Each of us has our own stories to tell.  We have the freedom to remember and to share our stories.  Some of our stories are sad and make us wish we could redo what we said or did.  Other stories make us happy.  Good times shared with family and friends.

The Bible is God’s word, full of stories.  In it we find the writers sharing their stories of God’s hand in this world.   Jesus told stories.  He related spiritual truths to how to live our life in response to His teachings. The stories He told are what gives us our own story to write.  These make our lives meaningful and bearing witness to being His disciples. 

The parables, as we call them, are teaching stories.  They relate not only to those 1^st century hearers but teach us today well. 

Today the world confronts us with rising acts of violence and hatred.  There is ongoing religious persecution, attacks on freedom of conscience, and effort to rewrite or suppress history.  Remembering and telling is more than an academic exercise.  It is a responsibility that you and I must share. 

What allows ordinary people to preserve their humanity when powerful forces seek to erase it?

The answer is seldom found in grand political speeches or from famous leaders. More often, it is found in ordinary people, like us, who refuse to surrender who we are.  We teach traditions to our children. We must be unafraid to speak the truth.

Quiet acts of telling our stories become acts of courage.  We must be unafraid of what the world thinks of us.

Freedom is not only our right to worship as we please but allowing us to tell stories of our faith.  That’s what our discipleship means! 

                                            We each have our own stories to tell!