What's your story?

8/10/2016

I really don’t want to preach, I don’t like the sound or the thought of myself preaching to you. That’s not what I want this blog to be about.

But sometimes, on some days, I have to preach. And today is one of those days.

My pastor said something on Sunday and a friend said something on yesterday that got me to thinking. And as I find myself thinking about it and writing about it, I sound as if I’m preaching. I’m sorry, but here it goes…

The best weapon we have against the bad, evil, and unpleasant things in our lives is our story. Let me explain what I mean…

This friend I just mentioned has a wonderful, life-changing event taking place. She’s selling her home and moving out of state. She recently had a bit of a setback that could have been discouraging and, for some, downright devastating. Now, she’s human, so she did get a little down, a tad bit worried, and I’m sure that she questioned her decision. But then she thought about her story.

She thought about other predicaments she’s found herself in over the years and how God did what He does and saw her through. And because of the story she has of how He blessed her before, she could look this challenge square in the face and in the words of Tri Tribbett’s song, truly believe without a shadow of a doubt that “if He did it before, He can do it again!” She’s doing what she needs to fight back and she’s using her story as her weapon!

Now I’m going to get personal. Some of you know, my divorce was a living hell. Lies and deception all over the place, broken promises, severed relationships, court dates, money and time wasted, it was horrible. But now I can see that it was just timber for my testimony! And it has given me a story that I can use to fight any future challenge.

In other words, I can look a problem in the face and hold my story up as a shield. I can tell it to “look carefully at what I’ve ALREADY been through, check out how I survived, admire how I made it, and then back up off of me! You cannot beat me because I will fight you with my story and I will prove to you that NO WEAPON formed against me shall prosper!”

If you want to get Biblical (I told you I was preaching today, sorry) you know that the New Testament is full of stories of people who sought Jesus’ help because they saw what He did for someone else. So even if you personally haven’t had something difficult happen that provided you with a story of your own, your story can be what you witnessed someone else go through.

But, at this stage of life, who doesn’t have a story? Who hasn’t been through something and come out on the other side stronger and wiser?

I’m just writing to encourage you to use that story as your weapon. And, if you’d like, share a little of your story here. It might be just what someone else needs to hear today.

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3 Comments

Yvonne V. Allsopp

8/10/2016 12:31:09 pm

☺well my dear little sister in Christ. You have hit a homerun again! Thank you Gail.
And as usual, I have a story to tell. I never thought I had been through a lot until a "dear friend" pointed it out. Yep!
Been through so much, but because God's grace is so amazing, I never had really thought about it being " a lot of stuff." For a while I was taken for a loop when I was told. I wondered if it was when I had to bury my only sister and then my aunt, within 6 months of each other? My friend said, "YVONNE, my Lord, I don't know how you do it. You don't get a break, you go through so much stuff!"
Now I didn't want to insult my friend by asking her what she meant. So I smiled and shrugged with my go to phrase when there is nothing left to say, GOD is Soooo GOOD, and I reply All the time!
But this really made me think, because I had had a preacher who did not know my whole story, tell me that I was really weak, because it doesnt seem like I can take any thing. Needless to say, shortly after that the Lord began giving me
Eccl. 5 and scriptures about being deceived. I was so amazed that God gave me this to read and ponder. Of course, God sent me to another house of worship! This too is another part of my story, my church life.
As a baby and then up until about 9 or 10 years old I went to an Epicopal Church (Anglican). Then I was introoduced to a Church of God in Christ; wow the music and the singing. I had never heard gospel music. We only heard hymns and some Spirituals. I was in love with the music and would eventually leave the Epicopal church. Oops...
I digress. The church music is a part of my story, but not here. Let me return to the other part of my story.
So do I speak about being the bigger, darker, not as smart,oldest child in a family where my father's sister would tell my mother not to let me wear red or yellow? Do I fast forward to being an adult of 30 something and when I told my dad I was pregnant, but not marrying my daughter's "dad" because he was abusive and took a blade to my throat when I asked for the money I had loaned him? Do I tell about being gang raped in my twenties because I was with a "friend" drinking and she left me in a club; and I thought I was getting a ride with a "nice guy" I had met? Or do I tell about my baby being born in May, ( I was 34 ) when she was due in July; and no one but my loving and amazing Father, Jehovah Jireh, my provider, came to see me and has never left me. My baby weighed 1 pound and 14 oz and was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a hospital way outside of the town in which I lived, where she was born but they helivac her downtown for proper care. She was there for 72 days!
Do I tell about the fibroid surgery where the dr wanted to know How I walked around in all the pain with 26 fibroids and one the size of a grapefruit?
Do I tell about all the other events of my life that made my friend ask how I deal with all of the "stuff"?
There is so much more to my story, but these days the arthritis kicks in when it wants to, and I listen.
My story is about God's grace and how I don't look or even sound like all I have been through a lot of stuff. The reason is I have this heavenly Father whose mercy endures. He loves me so much that He chose me even before the foundation of the earth. He knew that no matter how far I would stray from Him that one day, I would cling to Him for dear life. He knew that I would walk through the valley in the shadow of death, but would not give in to the loud noises around who try to coax me to go another way.
My story is about the unconditional way I have learned to love. It is anout the daily conversion, as well as the daily transformation. My story has taken me to a place that I love. For example, I no longer have attatchments to things that rust and tear. Now I can declutter, for real!
I was told by a woman of faith recently, that I was like the tree that is planted near a stream. The tree whose roots are deep and grounded, providing shade and nourishment. Love this image. She then finished with one of my favorite Psalms, Blessed is (he) she who walks not in the way of the wicked...she finds delight in the Lord and meditates on His Words both day and night...
This is my story, and it's not finished yet!

Gail

10/13/2016 05:21:49 pm

Your story is a remarkable testimony to your strength and God's love. May you always see the value in your story and in yourself. Love you so much.

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2/12/2020 05:25:20 am

We all have our own story to tell, and I am not sure if I want to tell mine already. I mean, I am already so set back with my deadlines, that I do not even have the time to do it. If you really do want to understand it, then just go to my blog. I have written a small portion of it, but there are still lots more to tell. I have a long story to tell you.

What's your story?

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