We Are The Story

I love stories.

I love hearing stories. I love telling stories. I love making up stories. I like being a part of someone else’s story. If there is a story associated with it, then I will love it.

This is a particularly good thing because everyone and everything has a story.

Many of us like to think that we might just have a few cool stories to share. We have a few stories locked up in our minds for parties, faith-sharing groups, heart to hearts, mixers, first dates, etc. However, what we fail to recognize is that although we all have stories that we like to share, those stories are not who we are.

We are the story.

And the story is not complete until the end of time.

I listen to a podcast by the Lanky Guys. It is a podcast designed to help Catholics prepare for the Mass. They unpack scripture in a way that I have never experienced before. This week they really struck something deep in my heart. They were talking about how the Israelites thought about only that one moment in time, and they seemed to miss the thread going through Salvation History.

We miss the thread going through our lives as well.

Because we focus so much on the old stories or on the big things we are waiting for, we tend to forget how each moment of our lives has set us up to become the person we are truly meant to be. And with that, we tend to forget how much went in to those big moments that transformed our lives.

Let’s take one of my big faith moments as an example.

I did not have very many friends in middle school. People did not understand my happy-go-lucky demeanor, and they did not understand why I would spend all of my time at dance. They bullied me to the point of me walking on our middle school track on my own. All I wanted was a friend who would be willing to walk with me.

Then I felt a warm presence beside me, and I heard a voice say, “It’s ok, I’m here.”

It was my guardian angel.

Now, if someone were to hear this story out of the context of my entire upbringing, they would not understand just how special this moment really was. They would also question how a thirteen year old kid could possibly know that an angel had spoken to her.

What many folks don’t know is that I was raised to be friends with my angel.

The first prayer I learned as a child was the “Gaurdian Angel Prayer.” When I was anxious, my parents would remind me that my angel would keep me safe and protect me. They also told me that I could my angel’s hand at Mass when there was an empty space next to me during the Our Father.

I always knew that I could talk to my angel, and I always knew that I could trust in my angel.

Had my parents not raised me to love my angel, then I probably would not have been able to hear its voice on that gloomy day in middle school. I probably would have continued to feel exceptionally lonely, even though my angel was right by my side, desperately trying to love me. Each of my little stories with my angel and the Saints lead to this moment.

How did I come to this conclusion?

Someone told me to tell them everything about my spiritual life, my relationship with Jesus Christ, from birth until that day. It was a part of the Intentional Discipleship series that I am currently participating in as a part of my formation. This was a particularly special conversation because there was not a time limit, nor did I have to worry about any other limitations. All I had to do was tell my story and trust that the Holy Spirit would guide the discussion.

I had to share my story in its entirety to see the beautiful thread running through my life. Like a rose-stem, it is covered in thorns, but at the end there will be a beautiful flower.

So too with your life, Dear Reader.

You might not think that everything in your life has meaning Dear Reader.

However, sometimes the little things are the most important parts of the story to those who listen.

I know that my parents knew that teaching the Newton Children about the Communion of Saints and the Angels was important, but they never could have predicted just how much I would need those in Heaven to love me here on Earth. They could not have known that I would be bullied like I was in middle school. They could not have known the spiritual experiences that I would have that would force me to search for answers from Sts. Teresa and Therese. 

Because my parents shared that little piece of their lives with me, I was able to live a fuller life of faith and hope.

Make sharing the little moments of grace in your life the norm. 

God is writing a beautiful story with each and every human life. It might not look perfect, but your life was given to you by the One Who Loved You First. We might understand some of the more exciting chapters, but that does not mean that the “filler” chapters do not contain meaning.

Yes, we can find the beautiful thread on our own, but it is incredibly difficult. That is why we need to share our lives with others, with those who love us for who we are, no matter what.

The story is not your’s to keep. It is your’s to share with the world.

I encourage you, Dear Reader, to find a soul who would be willing to hear your story in its entirety, no judgment nor strings attached. Maybe participate in a group like Intentional Discipleship, or perhaps find a friend who appreciates your story for what it is. Maybe you have a great Spiritual Director.

As you share your story, you will start to notice just how many things God has done in your life, and your listener will have the opportunity to share insights with you that you might not be able to notice on your own.

I am grateful to my God for the many beautiful stories that He gave me.

Now I can see how my little stories are tied together, and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

I pray that you find your story Dear Reader. I pray that the thread of your life is as unexpectedly beautiful to you as mine was for me. I pray that you find a soul to listen to you, and I pray that they have the same humility as my small group leader had while listening to me. I pray that the souls you share your smaller stories with, such as some of my best friends, find the same humility and are able to share stories with you too.

You have an incredible story ahead of you Dear Reader

And I look forward to hearing it