What would you say if you were asked, “What has been the most transformative experience of your life so far?” Would you have to think about it, or is it etched in your mind? Are you even aware of what a transformative experience is?
In layperson terms, a transformative experience is a profound event(s) that change who you are as a person. Right down to your core beliefs and values. A profound event is an occurrence of great significance. Its effects are long-lasting and make a deep impact on one’s life. After experiencing these events, one no longer thinks the same way, their priorities are different, and their values have shifted. The life-changing experience has left a permanent mark on their identity (characteristics, beliefs, and values). They become a “new” person because of it. More times than not, going back to the “old” person is impossible.
The fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 and the dissolving of the Soviet Union in 1991, marking the end of the Cold War, were transformative experiences for many. September 11, 2001 had global implications that will forever change the lives of generations. I wish I could say that these experiences changed or made me a better person, but they didn’t. My experiences will not affect the masses as they are personal to me. I hope they will, at least, have an impact on those around me for generations to come. My transformative experiences have definitely changed me as a person and shaped the relationships I have with those around me.
I have had two transformative experiences that I feel were meant to go together. And as I said, they won’t affect millions. They won’t be remembered on a specific day every year by anyone but me. Mine were personal but have the ability to be far reaching, depending on what I do with them.
I firmly believe that revelations are a form of transformative experiences depending on what you do with them. The key element with a transformative experience is that it changes how one thinks, feels, believes , and behaves. Revelations have the ability to turn one into a “new” person. But they must be taken to heart and the change allowed to happen.
My first revelation/transformative experience occurred on July 28, 2024. I was driving up to my daughter’s house and talking with God. Not asking for anything, just talking to Him. Out of nowhere I had this intense thought of love for myself. I felt it down to the core of my being. This was totally new to me. I can honestly say that I have never loved myself. Most days I struggled to even like myself. I was amazing. Armed with this knowledge, I became a different person. There was, however, a problem. It lied in the fact that I now knew in my head that I loved myself. My heart, on the other hand, was another story. I didn’t know what love truly felt like.
Fast forward a little over a year. I had still been struggling with what love felt like. Like I said, I knew in my head that I loved myself, my kids, and my husband. I just couldn’t get my heart to be on board. On October 12, 2025 that all changed. I had a divine revelation/transformative experience that brought everything full circle. I was at church and in my minds eye I saw Christ hanging on the cross. He was so badly beaten and tortured that I couldn’t hold back the tears. As I was looking at Him, He raised His head and looked me in the eyes. There was something in His eyes that it physically overwhelmed me. In that moment, I finally knew what true love felt like. Love is, I believe, the strongest emotion there is. Love defeats the negative and enhances the positive. The Bible reiterates my belief in 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) when it says God is love. Two things happened that day. I have come to know what love is supposed to look and feel like. I have also been made aware of what Christ endured because of His love for me.
I now understand what it means to love myself and others. It is a feeling that consumes your entire being. This realization has completely changed me as a person. I now feel the love for myself, family, and friends that had previously only been knowledge in head. It has made me a better mother, wife and friend.
How I use these transformative experiences will determine how many generations they effect. If I keep them to myself and don’t embrace the change within me, they will die with me. However, if I teach my children and grandchildren the importance of loving yourself and others, by showing them what healthy love looks like, these transformative experiences have the ability to carry on from generation to generation. The love I model could become the love they model for generations. Transformative experiences are not to be taken lightly, as they have the potential to influence the future.
How I use these transformative experiences have implications on society as well. Getting a small glimpse of the immense love God has for me has made it easier to show others what the healthy love of Christ is. Jesus has called us to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:39)(NKJV). Armed with this knowledge and ability, showing love to others comes more natural and just feels right. It’s difficult to judge and treat badly people that you love with the love of Christ.
So, I repeat, “What has been the most transformative experience of your life so far?” What are you going to do with it? Are you using it to shape the future? As always, I would love to hear from you. Hear about your experiences, how they affect you and others around you, or just what you thought about the post. Please comment or email me at
god.simplified@gmail.com or god_simplified @yahoo.com.
Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.
Leave a Reply