The Rest of Your Story 26: What's your Story Statement?

*  The 21- day challenge started on part 11 of the series. That's why the numbers are higher than 21.

A Story Statement is a lot like a Mission Statement. I like the word "story" because it implies creativity and freedom as well as reminding me that God is the Author.

Whatever you call it, the purpose is the same: to bring focus and intention to our stories.

There are many ways to write a Story Statement. Let's start with the simplest. 

Think back on everything we've covered: Strengths, Skills, WWW. Then create a sentence with this structure...

To bring + (what) + (who) + (how)

Mine: To bring hope and encouragement to the hearts of women through words.

(You can change "bring" to another verb if it helps.) 

We'll talk about how to add more to our Story Statements later.

How we live this statement will change many times during our story.

For example, I have pitcher that I love. I've used it to pour lemonade, water, and tea. I've used it at parties, for my husband, and with family at the holidays.

If that pitcher said, "I'm just made to pour iced tea on Saturdays" then it would only partially understand its purpose.

That pitcher might feel like a failure if I wanted to use it to serve orange juice on Sunday mornings instead. But I would be happy about it.

God calls us His "vessel." That means we'll express our Story Statement in various situations, amounts, and times. The words we write down aren't meant to confine us but rather to bring focus and then set us free to be used by God however He chooses.

For example, speaking encouragement to a tired cashier is just as much living out my life story statement as writing a book that will be read by thousands.

What God wants most in our stories is our hearts. After all, It's not about the size of the word but the meaning behind it.

Big or small, He can use it all.

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TODAY: Write a one sentence rough draft of your life story statement. (Use the structure above or your own way and spend less than 5 minutes on it.)

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Comments

[Robyn]

Iv'e found today's -I think?!

Then create a sentence with this structure...
To bring + (what) + (who) + (how) :-

To Call forth- Lonely Christian single's- through emails, telephone calls- to various regular social event!

Robyn xx

[Margie]

To bring God's living word to anyone I meet by how I live my life.

[Becky]

Dear Holley,

I think I have mine, too.

Then create a sentence with this structure...
To bring + (what) + (who) + (how)

Mine: To share God's love as well as how His love has changed me to God's people in whatever creative way I can.

Thank you, Holley. I never imagined that my story statement would seem so important. :)

Blessings!

[Sal]

Thanks for putting it so simply yet beautifully Holley!

I think mine is:

To bring hope and joy to fellow pilgrims, through my words and as I try to reflect His love through example.

[Beth]

Actually, I did not realize my statement has been a prayer for years.
Mine has been:
I hope to bring others to Him through the love that I show and share.
It's amazing how often we pray that our prayers are a light into who we are, what we think, what's in our hearts. Not everyone's prayers are the same. I think this has been my Mission.

[Carol]

Thanks Holley for helping me focus on the spiritural again, the mission God has for me. Through the years, hearing the word HOPE brought to my heart hope, lifting me out of depression, anger, self-pity, into hope and purpose again. Recently I started to make cards that focused on Hope. After making and giving away a few, the Lord showed me that I needed to believe that Hope for myself first, and then pass it on in several different forms: handmade cards, making a phone call, or visiting a friend, living His hope and praying for, my children, grandchildren, or in my home with my husband. I just need to remember to let God do the leading and choosing of how His love will be brought home:)

So my Life Story (Mission) Statement will go something like this:

To give Hope, Encouragement, Peace and Joy to whoever God puts in my life, even for the smallest moment, leading each one toward the love in Christ.

I'm sure the ways God has me do this will be changed, and that I can do only because "I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me." and that beats anything I can try to do through my own self-righteousness.

[Sheila Buchanan]

To allow God to lead me in making life changes through prayer, reading His Word, and through the people that He puts in my life.

This statement is quite profound to me for I have always wanted to have the "control", but I think I have finally "got it" and am allowing HIM to lead and direct all my choices and decisions.

[Grace]

Paul Says it Best..Grace to You and Peace from God Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ....Christ is My "How" every day:D

[Cari]

As usual, timely and perfect Holley!

My Story Statement:

To bring connection and covenant friendship to women through the spoken and written word.

[Carol]

To provide direction, security and comfort to my family by meeting their needs as a Godly wife and mother.

To empower and encourage the women in my life to know the peace and joy of being in relationship with God by sharing my life’s story of both defeats and victories.

[wendy thomas]

to help people come into a living relationship with God as their heavenly father both through written and spoken words and to help them find their god given dream and fulfill it.

[Maura]

To bring compassion and understanding to women who are walking in the valley through my words and my actions.

[pam]

im made to make brownies for sunday afternoon church.

[Faithful Pen]

To strengthen others to overcome by sharing my own victories via creative arts and compassion.

[Valerie]

This is the original rough draft....my first thoughts!

To bring the love and hope of Christ to hurting friends and strangers through spontaneous, God-inspired acts of service.

[Sandy M.]

My Life Story Statement....To Serve God for All that He has Done in My life by Helping Others in His Community of This World.

“[Love] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Blessings....Sandy.

[Lori]

To help my family thrive with my resourcefulness.

[The Shepherd's Daughter]

To give hope to others and encourage them with words, gifts,or by sharing my story of victory in Jesus,

[Lisa Rohrbaugh]

God has taught me so much through the lives of elderly lonely people who have a story to tell.

[Peggy Schafer]

To creatively instruct, encourage and edify my husband, youth students, women and others thru object lessons, cards, drama, that they may grow up in their faith.

[Natalie]

To serve and encourage others through words and actions.

[Marilyn]

To show, the light & joy of Jesus, to a lost and dark world, through my faith and daily walk.

[Char]

To share hope and God’s Grace through my story to my children and grandchildren so that they may learn, hear, and act in a way that would be pleasing to God.

[Jan Yuille]

Holley, my statement is very similar to yours.

Offering words of Hope, Inspiration, and Strength (tm) to all. I am an artist and have been working on and off on a specific project for the last 16 years, a product that will help people feel encouraged in their time of need. It is finally coming together and the above statement is part of my product's name. Is this coincidence or what? I have been asking for divine direction for my new path and whether or not I should keep working on this project and whether or not it is worthy and I feel as though I am being divinely encouraged.

[Pat]

Thanks so much Holley for clarifying why the Story numbers go beyond 21 (as I understand it, we should start writing at Story 11). Also, thanks for making the definition of our Life's Statement simple. I think mine is:
I am a nurturer, a peacemaker and a helper/servant where my heart and skills are needed. I love to bring joy and to spread God’s word when and where needed.