The Story of YOU

 

Every single day you are working on a wonderful art project entitled, “Your life.”  Every single moment is a sentence; every single hour is a page; every single experience and encounter is part of the narrative God is co-authoring with you. 

 

Looking back over the last few weeks, what sticks and stands out for you?  What moments have left a lasting/lingering impression on your heart?  When has the ordinary been saturated and soaked with the holy?

 

Pause for a moment with me, get out a piece of paper, and respond to the above questions.  By the way, this is an open calendar quiz, you can look back at your paper calendar or app on your phone to remind you of where you have been and what has filled your days.  I encourage you to do this now.  It’s okay, I’ll wait.

 

When I look back some of what rises to the top is: celebrating Gina’s birthday, Ethan’s graduation, Sunday morning worship, laughing so hard at the last session of Artful Prayer tears came streaming down my face, family dinners, hard and holy Sacred Conversations on Race, Bible Study, and the session on “The Story of You” in May.  There is so much more.

 

Here is my invitation for June: Look back over your life as a story and name the chapters.  You might look at your childhood.  I would name my growing up in Iowa, “Just a city boy born amid corn fields”.  Look at your teenage years.  I might name that chapter, “Marching with the Drum Major God,” which combines my love of band and church as a teenager.  I might name the chapter of my early twenties, “Wait…I’m a Pastor…and a parent…and an adult…Gulp.”  I might name the chapter of my thirties, “White knuckling life,” as I tried to prove that I knew what I was doing.

 

Hopefully you get the point.  Rewind and review the art project of “Your Life” and come up with descriptions that capture some of the Spirit for you. 

 

And I invite you to please share these with me.  Email me or come in and talk to me.  This summer I want to HEAR your story and celebrate the ways God is moving in your midst.  I can’t wait to hear what you come up with.  Ready?  Set?  Go!  With great love!