So last month I read a book–“A Million Miles in a Thousand Years” by Donald Miller.
I really had no idea what the book was about when Lynda handed it to me. But I was desperate for a book. And The Lord couldn’t have timed it any better.
It was about death, life, stories, laughter, self-discovery, and so much more.
Donald Miller talks about his journey in learning what a good story is made up of, and then about how he starts applying the elements of a story to his own life–all the while challenging the reader to join in living out good stories.
One of the main things he talks about is how we’re bored with our normal lives.
We’re bored getting up, going to work, then coming home after work to watch tv the rest of the evening, and then going to bed.
It doesn’t make for a good story. Not many people would buy a book if that’s all that happened in it.
But we love the good stories.
We love with characters have to go through hard situations, because we know that they’re being developed into better people through them. We love the good love story.
I think we need to choose or own stories. We need to choose to opt in to our own lives and choose to make adventures out of them.
I think that’s something I’ve learned on the World Race.
My goodness, it’s still so tempting to not want to do anything.
I know, some of you think that my days are just filled with adventure. But in all honesty, they’re really not. I’m just doing life in another country. And there are so many times I just want to drift off into day dreaming because what I create in my mind is sometimes so much more interesting than what’s actually going on around me.
But The Lord had been convincing me of that.
He wants me to LIVE in my story–to be an active participant.
And when I choose to do that, everyday life becomes better.
Yes, going to the grocery store is still going to the grocery store. But there are opportunities to love people, to share in their stories, while I’m going.
And there are so many opportunities to create adventure and to make my story better.
I get to choose what my story has in it.
Yeah, there are always going to be unexpected twists and turns–some good, some bad.
But how I react to those things are just as much a part of my story. Will I choose to face them with courage and bravery and allow myself to truly feel the emotions? Or will I shrink away and hide myself in a cocoon?
Every day I’m learning to be brave.
I’m learning to fully embrace my story.
And I’m learning to live it fully.
So what kind of story are you living?
Is it good? Is it hard? Or do you feel like it’s boring?
And what are you going to do about it? |
