December 23, 2024

My Story

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

If I told you my story
You would hear hope that wouldn’t let go
If I told you my story
You would hear love that never gave up
If I told you my story
You would hear life but it wasn’t mine

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
To tell you my story is to tell of Him

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
If told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
If I told you my story
You would hear life overcome the grave

‘This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long’

Big Daddy Weave
written by Mike Weaver, Jason Ingram
classical hymn, Blessed Assurance, written by Frances Crosby
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If I told you my story, you would definitely see the hand of God, the Father, providing in ways you couldn’t imagine.  You would see that love wins and the enemy is defeated on so many occasions.  You would see my imperfections being used for His glory and the many times I have been forgiven when  I failed Him.  If I told you my story, you might just see there is hope for yours.

What if we never shared though?  What if we never heard the stories of those who went before us?  Like in John 4…the woman at the well had an incredible story to tell all her people…she had gone to the well, at noon, so no one else would be there.  (Jesus knew though.)  After their encounter, she went away telling all who would listen that Jesus offered her the Living Water that would last forever!  I wonder how many lives were changed that day because she shared?  And today, how many people have found that Living Water and truly understood what Jesus was talking about because her story was told.

Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men,
“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did!
Could this be the Messiah?”
They left the town and made their way to Him.
John 4:28-30

You may be thinking that your story isn’t worth telling.  Or that if you did tell your story, that no one would respect you.  Or if you told it, how that might  affect you?  I say tell it and let God protect you and use you for His glory.  I hear from so many, “If I was called to be a missionary, then I would go tell others.”  Guess what?  We are all called to be missionaries. The Great commission is found in Matthew…do you remember hearing it growing up?

The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.
When they saw Him, they worshipped, but some doubted.
Then Jesus came near and said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 HCSB

He gave you the story you have and He wants to use you to give hope.  Pray and ask Him to show you how to start.  Then thank Him for how He is about to use you.

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Let us pray: Dear God, You are so awesome and so worthy of all our praise and worship.  You gave us each a different story of victory to share with others.  I pray today that You give us all the courage to go out and tell the world of Your goodness and grace.  We love You so much and we thank You for being patient when we are slow to share.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Counselor.  This week, give us opportunities to tell someone our God stories.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Storyteller

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

On a Sunday evening I’m looking back over all the years
And where I’ve been looking at a photograph
Remembering You were right there and You have been ever since
With very page that turns, I see Your faithfulness

The mountain where I climbed
The valley where I fell, You were there all along
You brought the pieces together, made me this storyteller
Now I know it is well, it is well, that’s the story I’ll tell

There were some nights I felt like they would last forever
But You kept me breathing, You were with me right then
And all that You have done for me, I could never hold it in
So, here’s to me telling this story over and over again

You hold the broken
You hear my every cry, every cry
My eyes are open, I know that it is well, it is well

 Morgan Harper Nichols
written along with Paul Mabury

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As a counselor, one fact I try to stress to all of my bereavement clients is that each of us have a story.  I encourage them to share it with me, with others…to write it down so it can be remembered. This does happen at times, but the usual response I receive is one of resistance.

As we are walking through life we don’t always see the significance of our own story.  Most times we feel we don’t even have one.  We minimize our lives and situations, with the word ‘just‘—I’m just a mom. I’m just a wife. I’m just one person. Whatever our “just” is, we cling to it; for whatever reason, we are unable to see the power behind our story.

God wrote a story for each one of us.  He penned every detail.  Every situation and every event was written by His hand.  Our story was not written for our benefit only, but to be used as a testimony for others.  Our stories are beautiful and inspirational.  They are our stories.  God made us the storyteller but (as the words of the song says), He was there when we climbed and when we fell, He knew what would be on our pages.  Yet He still made us the storyteller.

I hope this song inspires you to embrace your story and to tell it.  May it help you to understand that what we have experienced in life has a purpose, and to understand that He has a plan.

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Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for the beauty behind our story.  Please help us to see this beauty and to embrace it as our testimony.  You wrote our story and You made us the storyteller.  Please allow our story to bless others…allow it to bless ourselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.