Story telling

I love a good story. One of the greatest joys in life is sitting down with a good book and escaping into the world that the author has created, especially if the story is one that is unpredictable and challenging and thought provoking. Yet what I love more than reading a good story is hearing a good story, especially other people’s stories. Real life stories from everyday people are the tales that really captivate me because through the stories of everyday people we can see the beautiful tapestry that God knits throughout our lives. And if there is one thing I have learnt over time, it’s that the greatest story writer of all is God.

In my work, I get the privilege to work with a large number of volunteers across Australia and New Zealand. I travel often to meet with different teams and when I am visiting with them, one of my favourite things to do is ask them their story; why do they do what they do? What bought them here? How did they encounter Jesus? While it takes some people time to open up, for the most part people are happy to share their story and can I say, as I listen to people share about their life and the events that got them to the very spot they are standing in, time and again I am left standing in awe of how God beautifully orchestrates events in our life to get us to where He wants us. And not only do these stories show us how loving and gracious our Heavenly Father is, they also encourage us to keep walking, to keep holding firm to the promises that God made to us because He is faithful.

A little while ago I was sharing at a conference and right before I was due to get up I felt led to share my testimony as part of my presentation. I quickly shifted my notes, got up and shared my story as well as what I had been asked to present and sat down. I didn’t feel anything at the time but once the break hit, people started to come up to me to tell me they were encouraged and inspired by my testimony, which is wonderful. Praise God! Then they started to share their own stories. Men and women were coming up to me throughout they day and sharing their God story. Stories of healing and divine redirection and impossible encounters and miracles. Stories of God reaching down and lifting people up out of their pit, of bringing the prodigals home and overturning court cases. So many stories that by the end of the conference, my heart was full and encouraged and expectant. I had planned to go to the conference and encourage and equip people yet I walked away more encouraged than when I walked in and with a smile a mile wide.

When life is hard, or good, hearing an everyday person, not a celebrity preacher or mega church leader, but an ordinary person like you and I share about the faithfulness of God in their life is encouraging and good for the soul. It is inspiring. Our stories need to be shared because our stories connect us. To each other. To God. To His people and to His Kingdom. And the beauty is that we all have a story to tell. You have a story to tell just as much as I do and they are both amazing, just in different ways. You may not have a radical conversion story or a story where God took you on a crazy roller coaster ride and that is okay. Your story may be one of steadfastness and faithfulness over a lifetime of following God and that story is just as important as the radical conversion or the crazy missions story because stability and faithfulness is exactly what somebody needs to hear about and see in action. Alternatively, you could be that person with the radical conversion story and that is also great because that could be exactly what the mother of a drug addicted son needs to hear; it could be exactly what helps her stay faithful in prayer knowing that at any moment God could radically change her son’s life.

Whatever your story may be, when we place it in God’s hand and share it to bring Him glory, it will be impact. Colossians 3:17 tells us that, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’, and when we share our stories in His name, for His fame, people will be moved and lives will be impacted. So, what’s your story?


 Leila (Lays) Halawe is a Sydney based coffee loving nonfiction writer and blogger. She has published a short devotional, Love By Devotion, and shares her views on life and faith via her blog page Looking In. You can connect with her via Facebook at Leila Halawe Author and via Twitter at Leila Halawe.

Life as a Trailer

I was reminded this week of the importance of blurbs and covers for our books. This reminder actually came in reference to the impact of trailers for movies. Our minister was pointing out how movie trailers can excite potential viewers, can ensure a certain movie is put on their ‘to see’ list, can promise a viewer enjoyment, challenge, even learning. 

We know the same is true of book blurbs, covers or book trailers. In the midst of so much competition we must catch a potential reader’s attention. The few words or images we have on our book covers or in a short trailer need to promise a reader that they will be entertained, engaged, intrigued by our story, more so than other books that might be competing for their time and money. They need to feel the experience of reading our books will be worth the price they pay, will justify the time they give it, that our writing will keep them turning the pages, wanting to know how the story ends. 

A reader will be drawn to our books if they feel they will relate to the characters in the story, if they sense that the book may have answers or inspiration for some of the questions and challenges they face in their own lives. Or at least that the story will capture them enough that they can escape from their suffering or boredom for a while.  Of course our blurbs, covers and trailers need to be true representations of our stories. If a reader buys our book and then finds it does not deliver on what was promised, then of course, we’ve lost a reader.

No doubt we’ve all thought a lot about the importance of the above and worked hard at phrasing our blurbs and designing our covers to achieve the greatest impact. We know that a few words or an image can be packed with intrigue, with pathos, with challenge. They can move us, disturb us, delight us or excite us. They give us a glimpse of what is or what might be. 

Sometimes I take a photo that transports me to another place over and over again, that makes me want to know more about the story, or to write a story that inspires transformation, or even to be part of a story that is life changing. This image is one of those. It affirms for me the power of a glimpse of life. 

However, the greater challenge came for me this week as our minister went on to talk about our lives as trailers for God’s Story. I don’t think I’ve ever thought of myself as a trailer before. I suppose it’s a concept akin to being a good ‘witness’, but, as important as that is, I think the word has lost its impact or sounds too ‘religious’ these days.  So the idea of being a trailer was refreshing and also very challenging. 

When a person looks at snippets of my life, hears my words in a conversation here and there, glimpses my behaviour in various situations, what kind of trailer are they seeing and hearing? Are they moved by what they see and hear to want to know me better, to know more about my story? And more importantly, do they want to know more about the One for whom I claim to live, the One who directs my life and promises a perfect forever after ending? Is my life a trailer that excites people, moves people, and challenges them to become part of His Story? 

Of course, when a person gets to know us better, spends more time with us, gets more into our story, they need to see that the snippet or the trailer that drew them to us, is genuine, that we are truly what we seemed to be at a glimpse. Otherwise they are not going to be further drawn to the God we claim to represent and to walk with. They are not likely to believe the promises of God that we espouse. What a responsibility we have to be good trailers for God’s Story?

I was so inspired by this thought. As I think of it each day it makes me very mindful of my words, my reactions and behaviours. I truly want those around me to be drawn to the way I live, speak, love and respond, and to want to know why, and Who enables me to live this way. What a challenge!

This also applies to our books, of course. Our novels, biographies, memoirs, devotionals, inspirational books, in their entirety, need to be trailers for God’s Story; a taste of what God promises, of how God loves, an insight into the purpose and privilege of a life spent in relationship with God.   

I’ve been inspired this week to write and live as a better trailer for God’s Story. I hope you are too.

Carol

Carol writes historical novels based on her family ancestry in Australia from the First Fleet. They include the Turning the Tide series; Mary’s Guardian, Charlotte’s Angel, Tangled Secrets and Truly Free. Two of her earlier novels, Suzannah’s Gold and Rebecca’s Dream, were re-released by EBP.  Next of Kin was released last year by Rhiza Press and the sequel, Beyond the Fight, was released this April. You can see more about Carol and her novels on her website, her Amazon author page or FB author page.

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

www.facebook.com/writingtoreach