Why Stories Matter

Have you ever noticed that sometimes a story can change us in a way that information never could?

Many of us can remember books, movies, and stories that stayed with us long after we finished them. We may forget a sermon, a lesson, or a teaching series, but we remember the journey of Frodo carrying the ring, the strength of Aslan, or the moment when a beloved character discovers who they truly are.

Stories have a unique way of slipping past our defenses and speaking directly to the heart.

There is certainly a place for teaching. We need truth. We need understanding. We need wisdom. But sometimes what we need most is not another ten-week study or another set of spiritual disciples to follow. Sometimes we need a story that helps us see ourselves differently.

Jesus understood this. When He wanted to reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom, He often told stories. Parables invited people to discover truth rather than simply consume information. A story has a way of awakening something inside us. It helps us feel what we might otherwise only understand intellectually.

One of the deepest truths many of us struggle to grasp is the question of identity:

Who am I?

Why am I here?

What is my place in this world?

But those are questions only Love can answer. And underneath it all remains a longing to know our origin and our belonging. I have become increasingly convinced that identity can never be fully understood apart from knowing our origin. If we don't know where we came from, we will struggle to know who we are.

And when we struggle to know who we are, we try to answer those questions through relationships, success, performance, or even ministry work. We create false identities - good or bad. The Smart One. The Reliable One. The Athlete. The Superstar. The Hard-worker. The Outcast. The Orphan. The Screw-up. The Oddball. The Failure.

We become performers, people-pleasers, controllers, strivers, and wanderers because we have forgotten something essential about ourselves. We have forgotten our inheritance. We have forgotten the goodness of our Father. We have forgotten that we belonged before we ever learned to perform.

And while sermons and lessons point us toward the truths, stories help us experience them.

And just as every hero in a great story needs companions for the journey, we were never meant to discover our true identity alone. We find ourselves most clearly in the context of love, relationship, and community.

For the past year I have been writing a story called “The Lost Heir of Elderwood”. It is an allegory about identity, inheritance, belonging, and the love that has been calling us home all along. I am now in the final stages of editing and polishing the manuscript, and I am so excited to share it with you in the coming months. This story has been living in my heart for a long time, and I can't wait to finally share it with you. Please pray for us as we finish this final process and prepare to place this story into your hands.

Questions for Reflection

• What story have I been believing about myself that may not be true?

• If I truly believed I was a beloved son or daughter of God, what would change in the way I see myself today?

• Who are the people and community that help remind me of my true identity when I forget?

A Simple Prayer

Father, open my eyes to see You as You truly are and to see myself as You see me. Help me release every false identity, every label, and every story that does not come from Your love. Remind me that I am Your beloved child, created in Your image and held in Your care. Give me the courage to walk in my true inheritance and the grace to grow alongside others on the journey home. Amen.