The Power of Stories

I believe in the power of stories.

They tear down walls that were seemingly insurmountable.

They create bridges where there were previously chasms.

They have Jesus woven in their foundation.

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I love stories. I read a lot of fiction, and getting lost in the pages of my books is one of my favorite pastimes. But there’s something about sharing our own personal stories…

They’re not as well-written as the novels I love so dearly. They’re not tied up in a pretty bow at the end. There’s no knight in shining armor or even a narrator to explain to us exactly what’s happening.

No. Our stories are gritty. They’re hard and painful and oftentimes difficult to share. But our stories are special. Our stories are written by the One who created the galaxies. And that makes our stories infinitely better than any novel I could ever read.

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I’m starting a new social media series for our church. I’m sure you’ve heard of Humans of New York, but if you haven’t I sincerely recommend you look into it.  The stories told there are powerful and deeply moving.

I’m so excited to share will all of you the stories I’ve been collecting from members of our church for Humans of H2O.

Through collecting these stories, I’ve already had the opportunity to make connections with people. Reading their stories leaves me with goosebumps and sometimes tears in my eyes because of how evident the gospel is in each and every one. Our stories embody the good news of Jesus, and the redemption that God has brought to the people of our church will never cease to amaze me.

As exciting as it is that we’ve grown to two services on Sunday mornings, it also can create a distance between our members. It’s easier to hover unnoticed underneath the surface. But that’s not what H2O is about. We thrive on relationships and healthy community. It’s who we are at our very core.

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So I hope these stories impact you the way they’ve impacted me. I hope they speak to you. I hope they give you joy.

But most of all, I hope they inspire you to connect with the human who wrote them. Because stories are powerful.

Join me on the journey as we do this life together.

 

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Contributing author: Jessi T.