Sometimes I share the words I receive from God for the person and the direction of the interview. I would like to do that with you now.
The words I got for you–Katelyn–were, “vision,” “worth,” “comparison,” and “pain.”
Do any of these words strike chords in you?
“Yeah.”
Which ones?
“All of them. That is really weird, actually.”
Vision
“I want to be a firefighter-paramedic.”
Worth
“I’ve struggled with this for a long time, not feeling worthy. Even from the first day I accept Christ, I haven’t felt worthy.”
Comparison
“Am I successful?”
“I’m an only child.”
“Are my parents pleased?”
“I’m stressed.”
“Could my grades be better?”
“I need to be perfect.”
Pain
“Yeah, I am carrying around a lot of things I don’t know how to get rid of. Pain is like a coping mechanism or a way to reach out for help; but, it is also allowing every little thing to eat me up.”
In one word, how would you describe your story?
“I don’t really know.”
As Tablet of the Heart has collected more stories, I have recognized not every interviewee has reconciled each of their heart’s broken pieces or claimed redemption over past or present suffering. In fact, a portion of those interviewed choose monthly, weekly, or daily to receive the power of God’s love and healing. Each person—myself included—is steadily revealing an unfinished story.
When I interviewed Katelyn, I saw and heard a young woman fighting to choose hope. Her life has not been a simple stroll, jog, or even a sprint. Katelyn is living in a marathon of a life, a marathon full of choices.
You know what I also saw? A younger version of myself. Some of you may think that is frightening—if you knew me back when I was an unruly spitfire—but try not to worry. Katelyn is tenacious, driven, and outspoken about who she is, where she wants to go, and what she believes in…in the best way.
The beauty in seeing someone who reminds you of yourself is the truth you get to speak, in love. Words flowed out and over, in and through us, as we sat together in a back room of Ike Box. A new part of her story was being revealed in the sleepy stirring of a coffee shop.
Strength was growing.
As our time together slowly ended, I was drawn back to an unanswered question: in one word, what is your story? For the majority of people, a restrictive, deep question is challenging, but stimulating. Katelyn found it nearly unanswerable.
“I have something, but I need more than one word. My story is not finished.”
Needless to say, I burst into applause and cheered. She understood there is still more to come, more to be written into her life.
Every single person in this wide and deep world has a story being steadily revealed. God is the one who breathes life into it. People are the hands and feet, ears and eyes, who can serve, walk alongside, listen, and see the magnificence and encourage.
Do you need to be reminded your story is not finished?
Or, do you need to remind someone their story is still being revealed?