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We’re talking about stories at Venture this December. I’m certain we’ve all got plenty of good stories to tell. I’m a huge sucker for stories. If you’ve got one, I’m pulling up a chair and leaning in.

I was getting a haircut the other day. A silent haircut is an awkward haircut; and I think every hair stylist knows it. They aren’t gonna let that slide. Salon professionals are well trained with scissors, as well as, with words. My hair stylist generated conversation with ease. We briefly talked about Christmas music before she asked what plans I had for the day. 

“Headed for some Christmas festivities with my family.”

This was an on-ramp for a plethora of questions for her to follow with. She followed the script. I answered her next questions with the facts that my wife and I have 3 kids. 2 older girls and our little guy. She asked about their names. I knew the next on-ramp that was ahead was not going to be on her map. We were about to enter some God stories.

“The girls are Lilli, 10, and Halle, 7, and we broke the rhythm we had going with our 4 year old, his name is Lamarkas.”

“Oh…. That’s an interesting choice. How did you pick that name?”

“Well, we actually adopted Lamarkas through foster care. His birth parents gave him that name.”

Noticing we had really veered off course from the usual conversation, I started to expand on the story God has been writing in our lives. How we didn’t expect to add to our family but we really wanted to subtract from children being in situations they didn’t deserve. How kids are worth the risk of getting your heart broken if they are able to be reunified with their parents. How grateful we are that we are able to call him son and brother in our family and how it’s changed our lives. 

There were some pauses and distractions in the story. She was a pro as she had to listen, cut my hair, and greet new customers as they came in. In the end, I got it all out there and she concluded with this -

“Wow. That’s really incredible. Thanks for doing that and thanks for sharing it!”

Do you have little instances in your life like this? Moments where you have, even if very small, opportunities to share how God is writing your story? 

Let me answer that question for you. 

Yes. You do. 

If you believe you don’t have these opportunities, I would encourage you to purchase an antenna to detect them. They are there. Nearly every day, I bet. 

God is writing your story. He’s writing it in you every day. Even now, this moment may be the beginning of a new chapter. 

And your story is one worth sharing. All stories are. A story being told kind of comes with the territory of story. If a story is not being told, is it really a story? 

I would lobby that we aren’t living the life God wants for us if we aren’t telling stories of how He’s used us. How he’s been faithful to us. How we’ve gone through terrible things but we trust Him. How our lives are different because we surround ourselves with ways to worship Him. 

If you think about it, you’re loaded with God stories. Every conversation can have side streets to talk about who God is and what He’s done in your life. 

But take notice - I greatly valued my conversation and I believe God shined in that moment. Yet I never once said Jesus’ name. 

We often have this unrealistic and grand vision in our mind of how “evangelism” or “sharing the gospel” will go down. It’s straight out of a Hallmark movie and the lighting is perfect as the camera slowly zooms in. By all means, if it does go that way, seize the opportunity and tell God’s story. But it often happens in much more subtle ways. 

There are small windows of opportunity that people give us to share some God stories. Hopefully, we get more opportunities to get to know people better and really open up on those stories. It doesn’t always end up that a first conversation turns into a relationship but we should never allow even a small opportunity to pass without letting God use us. We can never truly know how displaying kindness and love (fruits from God) in simple ways can give God a chance to inch closer to someone in their story. 

You have stories. They are worth sharing. God gives us regular opportunities to tell them, even if it’s just the cliff notes. Don’t miss them. 

How are you allowing God to use your story?

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