Everyone Has a Story

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." In the beginning, in Genesis 1:27, it all started as it is written, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." There is no question that God made us, special in His image, for His purpose, and for His bride. And while He created us in His own image, to have a relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, He also made us individually different, special and with special gifts and talents.

Because God made us special in His sight, He also gave us our own story! We all have a story don't we? How we grew up, experiences we've had, where God appointed us to be born, the exact moment of our birth, our choices we've made, be it good or bad, and our testimony of how we came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. It all makes up our story! 1 Thessalonians 5:9, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" When I was a new Christian, I'd often wonder why I wasn't born centuries earlier in the days of our Lord, then later, why couldn't I have been born in the Renaissance era. As I grew to know the Lord better, I began to understand that each of us He already knew before we were even born. It is God who appoints our time here on earth, as well as our parents we are born to. He allows our experiences, our failures, our successes because He will use them for HIS glory when we are presented with an opportunity to SHARE our story! I guess maybe I wouldn't have served the purpose the Lord needed me to serve had I been born in another time, another decade or even in another country. Ah, but the stories I have that I hold dear to my heart! Even through the tough times, through the difficult uphill battles, and through the darkness, I have always felt the Lord's presence, either walking beside me, going before me or carrying me! He was, is and always will be the center of my STORY!

In the position I hold currently, I hear people's stories all day long! Do I ever get tired of listening? Never! I am extremely blessed to be given this opportunity to hear their stories, to take a peek inside of their souls and in many cases, to shine the Lord's Light on their lives. Whether they know it or not. It gives me the chance to glimpse inside to see what makes them who they are, much the same way someone does the same thing with me when hearing my story. People from all backgrounds, all denominations, all races, all tongues share their stories and I let them. Sometimes I ask, and more often than not, I don't.....they share them anyway! I know if a story is shared with me from a total stranger, then they have seen or felt something in my spirit that they felt safe enough to share their experiences and I am honored that the Lord chose me for that particular moment in time!

The Lord is the Lord of the WORLD, not just a section of the world, or a specific nation! He made the world, everything in it and he created US! Each and every single person! God gave His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for ALL of OUR sins! Not just part of our sins and not just for part of the people, nations, tribes and tongues! Jesus sees no color, race, or religion. He loves us in spite of our sinful nature because His blood was shed for our sins. He sees our hearts. He knows us by name and numbers each strand of hair on our heads! Luke 12:7 says, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." In Isaiah 43:7 He says, "(Even) every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him." He doesn't like religion any more than some of you who may be reading this right now. God did not make religion, MAN did! Jesus never once preached religion while He was ministering to the people, He preached the GOSPEL, straight from His Father's Word! He was teaching that He is the ONLY  WAY to get to the Father God. It is only through repenting of one's sins, believing upon Jesus Christ as one's personal savior and asking Him into one's heart for eternal life! Simple Salvation. That's what Jesus preached. Not religion. He wants ALL of us to know Him, love Him and have a relationship with Him, and spend ETERNITY with Him. But He also knows He will be rejected, just as He was while walking the earth, doing His ministry, then dying for our sins on the cross!! And in Revelation 20:15, He tells us this, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." The lake of fire is definitely not where one should desire to spend eternity!!! But every single person has a CHOICE to either follow the Lord Jesus Christ or to spend eternity in the lake of fire. God is such a loving God that He will not FORCE anything on His creation. He gives us a choice....Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Our story....it's to connect with others, share, relate, and learn from others. Our stories can teach, guide, direct and motivate each other. Our stories tell the world who we are, what makes us individual and special, and if you listen hard enough, it will even reveal how to relate, and understand, that individual! We all have pain in our lives, joy, happiness, peace, sorrow, excitement, anxiety and a slew of other emotions. We all share those SAME EMOTIONS! Our stories are just different. Uniquely special. The details that accompany those emotions are different. Because WE are different and the stories are our life's mission accomplished. We continue to add pages to our stories every day. Each new experience is added, each smile, laugh, sadness or tear continues to grow our story even more! My story continues to grow every day and I continue to thank the Lord for my story, for His love and comfort through the hard chapters, but more than any of that, I praise and thank Him on High for the blood that He shed for us, so that we can share His story throughout the land!

In Revelations 14:6-7, John the Revelator says this, "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people (v7) saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”