Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Chair Time


I have been thinking a lot about stories. Specifically, the story my children will tell about me when they are older. The story they will tell their children. This is my legacy.

I am reading a book called The Story Factor by Annette Simmons. She says, "Other methods of influence - persuasion, bribery, or charismatic appeals - are push strategies. Story is a pull strategy." See I want to live my life in such a way to pull my kids to Jesus. Not push them. I want my life to draw them closer to Him.

So how do I do that exactly? This of course is the million dollar question and where I must face the cold hard truth. I can't just hope the story turns out in the end okay in the end. There is too much at stake. I have a part to play as well. God is the author, but He does require that I do my part. For me that means I am to pursue Him every day through His Word, pray like crazy that His story will shine through my life, and to be in a small group where I am accountable to others.

And when all that is said and done, I have to tell them, every day, all day long as we are "sitting in our house, walking along the way, when we rise up and when we lie down..." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). But with kids, our stories are told not only in our words, but in our actions. So as I am telling them the story, they are simultaneously watching it unfold before their eyes. My prayer is that these two versions of the story line up and will impress upon their hearts the image of Christ.

Looking Forward,
Stacey

P.S. For the next couple of weeks I will expand on this idea during Chair time. I would like to spend a week each on Bible, Prayer, and the power of a Small Group as it pertains to our Legacy: The Story Our Children Will Tell. If you have any thoughts, please leave a comment or join the conversation in the 29lincolnavenue blogfrog commmunity.

7 comments:

  1. Oh, precious writer, this is beautiful.

    Stopped me in my tracks.

    You are so right.

    Thank you for this.

    Exquisitely done.

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  2. It is amazing to watch what the Father can do with the words of our days...crafting them into stories that shine with His glory and detail our relationship with Him... There is alot to be said for telling the story(I love that verse in Deuteronomy)in traditions, actions,words,music and heart relationship with our children... thanks for a lovely post...

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  3. Glad to have connected with you today, Stacey! And I am with you on the power of the story. Jesus regularly employed the use of stories as a method of impressing things in the minds and hearts of those who were willing to listen. There's an entire branch of Theology, called Narrative Theology which focuses on the power of our stories as a part of God's story... I could go on but all that's to say, YES! I am with you! And I want to remember to tell the stories of God's faithfulness in great ways and small, for my children to know what He's done in our lives. I've been writing them down in a little special book so that I don't forget and they can read them when they're older!

    I'm with you! There is power in our stories!!

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  4. how happy am i to have found you today! thanks for stopping by ...

    i love this post ... just a precious reminder of how important it is to watch what we do, along with what we "teach."

    i'll be back!! ;)

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  5. What a great reminder to live our story and not just tell it. I look forward to reading more in the upcoming Chair times! ♥ Michelle

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  6. Oh boy. I needed this post today. I sometimes wonder why it's so hard to remember not to be a victim of "do what I say, not what I do." I then I realize: I need to rely on God to help me – not try to do it on my own. =) Thanks for the reminder to keep "our stories" front and center.

    Laura

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  7. I used to think, with the arrogance of youth, that stories from my older relatives were dumb and pointless. Now that I'm not so smart as I used to be, I realize what treasures those stories were. Good post.

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