what is your story

Day 16

15 days have gone and after today there will be 15 more to go until this writing challenge is completed.  Today is the middle of it all. The humpday of the 31 if you will (and I will).  If today was Wednesday it would have been too perfect, so I'll just settle for a Thursday being the peak of this mountain and now we'll begin climbing down the other side.

So far I have learned many things.  I have learned that my husband is an excellent editor and placer of commas.  I have learned that all those outlines my teacher taught me in Senior English are actually pretty handy.  I have learned that I am capable of leaving a mess to be cleaned up later because there is something else occupying my mind.  I have learned that even when I'm fearful, if I decide to be brave and do that thing God is asking me to do, not only will He help me complete it but peace will reign over my heart because I've submitted to His calling.  Because of that lesson, I have learned that even if the only people who read this are my husband, me and a handful of others, it doesn't matter because I have been obedient and and have left it to the One who is in control.  Most importantly, I have learned that 31 days isn't enough.

Every Sunday afternoon we meet with our community group, and after the first official 'standing around the counter eating of the yummy goodies chatting about whatever' time, we gather in the living room.  The first question given by our fearless leader each meeting is "What is God doing in your life this week?"  We have been assured that this question, given to him by our pastor, is not to purposely cause awkward silences or raise our blood pressure through anxiety or cause guilt because you don't have the perfect answer ready and waiting.  The point of this question is to stop and look and ponder.  To let go of any distraction and focus on God and what He is doing, for you, for us.  We have Hope that He is always doing something...we just have to stop ourselves long enough to see it.

I accepted this 31 day challenge because I have a story, and I felt like God wanted me to tell it so that maybe someday He could use it somewhere for someone.  My story is important.  Your story is important.  Our stories are important.  All of our stories.  Every single story and every single detail of it.  Because God is the author of them all and nothing He does is wasted.  He is a part of all the little things and all the big things and all the seemingly insignificant things in between.

I love the story of Ruth.  I love that this seemingly simple woman had a story of obedience and faith, of love and courage that she might not have even realized she was living.  She made one decision to follow and let God lead her story, and because of her obedience, faith, courage and love, she has a direct place in the lineage of Christ and a book in the inerrant Word of God that encourages us to live out our story as well.

Don't be afraid to tell your story, to share it in big places and in small, and to trust that it matters.  Don't listen to the lie that what you do, no matter how you see it, is insignificant.  God created your inmost being, he knit you together (Psalm 139:13) and He placed you in His story because He created your story to matter.