When I began this race I was chosen as a team storytelling leader. I didn’t exactly understand the role but felt the importance of it anyway. My job was to make sure space was created every week for team storytelling time and to help my teammates find their story to share.
One of the biggest roadblocks racers face other than finding their story is feeling like they are just writing blogs out of obligation and that no one really reads them. After seeing this thought in my own mind and hearing about it in others I subscribed to every person on our squad’s blogs. I decided then that I would read every blog, even if that meant three years from now I was still trying to get them read, I was going to do it.
This month we have so much free time, more free time than we have ever had actually! I have decided this month to actively use my time wisely to read through at least the Latin Americas blogs of our squad. As I read them I am reflecting on my experience in Latin America, I am seeing similarities and differences. I get to read about every city our squad was in and read the stories that others have not had the time to share with me. Every morning while I read these blogs a spark is lit inside me for ministry. I read about evangelism, or children’s ministry, or just talking to people on the street and it makes me excited to see how God will work through us that day.
I am so happy with this ministry God laid on my heart. I truly see reading my squad-mates blogs and commenting on them as a ministry in itself. To help show them that their story matters and that no matter what at least I will be reading their blogs!
I hope every racer who reads this knows their story matters. They tell us this at training camp and launch and they even give us stickers to remind us of it, but really, your story does matter.
To my squad-mates, you are all amazing writers and whether you think so or not your story is impacting people, and I know this because it is impacting me.
Now to the none racers reading this I want to encourage you as well. Not to read more blogs, even though I know they will impact you, but to find ways to share your story. Many people try to discredit social media, it is a common thing to fast from for a week or month and an easy thing to get caught up in, but it can be a beautiful platform. Even if you aren’t on social media there are ways outside of the internet to share what the Lord has done in your life. The next time someone asks how are you, don’t just say “good, how are you?” Tell them how you truly are! Tell them how God is working in your life, or even how God worked in someone else’s life. Or if your are not good, be honest and ask for prayer. This can then become a beautiful story to share later about how God answered your prayers!
It can be scary to share the innermost parts of your heart with people, but I can tell you through this experience of reading my whole squad’s blogs that sharing your heart will touch other people’s hearts!
Don’t be afraid to share, you never know who’s life might be impacted!
