God Storytelling

I’d describe myself as a storyteller if I had to pick one word. I’ve always loved stories. Reading them. Telling them. Hearing them. I can’t get enough. And it’s been this way ever since I can remember. For the love of the story…

Back in high school, my friends would razz me and say, “Tell her anything and she’ll think of a story to tell you about it”. That’s still true. I haven’t changed all that much. If you ever see my eyes light up when you are talking to me, that’s probably the reason why. “Your” story might have just hit “my” story-button. Unless it’s a God Story—those just light me up no matter what.

My favorite genre of stories are the God Stories. People’s stories about how God has intervened in their lives. Transformed them. Protected them. Healed them. Done miracles in their lives. Drawn them to Him. These are truly my addiction. My passion. I never get tired of hearing about my God. I never will.

Because God is like a prism. He has so many sides to Him. So many colors. So many angles. And with each new story that I hear or read, I see a new angle to my God that leaves me breathless and in awe. I leave those story moments with an extra pep in my step. I walk away knowing Him better. Because God shows no partiality/favoritism (Romans 2:11). So I can brag on Him: “That’s MY God!”

These stories inspire me daily in my own journey. To keep going. To keep pressing in for my own life breakthroughs. To keep looking for my own God moments, when God intervenes in time and space and lovingly reaches down to help me in one of His manifold ways. Manifold in the Greek is the word Poikilos, which means multi-colored. This illustrates His prism perfectly. God’s manifold grace, wisdom, gifts, works…these are all multi-colored. My particular favorite is His Manifold Wisdom. I love seeing and experiencing new colors of His wisdom. Tasting new flavors.

Ephesians 3:10 talks about this:

“So that through the church the manifold (multi-colored) wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

We get to be involved in displaying God’s multicolored wisdom and nature—not only to the spiritual forces, but to people as well. What an honor! We NEED to tell our stories. Our God Stories are like seeds that we plant. Into another’s heart. We never know how just one of our stories can transform another person’s life. So we need to tell and tell. And plant and plant. Our words, our stories, have power. They help people see new colors and angles about God.

When I was at Regent University getting my journalism degree, I stumbled onto a job that fit my spiritual God-Story DNA to a “T”. I ended up interviewing students from all over the world (literally) and finding out their individual STORIES, how God brought them to attend Regent. And my faith and awe grew with each story. EVERY student had an incredible testimony to share. Each person shared about how God had moved Heaven and Earth, and everything in between, to get them to our school. My life hasn’t been the same since those interviews. My perspective and awe-meter were forever shifted.

My Regent Story was amazing too. A “chance” conversation on an airplane with a random stranger turned into a new best friend and grad-school journey. I’d say that’s pretty unique. But I’ve heard much-crazier things. And angel stories? I have a few of those myself.

So tell me your God Story. Tell others your God Story.

What do you know about Him that I don’t know yet?

What have you experienced that I haven’t?

Instead of engaging in the regular small-talk banter, go for the gold.

Tell someone how your car randomly swerved on the freeway the other day and avoided an oncoming truck that you didn’t see coming. Tell someone how you found $20 on the ground right when you needed to buy something. Tell someone about the crazy dream you had that helped you decide where to move (Yep—this one is our story). Tell someone about your three miracle babies—how the doctor told you you’d never have kids. Tell someone how your ectopic pregnancy turned into a normal pregnancy and miracle baby. I know actual people with these stories.

God Stories happen all the time…all around us.

So tell someone your God Story.

Let those that know Him see another color/angle of who He is.

And let those that don’t know Him yet see Him through your story.

For He’s been waiting to give them their own…