Spiritual Narratives

Yesterday we spent time sharing our spiritual narratives. Each team sat down with Darrel and Lyz (our program directors) and shared the moments that have formed out relationship with God and our own hearts.  No one on my team wanted to go first. We didn't know how candid they expected us to be, and wanted to gauge our narratives against someone elses. After a quick game of "guess the right number," it was my responsibility to go first. At first I thought I would just list memories out as black and white markers in the timeline of my life. However, when I began speaking I realized my life just doesn't make sense unless all the messy -apparently unrelated- stuff is put into perspective. The grace and peace I experience washing my friends feet at youth group doesn't make sense without remembering what an angry person I was back then. Defining moments are only such because they shaped by every other moment. You can't appreciate  light without knowing darkness. And you can't make it through the night without know the day is comming, just as you can't be in relationship with God without first knowing what it's like to be distant from Him.
In the end we all learned a little bit more about one another. If there is one thing I took away from this experience, it is to always affirm people just as they are. I don't mean you should tell people they can be hateful and that's ok. I just mean.... God made us and loves us unconditionally, and I'm starting to believe most of the pain in this world stems from someone not being told again again, "you're lovely, you're good, you make me happy, you have a purpose, you are unique, gifted, a child of God, you're not a problem to be solved..."

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought." 
- Matthew 5:4 (the message)