trust your story

one of my favorite stories of all time is The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  surprisingly I loved the movie just as much.
for those of you unfamiliar with the story, it’s set in the 60’s during the time of the civil rights movement. a young white journalist name skeeter wants to write a book compiled of stories from the point of view of the black maids. for obvious reasons they didn’t want to share their stories. aibileen & minny carve out some courage & see the power in their stories. power to change the way things were. power to encourage others.  the turning point in the movie for me was when dozens of others, inspired by aibileen & minny , decide to be courageous and tell their own stories too. they join forces and while things were not easy, they were brave & things did begin to change, both in their community and in their lives.
the power of
ordinary people tapping into what is extraordinary about themselves.

I know each one of us can think of a book or a movie where we resonate with a character.  From Cinderella, to Elizabeth Bennett, Rose & Jack in titanic or even Elle Woods.   We love cheering on the underdog and the overcomer. Yet for many of us, our own stories are trapped inside. trapped maybe not due to cultural limitations as in The Help, but maybe it’s because we see ourselves as insignificant.

Like meg ryan in you’ve got mail:

"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small, but circumscribed. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?

I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So goodnight, dear void."

We think our lives are small & somehow we equate small with insignificance.

YOU HAVE  A STORY TO TELL!

maybe you see your story as being defined by the moment he walked in & said I don’t love you anymore & I’m leaving you.

maybe you see your story as being defined by failure.

Or abuse.

maybe you know the dark secrets of your past & you think while you’ve been forgiven & set free, if anyone knew about the premarital sex, the affair, the abortion, the whatever, it would discount where you are now. You feel the scarlet letter is tattooed on your forehead for all to see.

guilt & shame sit on your shoulders holding you back from sharing the hope of where you are today.

or maybe the chapter you’re currently in is threatening to take you under. you’re on the front lines of a battle.  you aren’t afforded the perspective from the “end” yet.  maybe you’re in survival mode.  you can’t see how “it all worked together for good”.

the grief of your situation seems to overshadow a future that has a positive,dare I say happy ending.  you’re in the midst of a chronic illness or you’re watching a loved one slip from this world.  you’ve buried one of your babies or your husband and the thought of sharing that pain, is too big for you.

or maybe you look in the mirror & see a scarless face, one without battle wounds. you wonder how your story could ever inspire.

i want to encourage you to trust your story. not a chapter.

the last thing my heart desires is to minimize a chapter or what seems like an epic portion of your story. that's not my desire at all.  last weekend i heard stories of heartbreak, abandonment, betrayal. stories that boggle my mind.

our heavenly father never wanted our lives to be filled with, much less defined by, cancer, divorce, abuse, anger, sickness.

his plan was not for approximately 160 million children to be orphans

or 27 million to be currently enslaved.

his original story was set in a beautiful perfect garden. free from shame. free from guilt. free from the filth that resonates with many.

so, what do i mean by trust your story?

the one he promises to complete. As promised in philipians 1.6 ~~

being CONFIDENT of this, 

that he who began a good work in you 

will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

personally,i learned more about my heavenly father during the hardest time in my life than in all the good chapters combined.  it was in those chapters and the chapters afterwards that i learned he loves me. that i needed him. that i was in the palm of his hand. that he wept with me. that i was never ever alone.

what I want to share with you is that you have a father that loves you. that no matter where you are in your own story, he hears every prayer and sees every tear. we have a father that is not distant from us.  it’s my prayer that if the chapters in your past include failure, or divorce, or sickness, or some sin that you think is unforgivable,  that he is writing a story that does define you.

one of wholeness in him. & that you can trust Him.

more important that trusting your story

is trusting the author.

i'll share about that soon!

 

i meant to share this at the pearl event & it just got away from me.

a couple weeks after sibi asked if i'd join her in the journey,

i stumbled upon this bracelet. i've been wearing it ever since as a confirmation

to trust where the lord is leading me.

many days that doesn't come easily but it is my hearts desire.

michelle verbeeck who created the cuff

has offered 20% off

if you'd like to purchase one this week.

enter the code TRUSTYOURSTORYFCP

{{please note, you MUST enter your wrist size!!
michelle is getting loads of orders without size}}

~~~

 oh , i almost forgot...

jessica , from grace & gratitude,

you are the winner of the Sparrow & Blossom pillow!!

congratulations!