Our Story

My mother and I are officially the same age...I know. You didn't think it was possible. But a few years back she found an age she liked and decided she'd have birthdays, but no more aging. She was going to be this year forever. You've noticed by now I'm not telling what in the world that age is! But on July 16th, I officially reached it and now I have no choice but to stop aging myself, or become older than my mother. And that might not be too far of a stretch. Because as recently as a couple weeks ago, while we were walking up the street in Columbia, South Carolina, a young man gave us a big old white smile and asked if we were sisters.

(Me & Mom fishing-obviously she's having better luck than me...)

She was like a giddy school girl, I gave him a raised right eyebrow. But I can say this, if I look as good as her when I do reach the age she refuses to say she is, I'll be one lucky girl.

But birthdays have a way of causing us to reflect. And this year has brought great reflecting for me. At my church my pastor has been doing a series called "The Story." One of my favorite writers John Eldridge writes a great deal about "Our Story". And yesterday in church we were singing a song by Matt Redman, that is pretty new to me, but probably familiar to a lot of you that says,
This will be my story.
This will be my song.
You will always be my Savior.
Jesus, You will always have my heart.

As a writer of both stories and songs I'm intrigued by this concept of our lives being a "story". I don't know that I've ever thought of it this way before. So, if my life is a story, this year has been a chapter. A chapter of my life that has had more pain, more adventure, more laughter, and more of the hand of God written on its pages than any other I think I've known. Maybe if I had been as aware of Him as I have been this year, I might could say that there have been other years just as impactful. But looking back over this one, I have to say, man, what a story.

For the next little while, I wondered if you'd walk with me through "our stories." I'm going to blog using the words of Matt Redman's song as my catalyst. But for today, as a precursor to tomorrow's blog, could we just stop for a moment and realize that each of us has a story to tell. The way you and I choose to live our lives will determine how the chapter's are written. They will decide whether our stories end in triumph or tragedy, struggle or surrender.

Sometimes I think we forget we have a story. We have a story. A story that God has written uniquely for us. Now, in this society of increasing individualism, don't get lost in the fact that we have still been called to walk life out in relationship with other people. However, we cannot forget that God has things that He wants to write on our heart. Because until we give Him the ability to write on the inside of us, there is nothing available from our pen to write on the lives of others.

God has written a beautiful story on my heart this past year. And I believe this year has prepared me for this new chapter, just as the previous chapters of my life prepared me for last years chapter. May you stop today and look at back at your past year. Take a moment to recall the things God has written on your heart. I can say to you today, that my story is this...He will always be my Saviour...no matter the valleys we have to plow through the mud to get across, or the mountains we have to dig our heels into to get to the peak. And He will always have my heart...Because let's just say, he's proven mighty faithful with it. What would your last chapter say about your story? What would you want next years chapter to tell?

Here's to old stories to remember, and new stories to write...See you tomorrow...
Denise