This Is My Story!

I had the opportunity to write an article in the weekly newsletter at 1st Ashland last week, thought that friends and family near and far would enjoy and be encouraged.  See below ... 

  

What’s Your Story?

“This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long” A familiar hymn written by Fanny Crosby reminds us of the Blessed Assurance that God gives us each day.  It also calls us to action to share our story with others in joyful praise.  I hope you’re humming this tune as you read this article. When I think about this hymn I’m reminded of my grandparents Jack and Ruth Scott, and the time I got to spend singing and learning hymns like this one as they played their guitars. These words shaped me and they are continuing to shape me today.  Our stories shape us.  God created us uniquely in His image and has given us a story to tell.  Each is different, some are filled with great joy and celebration and some with heartache and brokenness.  As we reflect on our own stories we must pause and remember where we’ve come from. 

In last week’s article Pastor Josh reminded us that we must be willing to go through the wilderness with complete dependence on God in order to get a glimpse of the promise land.  I know for myself there have been seasons of life that have been filled with great joy and celebration – graduations, marriage and the purchase of our new home here in Hanover.  There have also been seasons of great heartache and brokenness – divorce and the loss of loved ones who helped to shape me into the woman I am today. 

These words “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long” remind me that I am a co-author with Christ.  I get to write this story and I get to respond with joyful praise.  Now don’t hear me wrong, when I was walking out my divorce, I responded by mourning.  I took almost eighteen months to worship in the pew instead of lead others in worship and I took a lot of time for prayer, reflection, reading scripture and exercise.  I searched to find God even in the midst of one of the greatest losses of my life.  Deep down I knew what mattered most was how I told my story and how I responded to God and to those around me.  This lesson has been one of the most important lessons of my life.  “This is my story” means we get to own how we respond to God and others in great joy and celebration and in heartache and brokenness. 

What stories are we telling?  What story do you tell yourself, your friends, your family and your coworkers when you celebrate or when you are faced with an unimaginable situation?  When we respond as co-authors with Christ and in a spirit of joyful praise our perspective on even the most difficult situations can change.  As we continue on this journey together my prayer is that we will be a story telling people, that we would find creative ways to share how God is moving, how he is shaping and reshaping our imaginations, our hearts and our lives. 

What would it look like if we began singing and telling our stories through the lens of joyful praise?  How would it shape us? As a people?  As a church?  As a community?  I am convinced that “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long” would become more than a hymn we sing on Sunday, it would become our anthem as we move into the next season of life for our church!  Okay, I’ve shared a bit of my story, who’s next? 

Grace and Peace, 

Rachel

Photo: My Nana Ruth and me, singing together when I was a wee one.