Be As You Are

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. " - Maya Angelou


"Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see." - C. S. Lewis 


"I hope I didn't bore you too much with my life story." - Elvis Presley 

Tuesday night my small group did something they haven't done since I've been attending. Everyone there told their story...the story of who they are and have been, what events and afflictions have affected their lives and how the testimonies of others have impacted them.

I've known most of the people there for a year now. These are people I truly like to spend time with, love for who they are and respect. We talk before and after small group, use Google Chat during the week, stalk each other and share links on Facebook and occasionally text but for the most part, their individual, personal stories have remained a mystery.

As a person who is pretty open about my life, I was fascinated. I guess I always assumed that people have and keep it together better than I do. I assumed that people have always been what they are and are content where they are, like they are static individuals, not the dynamic people that I now know them to be. In the midst of my own junk and struggle sharing my story, I forgot that everyone else has a story, and most of the time, I just see a page or two.

Knowing yourself is important, but there is a life beyond you (and me). I believe that life is about helping others, going beyond yourself, becoming more than you are through service to others. Everyone has different gifts and callings, so this looks different for everyone. Knowing the stories of others is an important part of life. It allows us to see more of the "pieces,"  more than just our storyline. Seeing the stories of others, especially those who have lived longer than we have allows us to see the broad strokes, the larger picture, the God of the universe and His larger plan.

I'm currently between courses in my Master's program, so I've had a little bit of time to work on my family genealogy, which has been an ongoing project for the last three or four years. My father's father's side has been a source of frustration since I began. I could not track farther than my great-grandfather, and I began to suspect something fishy in the records, but it turned out to be a matter of the census pages not being available until this month. So far, I've traced my father's father's family (Harris) back to the time they crossed the Atlantic from England to Isle of Wight, Virginia. My father's mother's side (Renn) came from England through Jamestown in the very early years of the colony. My mother's father's side (Baker) have been traced back through Jamestown to England, and my one of my ancestors served the Tudors as national treasurer. I'm not sure I'm fond of his nickname though, "Bloody Billy Baker." Oh well, nothing I can do about five centuries worth of history. My mother's mother's side (Hurdle) has yet to be unraveled beyond a few generations. Some of the ones who crossed the Atlantic show up on ship manifests. I know that two of my ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, one of them rising to the rank of Colonel. At least four of my great-great grandfathers fought in the Confederate Army. I have a copy of my great-grandfather's WWI draft card, and my grandfather's ship's log from the destroyer he served on in WWII. I have uncles who served in Korea and Vietnam, and we lost a cousin in Iraq in 2004. My family has a long history of military service, and I am very proud of that tradition. There are some really interesting names, like Henry Augustus and Green Lafayette (pronounced la-FATE).

Knowing where you are from has some benefits. Family stories reinforce family ideals. Remembering where you've been personally and what you've come through will give you the strength to continue through present struggles. Sharing your story with someone else might make a difference in their story and the story of countless people you've never met and may never meet this side of eternity.

So I encourage you to share your story. Don't be afraid to open up to others. Your story may be salvation for someone else.

Be blessed, and be a blessing.

Always,

Sarah

Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth, O ye seed of Israel his servant, Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. - 1 Chron 16:12-13 (ASV)