Lynsey's Testimony

Hi, there! I’m Lynsey Tafoya…I’m 26 years old. An Air Force wife to Chris Tafoya and a Mama to a 2 ½ year old little girl, Savannah Lynn. We’ve been attending ThatChurch for 2 years now. I would like to tell y’all a little bit about what God has done in my life……

I grew up in Griffin, Georgia…where all of family is from. My family was very tight-knit. I’m the oldest of 3 kids. We were raised in a Christian home. All of my Grandparents had a huge spiritual impact on my life also. I would describe my childhood as happy and wholesome. I grew up very involved in church, and I loved it! I asked the Lord to come live in my heart when I was 6 years old at Vacation Bible School. Yes, that is a young age, but I understood what it meant and it’s importance.

In school, I always had the nickname “Miss Goody Goody Two Shoes.” It never really bothered me, instead, I took pride in it. Then, during my Senior year of High School, I started becoming interested in what all the “fun” was about. My curiousity got the best of me when I started messing around with the wrong friends doing some bad things. It started out just for fun, then little by little before I knew it, it entangled me. I lived this way for 2 years. I would hide things from my family, knowing they would be crushed if they knew what I was involved with. I felt convicted, but I tried to ignore it. Before too long, I became numb to life. My best friend had asked me to go on a retreat with her church group. She practically had to drag me just to go. It was God’s divine appointment to open my eyes! I will never forget we were at the retreat singing “This is the Air I Breathe,” when I fell on my face before Him when I realized my need for Him. I was desperate for Him. He opened my eyes to my sin…and it scared me. At that point in my life, He brought to my attention how things of this world supply only temporarily satisfaction…and how He brings eternal satisfaction! This was the turning point in my life. Jesus put life back into me! …For a long time, I was ashamed of things I had done. He reminded me that when He died for me, my shame was put to death on that cross too. Thank you, Lord, that we don’t have to live in guilt. He restores us and makes us whole again.

A year later, I was faced with something detrimental to me…my Dad walked out on my Mom. Along with my sister and brother, my world was shaken and stirred. Something we put a lot our faith, trust, and security in -our family- was shattered. I’ll never forget my Uncle Wayne coming to sit and talk to us after it happened. He reminded us what God’s word says…God is our only hope. Our rock. Our anchorpoint. He does not move. He is not shaky. He is consistant…when the things in the world aren’t. He will not fail us. He will never leave us nor forsake us! He is the one thing that will not let us down. He, and He alone, is our security. His word also tells us that He is our help in times of trouble. He is our refuge. He gives us strength. He heals us. He is hope. 

I remember one night specifically that I was praying and telling God that I don’t understand why this happened to my family…and clear as day He said to me, “If you understood everything, you wouldn’t need Me.” Wow. This is so true. He sometimes allows hardships come into our lives to show us our need for Him. He wants us to taste and see how good He is. He wants us to draw from Him, what only He can give us! The only One that can fulfill us. And then, in these moments, He gives us peace beyond understanding. Wow. What a good God we serve. My family saw the power of Satan, and most importantly, the power of God! He brought healing to my Mom, and gave strength for us to get through it.

God has also worked in humorous ways in my life. Just for example…before I started seeing my husband, I was dating a guy who I thought I wanted to marry. Our relationship lasted 2 months…and after a proposal, I decided I was settling and he wasn’t who God had for me. After I broke it off with him, I made a list of standards/qualities I wanted for my future mate. At first, they were not realistic at all. (I think I even had “an Australian accent” on the list. J I was really into the guy on the movie “Coyote Ugly”) Anyway, I realized I probably needed to trim my list to what’s more important. I prayed over that list for 5 months, when God brought Chris Tafoya back in my life. We were high school acquaintances. He was already active duty, stationed in Alaska. He was home visiting when we started seeing each other. It was only one date when I realized he was the one, and he met every single quality on my list! And I’ll have you know, he might not have had an Australian accent, but he has a Southern accent, and that’s even better. J I also swore I was never, ever, for any reason under the sun, leave Griffin! Needless to say, I did…and it has been wonderful for me. I still, and will always, miss my family…but God opens doors for me wherever I go, and I’m thankful. So, the saying is true – “If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.” J 

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God has been faithful time and time again in every circumstance, big or small…..showing me who He is and what He wants to be in my life. I’m grateful for His protection over me in the past, present, and future. I am so thankful that He is a God who loves enough that He doesn’t just throw us out to the wolves (world) for us fend for ourselves….He gives us everything we need when we are faced with hardships and troubles in our lives. He is everything we need. It is something He teaches me daily….to trust Him, and draw from Him - the everlasting God! It is my prayer, as a parent, that Savannah sees Christ in me, for His character to be portrayed in my life….so she will know what He looks like.