I have vivid memories growing up and having my parents read me The Book of Virtues by William J Bennet, full of fables, each with a lesson. There were two stories I still remember. The first was about a magic spool of thread that let the owner skip past uncomfortable moments in time. The second was about a mouse helping a lion with a thorn in his paw.
When I was seven, I didn’t understand that these stories were teaching me to treasure every moment or be kind even when people aren’t kind back. I just liked the silly escapades and the talking animals. But now, 20-some years later, those stories and the lessons they taught have stayed with me.
I think this is why Jesus spoke in parables too.
If someone tells you to “love your neighbor,” that’s easy to forget. But when Jesus shared a story about the good Samaritan, it resonated. Stories have a way of sticking. Stories can help you be seen, but they can also help others see themselves.
January marks a new year, full of potential. What stories will you write? What stories will you tell?
Resources
Here at the Refresh blog, we invite you to share some of your stories with us and with each other. Refresh exists to encourage 20s to pursue Faith, Vocation, Mission, and Community. We want this publication to feel like a cool glass of water on a hot day, rejuvenating and refreshing your spirit right where you are, right when you need it.
Let us know if you have a story that you think could do that for others. We have a whole page about writing for Refresh HERE with your next steps.
We’ll leave you with this video that some of our Refresh team shared at the recent Nav 20s conference.
Here’s to a happy new year, full of grand stories to be shared!
