Story Telling in YM

Frederick Buecher once said, " It is important to tell our secrets, too: because it makes it easier that way to see where we have been on our lives and where we are going. It also makes it easier for other people to tell us a secret or two of their own ... "

I believe strongly that we need to develop a community within youth ministry where stories are constantly being told. They can be stories that are serious, humorous or stories with no real point. The point of the stories are for us to share our lives together - in community.

One of the aspects of our "vision statement" is that we will be a group of individuals that will be relational and authentic. This cannot occur if we are not willing to tell our stories and listen to the stories of other individuals.

We need then learn how to connect our stories with God's stories. One of the mistakes that I believe that we keep behind close doors ( and not intentionally ) is the fact that WE ARE STILL PART OF THE STORY. The story is not finished.

Also the great thing about telling stories is that we will realize how much we connect and relate to each other. Most stories we hear, we can identify ourselves in those stories and we can share. Also story telling can connect us to significant events and then in itself tell a story.

For example, everytime that I see a crab, I think of Joey and Emily. We were on a mission trip to the Carolina's and during free time, we went "crabbing". They each caught some big crabs and how they were holding them and the pics that we took were very funny.

We joked numerous times about crabbing and how unusual of an activity that "crabbing" is and that if we were back home - we never would go "crabbing". Well, now everytime I see a crab, I am reminded of them and I am reminded of the mission work that took place in the Carolina's .... including Joey being soaked from the downpour of rain as we tried to finish a painting project and then that leads to another story .....

So, what is your story ? Do you share your story ? How does your story interplay with the lives of your students ?