Greetings,
I am happy to say that last night's Ash Wednesday service went very well. We had close to 60 in attendance. Communion and the imposition of ashes was a very powerful and prayerful experience. Our praise team sounded beautiful! So, our "Journey In Prayer" continues this morning with a Lenten Prayer Coffee and our nightly service tonight at 7:00 PM.
Tonight I have the opportunity to share my prayer journey with those in attendance. Sometimes it can be a little scary laying your life out there for all to see and hear. My Journey Home has been a wonderful tool for me to share my thoughts, ideas, struggles, and triumphs with all of you. The reason it is so easy is because I don't have to look you in the eye and try and discern the emotions that I might be evoking within each one of you. That being said, it is also frightening to think that anyone who might stumble across this blog could be privy to some of my most intimate feelings and writings.
However, I think that it is good to share our stories. Scripture tells us to go out and preach the gospel. I think God put in each one of us a desire to share what He has done in our lives. I believe that in the sharing of our stories we help others live out their stories. This can be a frightening thing to do for some. My encouragement to each of you would be to share your life stories with people in your lives. Whether it be spoken or written there is value to the life you have lived.
I am confident in saying that each one of your lives have some bit of wisdom hidden away inside the day to day chaos we call "life". There is "stuff" in your life story! That stuff could be the very thing that someone else needs to learn so that they might grow in their own lives. Don't be afraid to tell your story! If you think about it it is the only story that you know for sure! You can't mess up the story because it's yours!
My Journey Home has been about telling a story. It is a collection of experiences, ideas, tragedies, and triumphs that have been written down for anyone who chooses to read them. My life is far from perfect. It has had its fair share of ups and downs. Yet, in sharing my story I feel as if I am adding to the "fabric of history". My mother makes quilts. She is also a great at crocheting! It is her quilts that remind me of my story and your story as well. Quilts are made up of individual pieces and when those pieces are stitched together it becomes something greater than its individual pieces, it becomes whole!
Our life story are the pieces and history is the whole! It is that old adage that says, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". Let us be a people that add to that to the fabric of our world. Go out and share what you have experienced. Stand up and proclaim the stories that make you who you are. Don't be afraid to tell people how you have triumphed over tragedy and lived through loss. Your story is unique! You are writing your story each day, so, share it with the world!
Wish me luck tonight!
Blessings,
Derek
Having faith in God is key to having our tragedies turn to triumphs.... that our "stories" will impact the lives of others in profound & positive ways. I am reminded of the Jaycee Dugard story...years of abuse endured on her part...years of utter hopelessness on her parents part. How could this story possibly impact the lives of others in a "positive" way...then, she was found. Her story begins to unfold & the magnitude of her abduction comes to light. God gets blamed, how could he "let" such unspeakable horrors happen? The horrors lie with Man not God...one man in particular..he's to blame, Not God. Jaycee's will to survive has taught us, empowered us, provoked us to make a change. She persevered for 18 yrs...with Hope, for freedom...her courage astounds me. Tell your story, it may inspire to change a life! Love ya Deke! Sis :)
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