There's More To That Story....Uh Ha

Do you ever find your self listening to a story and thinking, "There's more to that story"? Maybe it doesn't quite add up or something seems to be missing. 

A few years back I mentored three little girls at a public elementary school. These lovely young hearts were living on the fringe, some single parent homes, mostly living hand to mouth. They were mostly happy girls.....

I would meet with them once a week and we would talk about life. I would ask each of them what they had done the previous weekend. 

I would hear about aunties and cousins coming to town from Chicago to visit.

 This was not always a good sign.. usually it meant there was a "house" problem. 

It might mean someone was moving out of the house, or losing the house they were living in. It could also mean that someone was going to the big house. 

Like the house .. up the river, if ya get me.

I knew there was more to these stories but my role wasn't to pry into this part of their life. I was there to help them write a better story. To live a better story than the ones they saw playing out in front of them everyday. My role was to give them the freedom to have their own story. To give them permission to seek out the best life they could have. 

Every person needs to know they have a story that is worthy and needs to unfold. It is their story.  Once it is found, has life breathed into it, they can share it with others. We share our stories and help others find their breath and courage for their stories.

A couple of years ago I read Don Miller's book, A Million Miles In A Thousand Years to my small group of High School ladies. I watched new ideas unfold into these women's hearts. They were seeing with new eyes what life can really be when you seek out God's story for your life. 

Life should not just happen. 

If we leave it to chance we may wake up one day, disappointed and wondering what our life was all about.  

We can't control life, the people or circumstances that hurt us. 

We can fill ourselves with Truth and seek out what God has for us. He is faithful and even though there will be tough days, He has a plan.. a story, for each of us.

I could not stop my husband from dying of cancer at age 29, but I could choose how I would react and what I would cling too. 

I knew I had a story that wasn't finished.

 I didn't quit, but I also didn't do it alone. 

I sought guidance from God and also from Godly women who stood beside me and encouraged me.

I love to hear people's stories... what God is doing in their lives, what He has done. To hear the faithfulness through the sorrows, the joys and pains of life. 

I look forward to watching these now college age ladies live out their stories. 

They have the potential and know the truth to live good stories, directed by God.

Life deserves to be paid attention too.

It is not a big "To Do" list . . checking things off. 

  I don't think God has a "to do" list and I don't think He really likes them. 

I say this because I have lived this life. It's repetitive and at the end of your life all you will have is a long piece of paper with lots of check marks. Really.

God has a story He wrote for each of us. Like all good storybooks, we have to open it and He and I hold the pen that will write the words to the story.

Sometimes He will ask for the pen and sometimes I will gladly give it to Him and let Him write. Other times I will refuse, gripping tightly. 

I hope I will learn to release my grip and give Him the pen... for all of my days.

I don't want God sitting up in heaven looking down at me, shaking his head saying,

 "Oh Girl, there was so much more to that story. Un, un, un."

What's your story and is God in the middle of it?