Story and Relationship

The concept of story and the importance of relationship have been coming up a lot lately.  I mean a lot.  I do not know if it is just a buzz word right now or what, but "story", "living a better story", "God's story", "your story and its place in God's story", it is everywhere.  The need for relationship has also been prevalent.  Starting with my trip to Haiti and how it put in me the desire to not just throw money at the problems and needs I saw there, but to build relationships and invest in helping.  Then leading to my dissatisfaction with how we support missions at WTCC in what appears to be a system based on who had friends they wanted to support and not on any kind of relationship as a church body or congregation with the missionaries we support nor the people they serve.  Then my dissatisfaction with myself for not building relationship with my neighbors, with people in the body of believers I am a part of, with my greater community.

I hope to work on both of these things.  Hence why I am putting these thoughts into words here.  Maybe this will give me away of looking back at this and holding myself accountable for what I am sure God is trying to show me of late, but I am too stubborn and proud to see.  I can see where he is giving me opportunity to work on both of these things.  I see where he has and is laying the foundation for relationship both here and abroad.  I am excited about the class on "story" that I am getting ready to lead and about the fact that we are digging into "God's Story" on Sunday mornings.  Now I just have to take God up on the opportunities he is presenting me with....