The Importance of Story Telling
‘Do you remember when …?’
How often when friends or family get together does a conversation start with ‘Do you remember when we …’ and a story begins of a holiday, an occasion, a memory or an adventure. It’s not a story from a book, or a story that’s necessarily written down (although people do journal their experiences) but a story that connects people together. Or a story that makes sense of something that happened.
We’ve all heard the expression “A picture is worth a thousand words”. It’s the idea that something complex can be conveyed with just a single picture – one that can convey meaning more effectively than a word description does. But words do more than describe – they tell the story. Your story.
Cycling or walking!
Recently Paul Norris (a member of Jubilee) shared a photo on social media. We use less words on that type of platform. Paul wrote “Day one of the cycling trip to Mallorca. Incredible place. Rode to the Cap De Formentor lighthouse. Very, very hilly.”
This photo meant something different to me. My story is that my husband and I walked from Port de Pollenca to this lighthouse. At almost every bend we could see it and although it was really hot and we didn’t have any water with us, we plodded on. We felt that we would reach our destination around the next bend. And then the next. And so on. Eventually we did arrive. Totally exhausted! We took a taxi back. The photo brought the story straight back to me. And then I realised it was 31 years ago. Paul told me we walked 13 miles.
I love to take photos and I post my holiday photos on my personal blog but the photos don’t tell the whole story. Words do that. Spoken or written words.
Sharing your story
Telling your story is important. I have suffered from severe depression and having come through it I can share my story with those still suffering. Not to diminish what they are going through but to show there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Or tell them of a strategy I found helpful.
We can tell other people’s stories. We can tell God’s stories.
The Psalmist says: Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 (MSG)
Go ahead and give God thanks for all the glorious things he has done!
Go ahead and worship him! Tell everyone about his wonders!
Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music!
Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God. Psalm 105:1-3 (TPT)
Recently Rob talked about the importance of telling stories where God is the hero.
What stories are you telling?
