The Power of story

Almost a decade ago with 1 toddler I started volunteering in the children's ministry at Mecklenburg Community Church.  I was so overwhelmed with my toddler, my job and our new city.  I never thought I'd have another child.  I was suspicious of church.  I had church baggage.  I was scared.  I wanted to make sure they weren't going to scare my toddler.  Walking into a MecKidz classroom and seeing the INTENTIONALITY of it all is like being in a "Church Disneyland".  But, better.  I was immediately drawn in by the fact that a team of us could handle 30ish preschoolers better then I could handle my one at home!  Everything is looked at through the eyes of a child.  The heart of the ministry LOVES children and designs every detail around them while teaching profound truths.  

In a 1,000 big and little ways over 9 years, serving in this ministry has changed and continues to change me.    It changed the answer to core questions like:  Who am I?  Where do I belong?  And, who can I trust?  I met people that sincerely loved God and loved his word.  Over time, I began to surrender to the wonder of these preschool lessons:

God Made me, God Loves me and He wants to be my friend forever!

Monday night I was able to share a few of my thoughts about STORY to a small group of Meckidz leaders!  I was so honored!  And, terrified.  AND SWEATY.  But, I regret not having more of it memorized.  Something hungers in me to work on my "art" of what I wanted to say a bit more.  So I thought it would be fun to polish the "talk" on my blog a little bit more.  

Stories spark complex emotions.  Stories connect, inspire, bond, motivate, and ENCOURAGE!  

GREAT stories AWAKEN us to TRUTH.  GREAT stories sneak past our defenses and armor and can plant "seed thoughts".  GREAT stories  aim for our heart and drag our head along behind.  GREAT stories are multi-faceted.

Great stories aren't perfect.  I learned this in the trenches.  I have to blog soon about my nephew Silas and what God has done in my life as I pray for him.  But, I used to believe the lie that stories had to end happily every after.  But, on this side of heaven we are all yearning for His return.  The best stories are, "here is my brokennes, my blood, my sweat and my tears... and HERE this is how God is holding me all together just as he holds this beautiful broken world together.  What part of scripture are we wrestling with?  

GREAT stories appeal across age, race, gender and time.  Great Storytellers ironically are GREAT listeners.

God is Always with us.  For me when life feels mundane and lifeless.  I often times am believing a bad story.  Truth got tangled in my head and my heart.   My mental script, my narrative, my STORY is tangled.  And, how often it gets tangled!

How do you SEE great stories?  Seeing God stories is opening our eyes, opening our heart and opening our mind to what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of those we serve.  

There are 1,000 different ways to tell the same story.  What story are you telling about MecKidz?

Every one who serves in Meckidz has a story in their mind about what volunteering means for them.  Really.  Engage Sincerely and Compassionately, Interrupt Kindly and you will find out.  Their "serving story" is a result of the sum total of all their interactions and experiences and it becomes the lens through which they interpret their future serving with.

Let's start telling more stories of what God is doing!  We can share stories around our MISSION and VALUES every chance we get.  Championing our mission and values in every way we see it.  

As leaders with a COMMON STORY a common narrative repeated, we can:

1) invite people in community

2) encourage them on MISSION 

3) help define the lens through which they see their experience of serving

The bible does this.  Its filled with many little stories that make up the GRAND story of Jesus loving us so much he gave us Jesus.  But, all the little stories point to Jesus.  Every story whispers his name.

When the WORD became FLESH in the person of Jesus;  What did he use to communicate over and over again...?  Stories!  

The following are some BEAUTIFUL words that inspire me to share my story more often!

"... It is your responsibility to tell God's story, in every way you can, every form, every medium, every moment.  Tell the stories of love and redemption and forgiveness every time you experience them.  Tell the stories of reconciliation and surprise and new life everywhere you find them... There's nothing small or inconsequential about our stories.  There is, in fact, nothing bigger.  And when we tell the truth about our lives- the broken parts, the secret parts, the beautiful parts- then the gospel comes to life, an actual story about redemption, instead of abstraction and theory... And, only you can tell your story.  If you have been transformed by the grace of God, then you have within you all you need to write your manifesto, your poem, your song, your battle cry, your love letter to a beautiful and broken world.  Your story must be told!"  (by Shauna Niequest from Bittersweet)