Vulnerable Stories

Connecting with others by sharing stories

We all tell stories. Regardless of your storytelling skill level, you tell stories about your life experiences. Your story might be about a dramatic life experience from years ago or something small that happened the other day. Whatever the story, they all have one thing in common – God was active and present when the story happened. In fact, God is the hero of every story in our lives, even though we do not always recognize this truth. Joanne Ellison has seen how her stories offer a powerful way to connect with others.

Listen to Joanne:

God is even the hero when your story is one of difficulty and heartbreak. In these difficult stories, you may have seen small examples of His mercy or clung to Him as your only source of hope. As you aim to point people to Jesus, share openly about how you have seen God work in your stories. Use stories of both joy and sorrow, big and small. As you share your stories, feel free to be honest about any struggles with God you may have had in the moment. Even if someone does not follow God, they will respect you, your story, and your openness.

Application Question:

• Joanne says that stories are the place where you can be most vulnerable. Have you ever shared a vulnerable story with someone? Look for opportunities to do so today!

Conclusion

In the middle of Proverbs 22, there is a powerful verse. It is almost as if Solomon called a time out to remind the reader why he gives these life lessons. It says, “I am teaching you today — yes, you — so you will trust in the Lord” (NLT). That is it. God uses life lessons to build our trust. Our prayer is that these 25 days spent learning about Journey with a Purpose are a reminder to do that — to increase your trust in Him.

Next Steps

Making Your Life Count has other YouVersion Bible App plans that cover the four areas of WALK, PRAY, CARE, and SHARE. You can also view all of our plans in the Bible App.

Take Action

We would also invite you to say hello and take action at an even deeper level by introducing yourself to us. Come say hello on the special page we have prepared for you!