The Story Must Be Told

I have had the gathering sense these last few weeks that the story of my last few months, of the things God has done must be told. Not in abstract references, and oblique comments, but in a manner that will hopefully communicate the depth of my wonder and awe and bewilderment at this place I have suddenly found myself inhabiting.

The thing is, I wasn't fully convinced that I needed to tell this story. I mostly thought it was just for me, for those few friends who have been integral parts of the journey these last years and months, and possibly for the few God has put in my path to minister to - the ones to whom my story might possibly be an encouragement. But, the sense that this must be told has grown - that it must be told broadly - that I must speak up and say "This is the thing that God has done for me." And yet, I wasn't quite convinced.

So, this morning, I was sitting curled up on a bench at the mall, because I was early for work, and I was reading a passage in the Psalms. I've decided recently to be more deliberate in my scripture reading, because I find myself needing the strengthening of that daily time with God as I enter the challenges that daily living is presenting. I decided to read Psalm 107, which God laid on my heart nearly a year ago as an encouragement, not only for me, but for the life of someone in my family who was in the midst of a difficult situation. At that time, I had read it in the Message, but last weekend I purchased a beautiful purse-sized copy of the Bible in the New Living Translation, so that is what I was reading in this morning.

And this is the verse I encountered:
"Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies." (Psalm 107:2 NLT)

I'm convinced. Watch for the story. It'll take me a while to pull it together. I need to tell it in person to a couple more important people in my life, and then I'll probably start writing. I want to do a good job in telling this story - a God honoring job. I want to take my time and work at it carefully, because God gave me this gift of writing, and sometimes I just use it in a slap-dash fashion. But this story is especially His, and it must be done right! (With all that said, I may devote my day off tomorrow to this pursuit, and you could find it here as early as tomorrow or Wednesday!)

I'll leave you with these words from Blue Like Jazz that caught me as I was re-flipping through the book the other day. Miller writes, " I know now, from experience, that the path to joy winds through this dark valley. I think every well-adjusted human being has dealt squarely with his or her own depravity. I realize this sounds very Christian, very fundamentalist and browbeating, but I want to tell you this part of what the Christians are saying is true. I think Jesus feels strongly about communicating the idea of our brokenness, and I think it is worth reflection." (pg. 23)