My name is Veronica Aldana. Today is not a day to dive into my complete testimony because we would have to write a whole book about it (it’s coming though!). Today, you will get a snippet of my life before Christ, what He did for me, and how my life is now. The reality that this site is even up and running is a testimony in and of itself!
Before running back to my first love, Jesus, you could find me being a dishonorable daughter, sister and mother. At one point I was written off as worthless, a whore, an addict, a thief, and one who wouldn’t make it in this life. When you get to my next post you will find a rebel running away from God even after He answers and saves her. In a nutshell I was wrapped in a downward spiral that started at an early age and had led to addictions of sex, pornography, drugs, alcohol and toxic relationships. Before coming to the end of myself, I was riddled with anxiety, depression, panic attacks (even public ones) and suicidal thoughts. My family felt like they had to walk on egg shells with me because at any point I would go off on them. My daughter was scared of me to the point that she was afraid of asking me to make her something to eat. Let’s just be honest! I was a retch! I may have fooled outsiders, but I was not fooling the ones closest to me, and I was definitely not fooling God nor the devil.
The bottom pit years hit around 2012 and lasted through the end of 2015. While I would go out and “play in the devil’s playground” (this is what I called it), I lost myself in a life of nights and days of drinking and drugging. For a moment I thought nothing of it. I thought I could control myself because I had times of being serious and getting work done, and then I had times of letting loose and doing whatever I wanted. But in 2014 I started feeling deep inside me that I wouldn’t make it out alive past 4 years in this life (I now know this was the Holy Spirit warning me). I could no longer hold myself together even in public. In the same year, I knocked out three teeth during one of my blackouts, I attended my graduation for my associate’s degree late, without shower, still drunk and starting to withdraw, started and quit my first semester at a university, and almost quit life altogether. When 2015 came around I had set my mind to making a change, so I quit drinking, drugging and having sex. I thought I was wise beyond my ears, and that I could get through this by my own will. Little did I know that this was deeper than I thought, and at the end of 2015 I came to the end of myself almost calling it quits again. The difference this time was that I cried out to the only One that could save me. God had surely done it for my daughter in 2010, and though I had turned my back on Him again He still showed himself faithful in His mercy.
I didn’t have a relationship with God. I grew up Catholic as tradition of my family, but I never knew God for myself. I didn’t even know how to read a Bible, much less where to go for it for answers, so I simply cried out to God that I didn’t know what to pray anymore, or what scripture to go to. I ended up asking Google for Bible verses, which led me to one of my verses to this day – Philippians 4:6-7 – and immediately after, I received a call from my aunt that was a confirmation God had heard me. So for seven years between 2015 and 2022 I set out on a journey to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father unaware that this could happen in a single moment. You’ll see! Traditionally, I was doing things right – I got a real job, got intentional about pursuing a career, got involved to make a difference in the world, changed my people, places and things, started being involved with my daughter and family, and so forth. I had been saved right? Right. I acknowledged I needed a Savior and I knew Jesus could save me. But it wasn’t until mid 2022 that I came to a full surrender in the middle of a public parking lot. I had just listened to a YouTube sermon I was sent by a friend. When the pastor did the altar call, I got out of my car, down on my knees, closed my eyes to not worry about people looking at me, I lifted my hands and accepted Jesus right there as LORD and Savior over my life.
Once finally surrendered to the will of God, the shaking came during the rest of that year. People, habits, ways and patterns that had become idols in my life began to shake and fall off, and at the end of 2022 (exactly seven years on the dot) my deliverance came. From a repentant and surrendered heart, God entered the room at a women’s gathering and I remember the words spoken: “You don’t need anyone to lay hands on you, the very finger of God will deliver you!” Freedom entered that room and I was set free from the bondage I was held in. For seven years I had tried it on my own, I had tried doing everything right, I tried following traditions of man that supposedly worked. But in an instantaneous moment all I needed was the hand of God to arise on my behalf and deliver me. God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
The residual desires I had of the pleasures of this world had vanished. I felt joy, free, unashamed and even free to worship and praise the Lord! I had not known healing and freedom until then, and His name is Jesus!!! For He who the Son sets free is free indeed!!! (John 8:36). Now I walk in freedom. Now I walk in boldness and confidence! When you finally have the revelation of Jesus Christ, the mystery of the gospel unveiled right before your eyes, there is an unlocking in the kingdom of heaven. Now it’s time to fulfill the commission of the gospel – to go out and preach the gospel, and make disciples! (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15). It is time!!! It is time to let loose in boldness and confidence!! It is time to enter into the fullness of God, as His daughter, and be that which He has called you to be!! As I’m writing this I’m taken back to 2 Chronicles 7:14. Note that when you are healed and set free, it’s not just for me. It’s not just for you. God says He will heal our land!!! The purpose God has for you is much greater than just your immediate surrounding. The Lord has need of you too!