As a racer on this missionary journey, you quickly realize that you are part of the body of Christ with many different members. All come from different backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles and each carry a story of their very own. Every racer struggles with past pain or current wounds but every single one of them has a story of REDEMPTION!
The first month, our entire squad of 50 plus people was living together in a missionary home in Dragoesti, Romania. If you know me, well than you know that I absolutely love to hear people’s stories. So I began, asking my squad mates their story and each is unique, challenging and has shaped them into the person they are today. That does not mean that they are defined by their past, and to be honest they could have been but because they choose to live as Living Sacrifices they are now under grace. They are free from the past and are defined in Christ!
As the days meshed into one another, I was asked from time to time what my story was. Intentionally or not, I avoided the question and continued to ask about them. I mean, I didn’t want to WORD VOMIT onto my squad mates. So I did the very opposite and I would share bits of my story with them. I was confronted by a teammate about my lack of sharing. The metaphor she said was something along the lines of this, “Ruby, you are like a rose covered by thorns. You have a wall of protection so that people won’t get too close”.
Of course, my defense went up and I tried joking it off. However, I knew that the words she spoke were right. The truth is VULNERABILITY is scary, uncomfortable and essentially it is handing over power. Whomever you share your story with is now on the IN’S of who you were and what you have done or experienced.
Every morning for the last 30 days or so, I have been fighting God about being vulnerable with my squad, team and myself. On August 6th, 2013 after asking God why I have to share my story, this is what I heard, “Bring it to Light”! It clicked at that moment, that the things I keep in the dark are continuous being fed into the lies that I am in bondage of my past. Bringing it to light is a FREEING experience and allows God to pierce the darkness that I have ALLOWED to be hidden.
Bringing It To LIGHT
It is like when you are in a completely dark room and all of a sudden the light flicks on. At first your eyes are in some type of pain or irritation due to the sudden streak of light piercing your eyes. However, once your eyes adjust to the light you realize that you are able to see more clearly than you would have than with the lights off.
Who have you been dishonest with about your story?
What is it that you have not brought into the light?
What is holding you back from sharing your FULL story with others?
When is the last time you shared your full story with someone?
How can you overcome your fear to share?
“We can’t speak into your life, if we don’t know your life”
– Mary Pham (Reckless Redemption Teammate)
