Good CallÀpẹrẹ

At the end of every week, we'll give you a challenge—something to try that might be outside your regular routine. Each challenge is designed to help you develop one important spiritual habit. This week, it's...

SHARE YOUR STORY

You've probably been told it's really important to share your story of faith with others. But sometimes we think we don't have a story to tell or we're not ready or experienced enough to share it. But the truth is, you do have stories to share, and you're ready right now! Today's challenge is going to help you identify a part of your story that's worth sharing, and then help you share it. Because sharing your story can help others, but sharing it helps you grow, too!

CHALLENGE

This week, we talked about how wise people's words show God's love. But all of us can think of times when what came out of our mouths didn't reflect the story we wanted to tell. Today's challenge is sharing your story by being honest about your failures. By doing so, we seek honesty and transparency and learn to get back up when we fall. Here's the plan...

1. THINK OF SOMEONE YOU'VE HURT WITH YOUR WORDS: This could be a family member, classmate, or teammate. Your relationship may have continued, but that doesn't mean there isn't damage. We can strengthen our relationships by considering our words and being open with others.
2. SHARE YOUR STORY WITH THEM: If you're ready to make things right, it's time to talk to that person. Say something like,
   1. "It was wrong for me to say ______.
   2. "It didn't reflect God's [love/grace/compassion].
   3. "What I should have said is ______."
3. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS: The person your words hurt may no longer be a part of your life. If you can't talk to them face to face, write down what you want to say. You could share it with a friend or someone you think could benefit from knowing what you've learned through the experience.