Your Story Matters – Here’s Why

My Story / Your Story Matters

“Did I hear that the clerk over there had a stroke?” Lowering the box of tea into my bag, I nodded toward the middle-aged man who appeared far too young to wrestle with such a serious medical condition.

The dark-haired clerk looked and turned back to me, her expression softened. “Yes.”

I explained that I’d overheard him mention it to a customer one day and was glad he’d recovered so well.

“I feel for him because I had a mini-stroke in March.”

She stopped scanning my produce and turned a wide-eyed glance at me. “But you’re so young.”

Well, yes–in the big scheme of things. I’m in my 50’s and a mini-stroke wasn’t something I’d included for the decade’s agenda. Any agenda, for that matter.

But the unexpected happens.

Without a customer in line behind me, which was unusual for this store, I opened up about my story. “I’d been sick, and I’d sensed the Holy Spirit nudge me to take an aspirin.”

Multiple times, in fact. (Because I kept forgetting!)

For several days, I downed adult aspirins, one on most days, and doctors believe that’s what saved me from having a full-blown, brain-damaging stroke. The MRI showed no trace of stroke’s havoc.

Praise God.

I’m grateful for His wisdom and leading, for our Counselor who continues to counsel to this day.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.

John 14:26 WEB

I walked away from that grocery store conversation amazed that God had opened a door for me to showcase His love and power.

From the look on the clerk’s face and the cadence of our conversation, there’s a good chance she’ll remember that story–the one I hadn’t planned to share.

But God had.

(She also shared with me that her little sister had recently had a heart attack. Y’all, the clerk was in her early 20s at most. Maybe take a moment and pray for both sisters as well as the male stroke survivor?)

My story was simply a seed. God will bring the fruit.

You have stories to share and seeds to plant, too. Because God remains in the fruit-bearing business.

Why Does Telling Your Story Matter?

Your story matters.

Why?

Because it points to Jesus, taking others with it.

We’re planting seeds for the hope of heaven. The world needs it. The world needs Him.

The Lover of our souls.

Our Refuge in times of trouble.

Our Deliverer.

Our Redeemer.

Our Hope.

The One who knows our every intricacy because He is our Creator.

“Jesus told them a story to teach them that they should keep on talking with God and not give up.”​

Luke 18:1 WEB

Why Story

Why story and which one of yours is He ready to use?

I didn’t expect to share with the clerk that day. And who knew I’d be the solo customer in line? (That rarely happens!)

In my twenties, I didn’t expect to be a Navy wife or to share stories that hit a milspouse’s heart deep through the prayers in 101 Prayers for Military Wives.

The journey is often unexpected. Sometimes, unwanted. Yet, praise to God rings through them all.

So go.

Share those stories, whether in conversation, a social media post, or as a novel. Because people remember stories. Even Jesus used them.

Go as He opens the door. Don’t be afraid, because someone needs to hear.

And everyone needs to know our hero, Jesus.

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Our Stories – Testimony Resources

As we share our stories with others, here are a few extra resources for the arsenal, mentoring, and others.

• Various Testimonies at KristiWoods.net – Scroll down to nearly the bottom of this page.
• How Do I Get to Know Jesus?
• The Day I Set It All Down

Look for resources to aid your story–both fiction and nonfiction ones–that point to our hero, Jesus, in a future post. (To be linked later.)