Listen To The Story

What is it about a person's story that can capture our attention so wholly? 

Why do we listen intently to great storyteller's? 

What is it that draws us to hear powerful stories from people just like ourselves? 

If you read, The Story That Has Captured My Heart, then you've heard me talk about how our story is not our own when we live for Christ.

God has truly been showing me how to listen, truly listen, to someone's story. He's showing me what it looks like to see past all of the exterior walls that people build, and see someone's heart, even when they don't want you to. It is intriguing for me to watch an audience engage with a speaker as they tell a story. Just the other day, I was sitting in a meeting and as one of my pastor's told a story it gave me goosebumps. When we are watching movies, which are stories, we are wrapped up in them. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we are moved to tears, sometimes we are angry, and sometimes we cringe. But we are entranced by the story.

What God has me pondering is why we only listen to some stories. Every story is unique and every experience has a story. My encouragement for you, and for myself, is to listen to people's stories. You can learn so much about a person by allowing yourself to listen, truly listen. That story may show you something you didn't realize about that person. If you let it, it could move you to tears.

God gave us the ability to relate to others for a reason. Do it. You may see God in a different way through someone else and their story.

Justice For All?

I think is easier for me to just think when there's a lot on my mind. I'm not exactly sure why. But for one reason or another, I just can't seem to write when there's a lot on my mind. And that's how this these past couple months have been. At every turn, it seems like there's something new. Some problem arises, or some issue presents itself. Whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. At almost every turn, there is something new. 

I'm not sure why. I don't know the reasons. But I do know that God is with me. 

In women's Bible study, we have been learning about justice. In case you don't know this, I graduated with my degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology this past December. I have been learning about justice for some time now, and it still fascinates me. This study has proven over and over again, how much I enjoy learning about justice. Justice is my passion. Learning about it this semester has been so different then the classes that I took in college.

I know why it's different, it is because we are learning about it from a Biblical perspective. We have been pouring over scripture these past few weeks to understand what God intends justice to be. Actually, we've even come up with some definitions!

Justice is God's design for restoring us into right relationship with Him and others. 

When God administers justice it is founded in love and is fair, impartial, perfect, restorative, generous, and on time. 

If I am obedient to God's command to do justice, it should include humility, impartiality, generous care of those in need and righting the things that are wrong as we reflect the heart and character of God.

My favorite passage has been Micah 6:1-8.

6 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;
    let the hills hear what you have to say.

² “Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;
    listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case against his people;
    he is lodging a charge against Israel.

³ “My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened you? Answer me.
⁴ I brought you up out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
    also Aaron and Miriam.
⁵ My people, remember
    what Balak king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,
    that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”

⁶ With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly^[a] with your God.


This passage has been such an encouragement to my heart. It is a reminder of the things that God has done for us. He is proving his love, justness, and ways he moved throughout this chapter. Then after he is done saying these things, we are face with the question, "And what does the Lord require of you?" I don't know about you, but I have been faced with that question over and over in my lifetime. I want to be sure that I am doing exactly what the Lord wants me to do. But it is spelled out so succinctly in verse 8. This passage has transformed this question for me. I love the reminders that God has moved so tremendously and that he tells us exactly what is required of us! Have faith, friends! Know that God is with you and he will bring justice, but it is his own time.