The last two years have been pretty crazy. I’ve experienced incredible highs and devastating lows. My husband and I tied the knot in 2016, moved, changed jobs and, the most exciting change — this year we’re expecting our first child. In the midst of that, we’ve experienced the loss of several family members, including my father-in-law and an aunt I loved dearly.
It seems as if one minute we’re celebrating and the next we’re mourning. Although I’ve continued to trust and thank God in all of it, I started to feel myself living life always thinking about what was around the corner. I felt worry and fear start to creep in. I remember just having a moment where I asked God, “What is going on?!” In that moment, He brought me back to my college graduation day — which seemed strange. I remember thinking, “What does this have to do with anything?”
Out of what seemed like a hundred speakers, I remembered one in particular. She talked about the many random jobs she worked after graduating college, and how she felt they were all so different and far from her “dream” job. Years went by, and she finally found herself in the place she wanted to be. But when she looked back, she realized that each role had contributed to where she was and that she had learned something from each job.
It’s a story that reminds me of Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
My own story includes both joyful and painful moments, but God uses even my failures and sorrow to craft a beautiful story. I can rest in knowing that whatever comes my way, He uses it. He uses the good, the bad and the ugly, and not just for my good. He uses all of our stories, and they work together to create an even bigger picture.
As a member of the Communications Team, I see this happen with the stories in our church community as well. Each of our stories – the good, the bad and the ugly — work together to show how God is moving. Each photograph, each blog post and each video is merely a glimpse.
And just as that speaker’s story resonated with me so many years later, the stories we share can reach people right where they are. Whether they’re stories about grief or joy, God can use them in completely unexpected ways.
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