Three Word Wednesday: Telling My Story

I'm joining my friend Kristin Taylor in a 10-week study of Donald Miller's book Storyline: Finding Your Subplot In God's Story.  I've only read the first few pages of the book but he won me over by the third paragraph with, "We believe your story was a blank page given to you by God and to write a great story on that page is a noble pursuit and a gift to the world."

Coincidentally, my most recent post for Circles of Faith encourages others to tell their story because when we do God is glorified. God reveals His love story for us through our stories.

In the introduction of Storyline Donald Miller writes, "...but what mattered, more than anything, was that I had been used by God for some small purpose." He suggests that we play a role in God's story. We have a subplot in His story — His epic story. The truth of the matter is our story isn't about us; it's about Him.

What part does God want us to play in His story? Okay, I have not read past the introduction so I won't get too far ahead of myself here.

My mind has been bouncing back and forth between what my subplot in God's story may be and my God-sized dreams. I see a connection between the two. Sometimes I think I have way too much time on my hands for thinking. I do my best to keep looking up so my thinking doesn't head south on me.

Over the weekend the BraveGirl Community shared a video by Tedx of Glennon Doyle Melton sharing her Lessons from the Mental Hospital.

In the seventeen minutes of the video Glennon, with great vulnerability I might add, tells her story. There were times in those seventeen minutes when I felt like she was telling my story. Bulimic. Mental Hospital. Capes. Pretend. Numb. Lie. These words all hit close to home — they are familiar.

Shortly after watching the video I came across a status update by the BraveGirl Community saying, "We want your brave story." Glennon's powerful testimony has me encouraged to tell my own story. I want to "make the unknown known."

As I consider telling my story my thoughts return to my God-sized dreams. I'm one who would have previously told you I don't have a God-sized dream. But lately God has had a thing or two to say about that. I recently shared a dream to write an e-book. The book would follow my hopes of joining The Nester this October in writing for 31 days on finding JOY in a deployment.

Another dream is to encourage military wives. I'm currently living out this dream for the next eight weeks by co-leading an (in)courage group for military wives.

Prior to these dreams, God placed a dream on my heart to tell my story. That dream led me to begin blogging. I've told bits and pieces of my story over the years. Some parts are easier to tell, some are harder and others I'm unable to tell. The dream goes beyond telling my story here. Maybe I will never be brave enough to tell my story like Glennon did. But God planted a dream way down deep in my heart to stand before others and pour out my heart. "I want to feel my feelings and share."

Why?

I'm reminded of something Deidra Riggs said at the Compel Conference: "We are here to reflect God glory here on earth."

How do we reflect God's glory? We share our stories.

I know my story, my subplot in God's story, is continually unfolding. However, I believe God wants me to tell the beginning chapters of my story. Those chapters reveal what only God has the power to do.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17