The Importance of Storying: My Story

My story starts off immediately with God’s faithfulness as my birthgrandmother ran away from home to have my birthmother instead of aborting like her family wanted. She gave my birthmother up for adoption a few days later and my birthmother gave me up for adoption when I was two years old. My loving parents raised me in a Christian home, actively a part of the local church. So you can see that God’s gentle hand has already been with me thus far.

A missionary came to my private school and though I heard the Gospel many times by the age of 7, I didn’t really know what that meant for me until he spoke. I remember him holding up a box of cheerios emphasizing that many kids in other countries do not have a choice of what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner; many do not have the luxury to eat more than once a day. My heart stirred and I knew this is what God wanted me to do. So in that moment I knew God was real, I knew He had sent His Son to die for my sins, I knew that Christ was alive and His Spirit in me, and I knew there was a world that needed to know Him too. I knew He wanted to use me to tell those who haven’t heard the name of Jesus. It was a command, after all! Being a part of Girls In Action and reading through books on missionaries only confirmed that that’s what I wanted and needed to do. I was blessed to be adopted into a loving family and wanted others to be adopted into the Kingdom of God.

My faith was tested throughout the years and only grew through moving across the country, voluntarily switching to public school, my devotion to the fine arts, challenging mission trips in the community and overseas, choosing a career path, attending college, relationships with non-believers, finding God can use my artistic talents for His glory through summers in Haiti, spending time in Morocco and living in India, and most recently in marriage and support raising.

There have been so many times the Lord has made His Presence known and His calling clear. The more I commune with Him every day, the more I walk in the freedom of Christ. I’ve struggled with guilt, easily seeing the negative, and being my harshest critic, but the Lord has been good to me to see that His Grace is sufficient and His mercies are new every morning. We're heading to South Asia where many commit suicide due to their belief in reincarnation and worship gods without any hope in this life or the one after. God’s called us to reach a people group who were slaves and are oppressed, who are still slaves to sin and who have not yet heard the Hope found in Christ. Where the Spirit of God is, there is freedom!

The Importance of Storying: Culture

"You get to be wiser by storying the world and seeing it through other forms of consciousness than your own."  

-- Aidan Chambers

Culture: a patterned way which people do things together;  an integrated system of beliefs, values, customs, institutions. 

There are four different ways of learning:  visual, auditory, reading/writing, kinesthetic. The U.S. schools have approached the classroom lecture-style -- "cognitive dumping" as we call it.  But that's not the only way.  Nor should it be when we're adapting to other cultures. Two-thirds of the world are primarily oral learners (by mouth, spoken rather than written).  We see this in villages where stories have been handed down generation after generation.

Jesus wasn't English.

It wouldn't behoove of me to share the Good News in a Western way.  When my husband and I are overseas, lecture-style wouldn't get far, even if we knew the language well, and culturally there are still barriers we may never get past in 30 years.  If we're sharing the Gospel only in a literate way, there is higher risk of a superficial grasp of faith. The goal here is to urgently, efficiently and strategically adapt our styles of teaching to the culture we are reaching so that it can reproduce without us.  There are cultures within a culture, many dialects within a language, and various worldviews that differ from ours.  So what can we do?

First, it's not about us.  It's about the One who gives life and keeps us breathing.  It's about God's glory and nothing else.  Yes Jesus died for our sins but the purpose was so that we can have a restored relationship with the God of the Universe -- and it ultimately brings Him glory!

Second, because of His awesome love, grace and passion for His lost children who are dying every day not ever hearing His Name, He commands us to go.  He may not be calling you overseas, but he may be asking you to develop a relationship with that co-worker or neighbor of yours.  Have an open mind, soft heart, listening ear, and feet ready to go.  Be aware and refuse to remain ignorant that there's a constant spiritual war happening all around us.  It's beautiful when we obey because we come to a closer understanding of who God is, and that deepens our relationship with Him and brings others closer to Him.  Stay rooted in His life-giving Word!  Surround yourself with the Church -- someone who can mentor you, someone you can walk alongside with and keep each other accountable, and someone you can mentor.

Third, ask Him how He wants to use you.  He's already equipped you with all you need at this moment.  He can use your testimony, talents, personality, even something you own or someone you know.  I've known several families on the field where they were able to develop relationships just because they have kids.  When you're single you have more freedom to invest your time and energy traveling, discipling youth and doing some ministry opportunities families are not able to do.  My dad owns a mower business and he personally delivers parts and mowers to his customers, showing he cares about them and is then able to develop relationships that way.

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt." Deuteronomy 10:18-19

Do your research but also ask questions of another people group you're trying to reach.  Invite them over for tea or coffee -- what does their culture enjoy?  Ask to visit with them or have them take you to an ethnic store -- where do they shop and what meals do they enjoy?  What do they value and what is their story?  You'll find that talking about His Story comes easier than we think.  But God can't use us if we're not active.

Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, how can we walk in obedience and Truth this week?

The Importance of Storying: Using Your Skills

Remember that one time you saw that piece of art and it just stuck with you?  You witnessed that powerful dance.  You learned that one story that you could re-tell to anyone at any time.  Don't even mention that catchy commercial jingle!

"Nic at Night! Here's the story of Nic at night! What the Savior said to 

that good man and what began when Jesus met with Nic at night!" 

When I was about 7 years old I got my first lead in a children's church musical.  We danced down halls, had flashlights in sweet old lady church goers faces, but most importantly I learned about Nicodemus and the night Jesus changed his life (John 3). It changed mine as well.

I had one field worker tell me that he could never understand how I could use the arts to reach people with the Good News.  He was a doctor meeting physical needs constantly.  Hey, mister, I said under my breath, don't limit God to what He can do and what He can use.  A year later, I was in India dancing with the street kids, singing about Jesus in their language.  I was sharing stories of Jesus through henna on my hands to women from all backgrounds, Muslim and Hindu, educated and illiterate.  I was able to develop relationships, sharing a new story each time we met and discipling young ladies.  Now God had already given me the talents for this purpose, I just needed to be obedient in building my skill-set and sharing wherever I was! He wants to use us to make His Name known -- what a calling!
Be encouraged! God is the Ultimate Artist and His greatest creation is you. 

The outcast woman who bled for 12 years has
faith that Jesus will heal her in the midst of the
crowd and the many years of wasted treatment.
Luke 8:40-48

From Haiti to India, I've seen God work mightily through the arts.  He is an Artist after all, and He created me with specific skills to be used for His Kingdom.  Whether it was through photography, music, henna, dance or some other form of art, He was telling His Story through these culturally appropriate venues.  What did He specifically equip you with?

Are there refugees in your community?  There's likely a retirement home within 5 miles of your house.  Foster families, homeless shelters, lawn work, free medical clinics for the poor, library programs, school volunteer projects.  Think about the thousands of international students who attend school here and are never invited into a home.  
You don't have to go, they're already here.

Gen 2:7, Psalm 139:14, 2 Cor 3:5, 1 Cor 12:14, 1 Cor 10:31


If you're still not so sure if God can use you, here's an encouraging quote from Christine Caine:

"Abraham was old (Genesis 17:1; 24:1), Sarah was impatient (Genesis 16), Noah got drunk (Genesis 25–27), Miriam was a gossiper (Numbers 12:1–2, Jacob was a cheater (Genesis 25–27), Jonah ran away (Jonah 1:3), David had an affair (2 Samuel 11–12), Elijah was moody—one minute bold and courageous and the next fearful and on the run (1 Kings 18–19), Peter had a temper (John 18:10), Paul was a persecutor (Acts 8:3; 9:1-2), Martha was a worrier (Luke 10:40–41), Thomas doubted (John 20:24–26), Zacchaeus was short (Luke 19:3), and Lazarus was dead (John 11:14–44). But God had a purpose for each of these people. He chose them. He qualified them. He called them, just as he is calling you and me—to go and do in his name. And when he calls us, the name he calls us by is the one he used in the very beginning—good (Genesis 1:26–28; 2:20–23)." 

The Importance of Storying: God's Story

Major Literary Styles of the Bible:

75% narrative story (revealing the work of God through stories all pointing to Christ)

15% poetry (songs, lamentations and proverbs expressing various emotions)

10% thought organized (logical and linear Greek-influenced thinking)

When you think about it, what is the Bible?  It's the Word of the One True God, living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The whole Bible points towards Jesus. The Old Testament contains prophecies about the Messiah and patterns of God's activity which Jesus interprets in all the Scriptures as "the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:26-27).  Jesus spoke in parables, simple stories illustrating a moral and spiritual lesson, throughout His ministry.

If God communicated the majority of His message to the world through story, 

how does this change how we approach sharing the Gospel?

When people hear the biblical story for the first time:

"They ask themselves, 'Is this good for us? Does it give us a better way of coping with our world, of making sense of it? Does this story match reality as we know it? Does it give hope to our people?' 

For the biblical story to be received and believed by a people, it must find place and connection within their worldview. If it is perceived as a story that has answers for their people, as a story that fulfills the longings and hopes of their people, it becomes good news to them. They can see themselves connected in a new way to an ancient and holy God who has great concern for them. He has revealed Himself to them in His Son who fulfills ancient promises and hopes for every nation. Following Him restores their identity and purpose on earth. They become part of God's story."1

What is God's Story?

True Story.  In the beginning there was God.  He created the world, but his most special creation was man and woman.  They had a perfect relationship with their loving Father without sin until temptation of power came their way.  Since God is so holy, man couldn't have a direct relationship with their Creator anymore.  Over the years, there were many sacrifices, trying to please a holy God, but no blood atonement could work except for the Son of God.  So the Father sent His Son to us to be that last and ultimate sacrifice.  By defeating death, sin and shame, we now have freedom in Christ because He made a way for us to have that community with God that we so desperately desire.

"For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. "  John 3:16-17 

The Wrong Approach:

Christianity has unfortunately been associated with colonialism so strongly that it did not represent Christ well while exploring other nations.  It became a religion which was used to justify the actions of the colonists.  Zealots became crusaders tainting the work of Jesus by displaying the cross on their shields and warring against Muslims in His Name.  Some European missionaries went to villages in Africa and expected the villagers to worship God through singing and reading in English.  In the past, we've tried to change their values, beliefs, religion, and worldview to fit ours forgetting to truly serve one another in love (Galations 5:13).

The Life-Giving Approach:

It's so important to try to understand their culture and to realize they need to know God intimately in their mother-tongue, their heart language.  Unlike the Allah in Islam who only speaks and accepts Arabic, God created all languages and tongues and people.  He enjoys His ethnically diverse creation and wants all peoples to know their Creator.  Take a moment to reflect on your identity found in Christ.  How does that change your perspective on life?  How does that affect your relationships?  We are given freedom and life in Christ because of God's boundless grace towards us every single day (Lamentations 3:22-23).

How can we not tell this Story!

1  "Transforming Worldviews through the Biblical Story" by D.Bruce Graham

Secret Place

Here's a post from little more than a year ago when I was living in North Africa.  The feelings of needing to get away from the busy streets, construction outside my window, various distractions and just spending time with the Father have not been absent.  I've been yearning for this freedom and solitude.  I have to find a place where I can go about once a month and just spend the day or night with Him.

Friday, October 26, 2012

The moon, one of the two bright eyes that oversee the earth, shine beams of dazzling light on the rooftops, giving away my position if anyone dared look out their window.  Her am I, on the highest part of the roof;  the concrete walls my friends and the crisp evening air blow my soft curls against my shoulders as I sit and admire the glowing ball in the sky.  Potential storm clouds sail the thin sea of cumulus clouds, wrapping around the mountains like a ghost ship sailing towards the east.  In response, the clothes and billowy sheets sway on the clothesline, either waving at the great host of clouds or warning that they soon will come.

I found the ladder while dancing barefoot on the chilly cement roof.  Four stories high and no one traveling the dirt streets would see me dancing.  This is where I can be alone, where I can be free.  Feel the dirt clinging to my feet; the cold air whipping my face, the current flowing from my toes to my fingertips.  A wooden ladder lay propped against the wall of the small laundry room.  With the thought that someone might see me, I hesitated, not wanting to cause a riot of why an American girl was climbing the roof in a Mslim country in jeans and without a headscarf at night.  But then the adventurous side of me kicked in and I gripped the rickety wooden ladder and climbed until I felt rough concrete.

However, I was not alone in my secret place.

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I trust!"  Psalm 91:1-2

The wild boar scavenging food for its young, cats hopping from wall to wall, people chattering away in foreign tongue, shadows of families preparing for dinner flicker through the glass window panes.  Everything God made surrounds me like a silent song, for not every living creature knows it's Creator.

K@

And by the time I've finished this post, the Father has already provided a secret place where I can get away every now and then. ♥