Dear God, What Story Shall We Write Today?
Every day begins with a choice.
We can rush into our plans, or we can pause long enough to ask a question.
"Dear God, what story shall we write today?"
Dear God, What Story Shall We Write Today?
It was the first question on my heart this morning.
Not, What should I accomplish today?
Not, What should I plan?
Simply...
Dear God, what story shall we write today?
We tend to think stories belong in books.
But perhaps we're writing one every single day.
Some stories begin over a quiet cup of coffee.
Others are written in moments we never planned.
A kindness shared.
A selfless act of service.
A courageous choice.
A pause to be fully present.
A heartfelt word of encouragement.
Some stories shape a moment.
Some shape a day.
And some have the wherewithal to be handed down from generation to generation.
These are the stories that stay with us.
We roll them around in our hearts long enough that they become part of who we are. They are intimate and meaningful. Purposeful and timeless. They linger long after the moment has passed.
Most importantly, they lift our eyes upward to the Hero and Author of every good story—Jesus.
That is the kind of story I want to write today.
Purposeful Stories
This morning I found myself parked in Ephesians 1:4:
"Just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight."
(Ephesians 1:4 AMP)
Before the foundation of the world, God chose us.
He selected us.
Set us apart.
Called us to live with purpose.
As I sat with those words, I couldn't help but wonder if being purpose-driven also shapes the stories we tell.
Not only the stories we write with a pen...
But the ones we write with our lives.
“We’re not only writing stories with a pen.
We’re writing them with our lives.”
We're an interesting group of storytellers.
We don't have to be articulate.
We don’t have to be perfect.
We don't have to be fashion forward.
We don't have to be sophisticated or highly educated.
But we are called to live with purpose.
Every day, we have the opportunity to tell a story—in word and in deed—that reflects the heart of Christ.
I don't always get it right.
More often than I'd like, I hurry past the moments God places in front of me. I miss opportunities to encourage, to notice, and to love well.
I'm not writing these words because I've mastered them. I'm writing them because I need the reminder too.
Thankfully, we follow a God of grace.
He patiently shapes our stories, inviting us to return to Him again and again.
Stories That Stay
Social media is a curious thing.
Every day, we're invited to post another story.
Many disappear within twenty-four hours.
There's nothing inherently wrong with that.
I've shared plenty of those moments myself.
But lately I've found myself asking a different question.
What stories remain after the screen goes dark?
What stories have staying power?
The story of a grandmother praying faithfully for her family.
The story of forgiveness that breaks a cycle of bitterness.
The story of choosing kindness when no one is watching.
The story of quietly pointing someone toward Jesus.
Those stories don't disappear.
They become part of someone else's story.
They are told again...
and again...
until one day they are handed from one generation to the next.
“God uses our stories—
even the ones that are never published.
They land somewhere.
They matter.”
Those are the stories I want to live.
Those are the stories I want to tell.
God uses our stories—
even the ones that are never published.
They land somewhere.
They matter.
Stories that quietly point back to the Author of Life.
So before I close my journal and begin this day...
Before I write another page...
Before I hurry into another task...
I find myself praying one simple prayer.
Dear God...
What story shall we write today?
Continue the Journey
If this story encouraged you, I'd love for you to continue the journey with me.
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