Story

We all have a story. I grew up understanding this fact. My dad is a pastor and my mom is an English teacher. I come from a family of storytellers. It's in my blood. The concept that we each have a story to tell was natural to me. 

It's seems like such a simple idea, however the older I get the more I come to understand the depth of this statement. See I am neither the author nor the main character in my story. Both of those roles are claimed by Christ. And, since we are creatures of community, I am a tiny part of dozens if not hundreds of other stories.

Right now I have a ring side view of a lot of stories. As I look around I am surrounded by people in the middle if water shed moments. At every turn I encounter people in the middle of major plot twists. 

Some of them are in crises. The outcome of the situations they are facing will forever change their lives. They will look back and mark everything else in life by “before” or “after” these moments.  

Some are being presented with situations they didn't see coming. They are facing plot twists that seem to come completely out of left field and feel like they have nothing to do with where the story was heading before this. They have to regain their footing in a new story line. 

Some are right in the middle of the thick of things. They are living those chapters of the book where it feels like there isn't much "action" but where you come to really understand who the character is and what they are made of. 

And some are facing new adventures. They are at that exciting point where things are just started to get interesting and you are holding your breath and crossing your fingers hoping that it all works out and everything thing ends with a giant musical number and a happy ending.

And in some tiny, itty bitty, miniscule way, I get to be a part of all of these stories. Even if just as a walk on a role. A supporting role to the supporting characters.  The mail man’s second cousin.

Some days it’s hard, when my own story seems to be primarily about supporting someone else in theirs. When you are a social person, and have a gift of encouragement you often find yourself playing a thousand and one supporting characters. But then I realize… I get to be part of it. I get to be part of this great, big, gigantic story that arcs over centuries past and centuries to come.  I get a sneak peek into what He is doing in dozens of story lines that all weave together to tell His story, and it is truly humbling.