Tell Your Story

"Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it." (Habakkuk 2:2, NIV)

"You cannot not tell your story!" -church sign

Bam! Right between the eyes! Don't you just love when God speaks to you so clearly? I was driving down a busy road last week, feeling discouraged because I didn't feel that the messages for this blog were as rich as God was making them to me. I sent up a prayer asking if I heard His calling correctly or if I should just let it go. I knew what He had laid on my heart and that my sole purpose was to always give others hope. As I passed by a small church, I caught the message on its sign that read, "You cannot not tell your story!" Do you think God knows what we need?!

"Yes!" I told God, "I hear You loud and clear." Our sole purpose in life is to share our testimony. Our trials and tribulations are not for us, but for God's glory and hope for His children. I may not get to write and publish a bestselling novel, but I can and must share my story with others somehow, someway.

Those who know me well know that I am pretty much a loner. I love people and enjoy being around them, but I also need a lot of quiet time to renew. I spent twenty-four years in the retail industry where you are required to be "on" all day with a day lasting eight to twelve hours. That takes a lot of energy and honestly, the grace of God. Now that I am no longer in the industry, I still find that I need a lot of quiet time, but this time is now spent in the Lord's Presence. I can tell you that this has been the sweetest time of my life. Even though I am waiting for the Lord to make His plans clear for my calling, I have the pleasure of drawing near to Him and He drawing near to me.

Bruce Wilkinson, the author of The Dream Giver, calls this time of restoration and transformation Sanctuary. It's a place where God washes away the residue from our time in the Wasteland where we have struggled in our journey and worn ourselves out. God restores us and ambushes us with His Presence. We get to soak in all that He is and all that He has for us. We get Him. What a Gift! In this Gift I have found blessings, love like I have never known and joy for the first time in my life. My Lord is teaching me that every day of my life is preparation for His call.

"You cannot not tell your story," is the confirmation I need. I have to step out of my comfort zone, reach out to others and allow them to reach out to me. I have to write. I have to speak. I have to tell my story so that others may know the goodness of the Lord. The world has to know His love. The world has to know His joy. The world just has to know Him.

You, too have to tell your story. You may not think that you have much to share or say, but your purpose on this earth is to give someone hope. At one point in my life, I went through a deep, dark depression, but my friend Mary Ellen helped me through. When the dark time had passed I told her that I owed her so much for helping me. She said I didn't owe her anything. I just had to turn around and help the next woman along.

I encourage you to take time today to extend a hand to someone, even if it takes you away from what is most important in your life. Your moment of selflessness may be the Jesus someone finally gets to see. You may be their hope for the day. You may even save their life. We are not our own and have been commanded by Jesus to be witnesses to Him.

Sweet Jesus, help us to take our eyes off ourselves as people who are not worthy or qualified to help. Move us to will and to do for Your good pleasure. May You receive all the glory, honor and praise. In Your sweet holy Name. Amen.