Writing My Story

Sometimes I get scared when I sit and think about what tomorrow might bring. I struggle to cope with all my imaginings about tomorrow.

Recently I had the privilege to listen to Brené Brown who is an American Researcher and Author. Brené has written a book called 'Rising Strong' and she spoke about how falling down can be our greatest call to courage and how owning our stories gives us the power to write a daring new ending.

Brené's talk really challenged me to think about my story and how I write it. As I look ahead I write my story and all the things I imagine really hurt. I get carried away with writing my story and working out the plot. I write everyone else's lines for them and all the scenes and acts that are to come.

However, that is my story with me writing the lines. What if I stop imagining and stop writing the story how I think it will go? What if I could be brave enough to let someone else write my story? Someone who loves me more than I know and who sees the end from the beginning. Someone who's thoughts and ways are so much higher than mine.

How then will my story go? I believe that if such a person were writing my story there would be no need to fear what tomorrow might bring. If I let go of trying to write my story and everyone else's lines and instead let God, I know that my story is being written in love, I know that I am covered in grace and I know that each line of my story is being written with truth, goodness and faithfulness.

Some scenes will still hurt but I can choose whether I write bitterness and resentment into my story or whether I write growth and newness. I am certain that it will not always be easy but giving control to One who's thoughts are higher and so much better than mine will allow my story to be written in truth rather than being written with all my imaginings.

I will get it wrong and try to write my story my way and when I do I hope I will find the courage to let go again.

For Every Action...

During this last week I had cause to think of Newton's Third Law of Motion. I'm not really a Science person (I only know what the law is called as I asked Google!) and in the first instance I didn't quite get Newton's third law correct. My initial thoughts were about how for every action there is reaction. The law actually says, 'For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction'. So as I walk I push against the floor and the floor pushes against me - the actions are equal yet opposite in direction. 

For every action done unto me, I react. For every word spoken to me, I react. How I react is entirely up to me and there was a reason why Newton's Third Law popped into my head. I needed to react in a way that was opposite and going in another direction. 

Sometimes I treat others in a way I should not and there are times when I am treated in a way I do not wish to be treated. 

Therefore I need to consider my reaction. I am the only one who can decide how I treat others. No one makes my choices for me. The same goes for how I react when I am hurt, my reaction is my choice...

...stillness rather than anger

...forgiveness rather than revenge

...trust rather than fear

...love rather than hurt

These are not easy choices. Going in the opposite direction takes perseverance and patience. It involves a lot of grace and humility. It requires a lot of strength to go against what I am feeling inside. 

However it brings peace, it means there are no words I wish I could take back and I am following the best example. 

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed a lovely afternoon with some of my family and the DVD of choice was The Wizard Of Oz.

I prefer the film when it changes to colour which is as Dorothy lands in Oz and finds herself in a place she did not want to be. She was very keen to get home and the advice she was given was to 'follow the yellow brick road'. Dorothy did as she was advised and followed the yellow brick road and eventually it led home. Along the way she made some strange yet wonderful friends but she also faced one or two difficulties. Dorothy kept focused on finding her way home and even though the witch kept on after Dorothy, she did not give up and eventually, with the help of her new friends, she defeated the wicked witch.

Dorothy persevered and although it is just a story, it encourages me. Sometimes all I need to do is just take another step and follow the path ahead. I am not able to see what is coming but I know that each step will be a step closer to where I am meant to be.

There is a song I like to listen to by Steven Curtis Chapman and it is called 'Take Another Step'. It says that I should 'walk by faith and not by sight'. Dorothy had no idea what lay ahead on this unusual yellow brick road yet she took another step and another step...I can do that too. I can simply take another step. There are likely to be bumps in the road but there are sure to be surprises round the corner too! Dorothy was not expecting that following the yellow brick road would bring the friendship, encouragement and joy of meeting the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the cowardly Lion.

As I take another step who knows what might meet me round the corner? Goodness? Blessings? If I am looking for them, believing in them, if I am lifting my gaze then I am certain that I will find them.

So tomorrow as the sun and the new day come I will choose to trust God and take another step...