Everyone has a story.
Whether it’s worth being told is a question we often wrestle with as writers. Do we open our hearts and draw out memories and bind them together with words and phrases trying to make them dance or penetrate or wrap tight around our readers? Do we use our minds to spark a fire in our reader’s neurons, inspiring thought and contemplation?
Do we trust that the story written is one that is being authored by the master of all words? Or do we doubt the ink on the sheet, the Helvetica lines marching across the page? Are our words too insignificant, our story too small to be worthy of an audience?
What is our goal in putting pen to paper, typing out lines on the screen, or scratching phrases onto receipts or gum wrappers for fear of losing those precious words?
Do we wish to come alongside each other and lift up our days of jelly stained cheeks and naps that are missed and dreams that seem forever out of our grasp? Do we celebrate wild when we are fierce, even when we are frail? Because God has invested in us eternity.
When our words are read, are we hoping you’ll grasp your sides and sink down into a belly laugh that makes you snort, or weep understanding, or grip your fists in righteous anger?
Do we hope to take a little off your plate with something that has worked for us?
Do we need someone to sprinkle our path with wisdom because they have seen the other side and walked these steps and know?
Do we just want someone to type in the comments, “Yes, you get me. Thank you.”
Words have lived eternal. In the beginning was The Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. God has told His story in Chapter and Verse but just as scripture is alive, a breathing moving power, we too are filled with story for we are made in His image.
Our days a testament to His grace, in the messy moments of motherhood, when our tongues slip or our tempers flare and impatience leaks out fleshly and feral. And His grace bleeds into the cracks.
We are filled with story in our pursuit of love. In our hearts for the poor, the oppressed, the tiny bodies filled full with spirit, entrusted to our care. Even when our love is imperfect.
We tell it in children sponsored, adopted, birthed. In mouths fed, lives nourished, and families formed. Souls brought whole into grace.
We are filled with story when we spread bare our souls and let our words show His way. In our families, our marriages, our lives as single women or mothers, in our ministries and workplaces and art.
So, tell your story. Shout it out, or jot it down. Share it over coffee and a scone. Share the beauty but don’t leave out the mess, the burdens, the fears and failings. It’s in our humanity that we connect and see the embroidered threads swirling into images. Of a people redeemed. The story of us.
flickr photo credits by gwennypics and chrisdlugosz
By Alia Joy writing her story at Narrow Paths to Higher Places
Leave a Comment
Wonderful encouragement, Alia Joy. I know sometimes it feels strange to tell our story, we doubt the value of it–thank you for beautifully encouraging us to ignore that feeling and say it. You bless me today.
Right back at you. You say it well and bare and beautiful. Love the way you wield your words.
I have my own story to share, but I’ve been doubting whether people really want to read it. Whether it’s significant enough to make a difference to anybody.
Thank you for these words today. They were just what I needed to move forward in writing that story.
Elizabeth, I am so blessed that they meant something to you. Yes, keep writing, it’s more significant than you know.
Thanks for the post, Alia. I often ‘play it safe’ and don’t share my story enough. Thanks for reminding me that I need to just say it!
Johanna, it’s an interesting line between what is private and personal and what is being held back out of fear. I certainly haven’t found a great balance. I tend to just let it all out to the point where I sometimes read my blog and think I am such a bummer. LOL. But I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story as you just say it. 😉
Alia,
I love this thoughtful article about the weight of our words. Thank you for sharing these sentiments – -you have articulated them beautifully!
Thanks Valerie, glad to be able to share here.
Alia, you know I believe in the power of sharing our stories! I love this: such an eloquent testimonial to the worth of sharing our stories.
My favorite? The comments that say “Yes, you get me. Thank you.”
That’s my favorite too. And when I read someone’s words and my head is nodding and my heart is saying, “Thank the Lord, I’m not the only one.”
OH love this so much – always having to remember to dig deep for the courage to keep writing my story. Thank you for this – LOVE having you here on (in)courage today, Alia! Such a good word here today.
Thanks Lisa-Jo. I love being here, truly. You’re one of the blogs that totally ‘get me’ in the mommy trenches and I love you for your words of encouragement.
I love these words ~ “God has told His story in Chapter and Verse but just as scripture is alive, a breathing moving power, we too are filled with story for we are made in His image.”
Beautifully written.
Thanks V, I’m loving getting to know your story as well. Inspired by your faithful service of Him.
Our stories are our connection with other people and our understanding of other people and our sympathy and compassion for others. When someone has walked already the road that I am on now, I am thankful for the wisdom I can glean from them.
No kidding. I tend to learn things the hard way. I think I was in my twenties and had my first kid, before I realized my dad actually knew what he was talking about. It’s such a blessing to glean wisdom from others.
Such a great reminder and challenge! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Mari.
Alia, yes, you get me! Thank you for this encouragement and for this blessing of our words and stories. I was blessed by yours today!
Thanks Ashley, love getting to know you as well.
Beautiful! Your words have truly blessed me! Especially like the reminder & encouragement to “share the beauty but do not leave out the mess” that’s me! Thinking if I share the “mess” no one will want to
Yes, I think if I didn’t share the mess, my blog would be pretty bare. LOL. I think we relate best with our masks off. I don’t want someone’s perfect, I want someone’s real. Even if it’s messy. The beautiful moments of baring our souls and finding refuge, scars and all.
I have been pondering writing a book…Your words are inspiring.
Yes, do it!
There have been so many times that I have held back my words. Such a vulnerable place to be…my heart on the page. Thank you so much for your encouragement today. Such a blessing!
Yes, it’s vulnerable and believe me I’ve felt it. Some posts bare your soul and then there are no comments or response and you wonder if any of it is worth the price you pay in being real and open. But truthfully, more often than not, I have had the most gracious readers and they resonate with my real. I read it somewhere, “Write something that scares you a little bit.” There are always areas where privacy is necessary and good, but holding back out of fear will never produce a story worth sharing. Thanks for reading and commenting, glad you are encouraged. I’m blessed.
Love it! Beautifully written!
Thanks Sarah, you of all people know how messy my story is. Glad to be able to do life with you. Love ya.
Just the “breath of fresh air” and encouragement I needed this afternoon. After a week of stomach flu’s around our home, and feeling under the weather, your words reminded me to keep writing, keep sharing, keep telling my story. Our words are never insignificant- thank you for this!
This makes my day, we don’t always get to know when our words bless someone, we just have to trust that they are meant to be written. So, it’s a special time when we get to know that they did. We have survived many a bout of stomach flu around here and all I can say is, you survived for a reason! Pat yourself on the back, stomach flu for a week is the stuff of superheros, get some fresh air and let the words come.
Thanks for the encouragement. This is exactly where the Lord has me for this season of life. I needed a new perspective and received it. May the Lord continue to give you the words to bring encouragement and desire to go deeper with our Lord!
Blessings,
CT
Thanks Cathy, I am glad this spoke to you in this season and I love that God speaks to us exactly where we are. Blessings to you.
Oh Alia Joy, thank you for telling this story, of how a writer’s heart feels. Thanks for taking the words from my mouth and putting it down. This is beautiful, tender, eloquent and I am so grateful you shared this today. I am so glad to meet you. Look forward to seeing you all around the bloggy world and reading more of your beautiful heart in your writing.
Elizabeth, Oh, that is just beautiful. I love meeting new ‘faces’ around the blogosphere and connecting. I look forward to getting to know you and your story as well.
Alia!!
This is so lovely! And you are so right — I (we) need to remember that we are telling HIS story, so all of the pieces of our own existence, if woven together with the right motive — can indeed inspire and (in)courage!! 🙂
Love finding you here!
Aww, thanks girl. I’ll remind you if you remind me. 😉
If we are willing, writing out our thoughts can bring us face to face with God. The challenge lies in allowing God to be trusted with our writing. God knows our thoughts, we cannot hide them from Him. He is everywhere, whether the mountain high or the valley low. Surrendering those thoughts, knowingly and willingly to Him allows Him to work in us and through us. Writing opens up the door to my heart. If we take the challenge, if we trust our Father to take what we write and to use it for His glory we will experience a freedom. The freedom of sweet surrender to Him!
So true Wanda. I have been blogging for almost 7 months and in that time I’ve seen the blessing that comes from letting Him guide me in my writing as well as the struggle with doubt and insecurity and feelings that maybe my words aren’t good enough or my story not valuable enough in a sea of blogs and voices. But it’s true that in trusting Him, we have freedom from all of that. We just need to keep our hearts fixed on what is true.
Beautiful encouragement Alia! I often wonder if I have a story to tell, a story that would minister to others. But I know that He’s given me words. And my story is worth telling, first for His glory, and second to encourage others. Blessings!
Barbie, thanks for the support an encouragement. You definitely have a story and a ministry. I am so blessed by your heart. And you would be seriously missed on Fridays. 😉 Keep writing, you have a story in Him.
Thanks for the way you remind us that the story is important! I connect with words! N
Thanks Nancy, me too. Words and baked goods… and coffee.
So good Alia. So good. I know I’m a little late to the table with this one, but just wanted to say I’m GLAD you’re writing your story.
Another late comment…
You’ve put another weight on the scale of ‘shall I write, or not?’.
I’ve been told I write well, that I should write a book, that people look forward to reading what I’ve written, and I’m always surprised.
I don’t have a deep desire to write, don’t have that aching need to write that so many good writers have, so I have never seriously thought about doing anything with my words.
But I have so much inside my head and soul and heart… so much that needs to come out for me to understand and make sense of it.
I keep coming across these little ‘prods’ towards writing – and this post is another one!
Maybe it’s time to at least think about doing something…
Thank you 🙂
I love that line, “His grace bleeds into the cracks”! Thank you! Amen!
[…] was going to log into WordPress to inform all of you that I am guest posting over at (in)Courage and invite you to join me over there […]