It seems like a rite of passage for most tween girls—those between the age of 10-13—is to have a diary, a book to write down her deepest thoughts, ideas and pain.

Most of them had a little key so it could be locked and no one would know your deepest secrets. And if a sibling read it, it was like the end of the world, because whatever was written in its pages would be public knowledge before long.

We have a story to tell, one that shouldn’t be locked up in a drawer like a diary.

If we hide our faith, we are a “closet Christian”, and to be blunt, closet Christians either have very little faith or no faith at all.

Jesus put it this way: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matt 5:14-16.

We were placed on this earth to have relationship with the Father and to glorify Him. That’s truly what our purpose is.

Once we become a believer, we are to shine the light of Jesus to others, sometimes in our actions, and sometimes with our words. It depends on the situation, but we are to share His love with a broken world.

If He saved us from sin, why wouldn’t we want to share that glorious truth with others?

Jesus said if we are ashamed of Him, He would be ashamed of us before the Father. We all at times fail and hide who we are as believers, and how we regret it afterward.

Just remember, you may be the only Jesus people around you will ever see, so take your faith out of the drawer, unlock it, share it with people you come across, and let your light shine!

–by Pam Rehbein