So what's your story?

"My story... uh... well..."

I've had a few people ask me this question recently and I never seem to know how to respond. 

"My story?  You mean my testimony?  Or how I chose the college I did?  Or what my family is like?  Where I live?  Come on, just asking me for my story is way too general..."

Maybe the truth is, I don't have too much of a story.  And if I do, it's not one worth telling.  It's probably boring or cliche.  I could say something like, "Well, I live in the south with my sister, mom and dad.  I go to this college and am majoring in communications and bible.  I am doing online school this year but next year I am going far away for college.  I love God- almost always have, and want to live in a way that people see that.  Yeah."

That's my default story I think. 

But what if my story could tell what's on my heart.  What if my story got deeper.

"I grew up in a beautiful world with a family I always knew loved me and the knowledge of Jesus Christ that gave me love, joy, peace, and freedom.  I always wanted to be used by God, to make known His love to others like He had made known His love to me.  I struggled because it was hard to seperate what my material blessings with God's love.  What about those who don't have anything?  God still loves them, right?  Well, He does.  Jesus's death shows that.  But so many don't know.  They look at the sunrise each morning and up at the stars at night and they are held accountable by this general revelation.  Yet they don't have or know the Bible enough to accept Jesus and discover His love. 

When I was 7 years old I began to write and haven't stopped writing since.  Now I want to write about what God is doing all around the world as more and more people come to know Him.  I love praying for the world, seeing churches sprout up in Mexico, lifting up the spiritual deadness in Greece, meeting with a missionary from Spain, writing to kids whose lives are being transformed by an education and God's love. 

My story is about God's love.  It has made me who I am today.  Who has blessed me? God.  How am I saved?  God's love.  What inspires me to write?  God's love.  Why did I chose what I chose for my college?  So I could better reveal to others God's love.  Why encourage friends?  So they can see God's love.  Why learn the Bible?  To better understand God's love.  Why endure tough times?  To relate to others how God's love is faithful through every trial and change. Why would I endure suffering?  To express God's love.

His love is crazy for me.  It is overwhelming. I'm not just saying this in a charismatic and emotional way.  Yes, sometimes my motives get out of line and my priorities mixed up.  But in the end, this is what my story is about, I hope."

So my friend and reader, what is YOUR story?

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love Him^[b] because He first loved us."

~1 John 4:17-19