The Impact Of Your Story
Do you know the power of your story? It really is significant. I don’t think we look enough at the impact that our story can have on the people and the world around us.
Here are 4 ways to find your story:
1. Find your PROSE
Everyone of you is a pro at your prose.
This means everyone does something better than everyone else in the world. You are a pro. You are elite at something.
-Some of you are a professional at academics.
-Some of you are a professional at athletics.
-Some of you are a professional at the arts.
-And some of you are a professional at alternatives.
The teenage years are often seen as a series of boxes to check — grades, sports, social circles — but you are more than a GPA or a stereotype.
I think the teenage years are the prime of your story. And you are the primary author of your life.
Don’t let a single bad grade, a tough breakup, or someone else’s low expectations define who you are.
Every day you wake up in the morning, you can add to your story.
Every day you walk through the halls of your school, you have the power to edit your story.
Every day you go to class, you have an opportunity to write your story.
Every day you go to practice or play in a game, you have the opportunity to write your story.
If you don’t like the direction a chapter is taking, grab the pen and change the ending. Empowerment starts the moment you stop waiting for permission to be great.
2. Find your PEOPLE
Show me your friends I’ll show you your future
Show me your friends I’ll show you your failures
Show me your friends I’ll show you your fears
Show me your friends I’ll show you your faith
Your crew or posse or group or team is everything. Everyone needs a mentor.
There is a powerful story about a woman who was running from the person trying to save her.
A woman was just getting off work late at night and walking across the parking lot to her car.
She got into her car as she normally did and began to drive home. When she came to the first stop sign and turned to the left, she noticed that there was a truck following closely behind her.
That didn’t seem too odd until she came to the next light and took a right and to the following light and took a left to get onto the highway.
But the truck continued to follow her.
Getting a bit uneasy, she sped up on the highway, but the truck stayed right behind her.
She quickly exited the highway and came to the light and stopped. As she looked in the rearview mirror again, the truck was right behind her.
Now frightened, she took a right and then quickly turned into a gas station, parked her car, and ran into the station to get help.
As she approached the attendant asking for his help, they both turned and looked out the window and saw the truck pull in the station right behind her car.
A man got out, ran to her car and opened the back door. And what they saw next shocked both of them.
The man in the truck pulled out a would be rapist who had gotten in the back of the woman’s car. From his vantage point in the truck, he could see the whole thing unfolding.
As The woman and the attendant went out to the scene, the man from the truck had the would-be rapist on the ground and had called 911.
As they walked up to the man, he simply said, “I’m sorry to frighten you, but I noticed from my vantage point. This man was in your backseat.”
The woman thanked him.
And with a smile, the man who had the vantage point from the truck, simply said, “You were running from the person who was trying to save you.”
Every one of us needs someone in our life that we are spiritually afraid of. Somebody who is looking out for us. Don’t run from the mentors in those who are trying to hold you accountable in your life.
3. Find your PROGRESS
Your story is still being written. God is not finished with you yet. And what is unique is that He has given you the pen to write your story.
All of the decisions of your life have made you who you are today. It’s called sowing and reaping.
But what is so great about sowing & reaping is the season always comes to an end. And you can sow something good in the next season.
You might not know your career path today. That’s okay. I taught at the university for 17 years and saw most of the students change their major at least once.
Mastery is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient with your progress but relentless in your pursuit.
Learn to embrace the process and the progress. Don’t get caught up thinking about this moment. Take a 30,000 foot view and look at the timeline of your life.
Your future is not controlled by the place you’re in now; it is built by the small, brave choices you make every day.
Listen to this powerful story of Lost dreams.
A man was walking down a deserted street late at night. It was cold and rainy.
As he was walking down the middle of the abandoned street, he observed the scene to his right and to his left. The homes were torn down, there were broken fences, abandoned cars, sidewalks were torn up, and street lights that were not working.
Trash was blowing in the wind and trees and shrubs were overgrown.
As he came to the end of the street, he noticed an open field that was quite dark. In front of him was a dead end sign and a broken down fence.
Stepping over the fence into the field he saw dozens of tombstones. As he adjusted his eyes, he realized that he was in a cemetery.
But this was a different cemetery. As he brushed away tall grass and overgrown bushes from the first tombstone, he noticed that it was scripted with the word dreams.
Intrigued, he continued walking up to tombstones. He would move branches and uncover the tombstones and wipe the dirt and dust and cobwebs from the tombstones only to read inscriptions such as “ideas“, “businesses”, “families“, and “songs“.
It was then he realized he was standing in a cemetery of broken dreams. Of broken plans that were never fulfilled. Because people never realized the plans for their life.
Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. God is not finished with you yet. Embrace the progress.
4. Find Your PURPOSE
The two most important days in your life are the day you were born … and the day you realize why.
We live in a world of curated perfection and endless social scrolling, which makes it easy to feel like you aren't good enough or doing enough.
Break the habit of comparing your "behind-the-scenes" to everyone else’s "highlight reel."
Instead of looking for external validation, find what makes you lose track of time. Find what wakes you up in the morning. Whether it’s art, advocacy, athletics, speech, business, or fixing engines, find the thing that lights a fire in your soul.
I almost missed my purpose or my “why” … but I had a mother who saved my life. A mother who believed in me even when I was off course.
I remember coming home from a party that I should not have been at. It was a dead end and with the wrong friends. But when I got home that night, May, 1980, my mom was sitting in the kitchen, studying the word and praying for me.
That night impacted me greatly, and I never returned to the party life.
Finally
Your story is powerful. If you will read through these four principles they will help you define your story.
Here is a simple practical assignment to help you master your story:
Write your story out in 300 words. That is one page. The first 150 words is the before you met Christ. The last 150 words is your life after you met Christ.
Memorize that story so you can walk into it at any moment and let people know how God has changed you.
This all adds up to one thing. Find your positive. Get a better perspective on life. Learn the power of gratitude and thanksgiving.
So, in the words of Justin Bieber and COACHELLA inspiration:
For the school hallelujah
For the teachers hallelujah
For the staff hallelujah
For the coaches hallelujah
For your friends hallelujah
For your bestie hallelujah
For your family hallelujah
For the summer hallelujah
For the youth group hallelujah
For my story, hallelujah