im beginning to believe that our lives are not changed and our stories are not written during the mountaintop experiences of our lives.  im beginning to understand that although those experiences at the peak make life wonderful, vibrant and full of color, we cannot live expecting them to be around every corner.

we werent called to stand on the precipice and shout down instructions to those still struggling along the cliffs, but to be there, in the valley, along the crags, with those who are barely hanging on.  we are called to be there, not just look there.

i’m realizing that its in those moments when our lives expand, when fresh air fills our lungs, when His presence is most real in us.  it’s not when we’re standing at the top, overlooking the beauty of creation, but its when we’re standing in the rain, helping someone to the next foothold, seeing the beauty of the Creator inside of them that we have impact, that our stories matter, that we help others write their stories.

im beginning to think that its in the day-to-day grind, that we have the greatest capacity for greatness.  we aren’t called to live our lives on the mountain top looking down.  rather, we were called to consistently step outside of our comfort zones, retrace our steps, and help others along the paths that we have walked.

we have all experienced times when we walked through the valley.  when the storms raged around us and the wind was so fierce that we struggled to take our next breath.  when the pain of our wounds made it almost impossible to raise our head, much less move forward.  we have all had times when we could barely see our next step, much less the path before us.  we’ve all been there.  and it’s when we go back to those places, to the wounds in our lives and tell others our stories, that hope is birthed.

im beginning to learn that the greatness that exists inside of us stems from the quality of the story being told in our lives.  and im beginning to understand that our scars are not wounds to be hidden, but medals to be worn.  that our redemption, our Redeemer, lives in our stories.  in our stories of pain and heartache, of healing and hope.  in our stories of failure and struggle, and of finding victory in hearing the stories of those who have gone before.

my life will eventually be summed by the quality of the stories ive lived.  and when i leave this life, i want those who gather to remember, to tell those stories.  i want to be remembered as one who followed after his God.  who loved his wife fiercely, passionately, unconditionally.  i want to be remembered as a man who didnt live his life on the mountaintop, rather i want stories told of how my life was impacted, and how i impacted others in the valleys.  i want to be remembered as someone who lived a life that pointed not to the beauty of creation, but of the Creator.

One Sonic Society – Burn

Lord, write me into Your great story
Lord, write me into Your great song
take all i have, it’s for Your glory
one day, all else will be gone
one day, all else will be gone

Your name, be glorified
gloried
Your name, be glorified
glorified

i mean that.  take what i’ve got, help me to tell the stories i’ve lived, to be real.  to be the reflection of you on the side of this mountain.  i dont know how to have a great story of my own.  so please, write me into Yours.