Are you living a good story?!?
This is a phrase I heard for the first time at training camp about one year ago now. I had never really thought about this and didn’t really understand what it meant. My interpretation and understanding is what you are doing in your life for the betterment of the kingdom. Does my life reflect one of Christ or as much as I can in my fleshly body. Do I take advantage of every opportunity everyday to serve the Lord and make an impact for eternity to all those around me?
My time on the World Race has proven to be a wonderful, awesome, amazing, scary, adventurous, fun, sad, unknown, and most of all I have learned what it means to live a great story. Life on the Race is crazy and unpredictable down to every month, week, day, hour, minute, and even down to seconds. Never knowing what the Lord has in store for me and among all this uncertainty I have learned to live life in the moment. Papa has taught me the importance of taking in every moment of the day from ministry, team time, making unforgettable memories around the world, exploring new cities, to being present wherever I am.
I have seen the hand of the Lord all over my life on the Race and know His hand has guided my in this story I am living. It is an amazing story and I wouldn’t trade a second of the story I am living right now. Along this journey I have learned a lot of things about myself and many things have been revealed to me about my personal improvement for the kingdom. These are things about myself that are getting in the way of what I am doing for the betterment of the kingdom. For instance, one of my biggest challenges is my tongue but the Lord has been doing such an awesome work teaching me how to tame my tongue and use it for His kingdom. He has brought me such a long way with my tongue but everyday He continues to show me more and more ways I can improve the use of it.
While living this story I have also learned what a passion I have for missions and serving my God. He has truly given me to heart to serve and pour myself out to those around me. As you all know the Lord plans to use me for a 10-month internship in Nepal for the next season of my life. I am not sure how this next season will impact and affect my story but I know it will be great and God has huge plans for my time there. My story continues to unfold before my eyes daily and I have learned what an impact it has for the kingdom. God uses me to tell others about His name and His amazing love to bring new life that can only be discovered in Him.
As I am living a good story and am finishing up this season on the World Race, the Lord put each of you on my heart today. I was standing beside a beautiful lake here in Turkey and was completely blown away by His beautiful creation. While standing beside this lake, the Lord gave me a word about the importance of each of our stories. Though they all look many different ways, they are all equally important. Mine looks different than any of yours but the story is being lived out in how we are serving the Lord. Our stories unfold daily but the importance is what we are doing for the kingdom and eternity. So I leave you with the question:
Are you living a good story?!?
Living this story happens right where you are at this very second and yielding to how the Lord plans to use your life. Whether this is in your work place, serving at church, short or long term missions, supporting missions through prayers or financial support, your homes and communities. I have decided to live a good story for the rest of my life on this earth and would love for each of you to come along with me on this journey. Start your story today for the kingdom and see what God has for you in His wonderful plan.
St. Paul’s Church in Tarsus, Turkey
Waterfall in Tarsus, Turkey
