of place? Make adjustments where necessary. After you’re practiced a few times on your own, get comfortable sharing your testimony by having a trusted friend to listen.
Get feedback: If possible, work with an editor (or join my 1:1 coaching sessions) to polish your story further.
Pray over your testimony: Ask God to use you to speak directly to who needs to hear your story.
need support editing your testimony?
Writing your testimony can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. My Testimony Writing Workshop is designed to guide you through every step of the process, offering personalized feedback and support.
Here’s how I can help:
1:1 Editing Services: Need extra help refining your testimony? I offer detailed feedback to make your story shine.
Workshops: Join a supportive community and write your testimony in a structured, step-by-step format.
Books & Resources: Explore more about sharing your story in my book Written in Faith.
ABOUT the author
TAIHA LEE is a writer from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She is the author of Waking Up and Written in Faith, books that explore the intersection of faith, creativity, and the written word. With 15 years of journaling experience, Taiha’s work combines biblical insight with a reflective and occasionally darkly humorous edge.
She has worked globally as a copywriter, ghostwriter, and mentor, inspiring women to share their stories and align their lives with God’s call. Taiha lives with her husband on the island’s rugged west coast, where the beauty of the Pacific Northwest inspires both her life and writing.
Her testimony was featured in the international documentary series Encounter, and her YouTube testimony has garnered over 20K views. She also teaches testimony writing workshops, empowering others to share their faith stories with confidence and clarity.
She is currently working on a collection of short fiction inspired by the women of British Columbia’s west coast, featuring a cast of eclectic characters who grapple with the dichotomy of light and dark, the search for God, and the underbelly of paradise.
Get Written In Faith here
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