Your Healing Is Not Just for You: A Testimony of Faith, Identity, and Heartbreak

By Andralia Fortune

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Someone once told me, “Your healing is not for you; it’s for someone else. Someone else needs you to heal so that you can help them.”

Ever since I heard that advice, it stuck with me. This is why I’m overjoyed to share my story.

God Rescues Me Time After Time

God has done so much in my life. I’ve gone through so many trials, but every time I was struggling, God rescued me. Every single time.

Whenever I fell and felt empty, God gave me comfort. It wasn’t a one-time occurrence. It’s something that has happened consistently—and still happens today.

A Tragic Beginning: Losing My Parents at Two Years Old

My story began when I was a toddler. When I was just two years old, my birth parents passed away in a tragic accident. After their passing, I was adopted by my aunt.

Growing up, I didn’t know anything about my birth parents until I was around 15 years old. Before that, I was extremely confused as a child. I didn’t understand why I didn’t resemble anyone in my family or why I had a different last name from my relatives. I didn’t know my aunt wasn’t my birth mom.

Living With Confusion and Hidden Truths

That confusion created a deep sense of not belonging. It led to depression, low self-esteem, recurring nightmares, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts during my teenage years.

I just wanted to be like everyone else in my family. I wanted to look like them, share their last names, and feel like I was truly part of the family. Even though they never treated me differently, I still felt like an outsider.

My life didn’t make sense, and I couldn’t understand why.

The Day I Learned the Truth

The truth came out when my grandparents from Haiti came to visit. I was confused about how they were just my grandparents, but not my siblings’. That confusion intensified until I spent a weekend with them—and they revealed everything.

That conversation forced my aunt to tell me the truth. What hurt the most was realizing she never planned to tell me. I felt deeply betrayed.

“How could someone love me and lie to me about something like that for so many years?” I wondered. I wasn’t just grieving the parents I never got to know—I was grieving the dishonesty too.

Brokenness That Led Me to God

I was raised in the church. I knew about God and the Bible, but I had never truly believed or embraced Christ for myself.

The truth shattered me and pushed me into a deep depression. I began questioning God:

“Why would You allow something like that to happen to an innocent child?”

“Why didn’t You make anyone tell me the truth?”

But even in that pain, God showed up.

I cried out, “If You’re real, show me. Make it clear. Heal me.”

And He did.

Seeking God With My Whole Heart

After that prayer, I started doing everything I could to seek God.

When I heard Jeremiah 29:13 — “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” — it became my mission.

I read my Bible every night. I started journaling, listening to online sermons, and spending more intentional time in prayer. I stopped going to church just because I had to—I went because I truly wanted to.

Finding My Identity in Christ

Throughout my teen years, I continued to struggle with identity and self-worth. But the day I asked Christ to show me the truth about Him, He did.

Through sermons, scriptures, and prayer, He reminded me:

I am strong – Psalm 28:7: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.”

I am valuable – Luke 12:6-7: “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered... you are of more value than many sparrows.”

I am capable – Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I found the truth. I found Him. And He changed my life.

I accepted Christ as my Savior on multiple occasions, but I made a public declaration of my faith and got baptized at 16.

Trials Didn’t Stop, But God Never Left

Even after accepting Christ, life wasn’t without hardship. But every single time, God showed up.

Whenever I faced a trial, He sent me a clear sign—through a song, a video, a Bible verse, a person, or a message. He made it known that He was still with me.

Healing Through Therapy and Love

In college, I faced another identity crisis. That’s when God sent me my now-husband. He was the one who encouraged me to seek therapy, which became a second major turning point in my healing journey.

God used therapy, alongside faith, to help me finally overcome the internal struggles I had battled for years.

I Now Know Who I Am

Today, I can confidently say:

I know who I am.

I know my worth.

I love who I am, and I love my life.

Most importantly, I know—without a doubt—that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He loves His children unconditionally.

If you seek Him with an open heart, He will reveal Himself to you. He is truth, and the truth can only be found in Him.

From Pain to Purpose: Your Healing Helps Others

I used to be angry at God for the pain I endured. But I now understand—I had to go through that pain so I could help someone else.

Maybe I went through all of this to help you.

Try talking to Christ for yourself. Ask Him to show you the truth.

Because someone out there needs you to heal—so that you can help them.

Share this testimony with a friend 🧡 🔗