Since signing up for the World Race, I’ve heard a lot of talk about “living a great story.” And after being on this trip for 10 months, I’ve had a lot of time to think about what MAKES a great story. Here’s the conclusion I’ve come to:
You’re already living a great story.
Whether you’re on the world race, or you’re going eventually, or if it doesn’t sound like it’s for you…your story is worth telling, because GOD wrote it. What will make it great is 1) having your eyes open to what He’s written, and 2) retelling it well.
Case in point: here is a story from two different points of view. Same event, same circumstances…different storytellers.
Girl #1:
“my team and I went to visit a brothel for our ministry today. It was like 90 degrees in that room. We prayed, a couple girls shared scripture, and then we left.”
Girl #2:
“my team and I got to pray/witness to young women in a brothel today. I’ll never forget the looks on their faces as we shared the hope of Jesus with them. The presence of God fell so heavy when we prayed over them, and a couple of the girls started crying. Holding the hands of these precious young women and speaking life into them was a definite highlight of this trip – probably of my life!”
Exhibit B: a day in my life around two years ago. Scenario #1 and #2 are the same, except in one of them, I had my eyes open to the story God was trying to tell.
#1:
“today was exhausting. My little girl (from work) threw a FIT when I tried to get her to leave the park to go to the library for story-time. She even BIT me, can you believe that? I swear, she’s going to drive me to drink.”
#2
“I learned a LOT about the love of God today. My little girl was having a really rough day, which usually means I’m having a rough day! We were at the park for a little while, but then it was time to go to the library. Every Friday, they have group story-time, and it’s so fun and educational for the kids. She LOVES going to story-time, but she hates leaving the park! When I tried to explain where we were going, she couldn’t understand, and got so upset. Pretty sure she bit me somewhere in there, but by the time we got to the library and she saw that they had started without her, you couldn’t have paid her to go back to the park. My little girl is teaching me something new about God every day, and today was no different. How often do I find myself in her exact shoes, not understanding where God is trying to put me and being so mad at Him for taking me away from where I think I want to be? In hindsight, though, it’s always obvious that His way was best. I’m so thankful that He doesn’t let me stay at the ‘park’.”
Corny analogies aside, I think you get the picture. Your life is a story, and a really fantastic one at that (believe it or not.) God is a masterful storyteller, weaving hope and grace and so many amazing lessons to learn into every day you walk through. I pray that He opens your eyes to it – that you’ll be alive to every moment and that you’ll turn and retell it to anyone who will listen.
In fact, I would love if you’d practice here.
Will you share a story with me of what you saw and what God wrote today?
I hope you will.
Thank you for sharing His story with me.
-Anna
