There he was . . . A man off the streets, tattered and unkempt. I’m not quite sure how he ended up at church, nor how I ended up in a conversation with him other than God had specifically arranged it.
As we began to visit, he told me some of the circumstances of his childhood. I was smiling as I listened, but on the inside my heart was crying out for all he had been through. My mind was having a hard time comprehending and visualizing what he was telling me. He was a man who seemed to be in his sixties, reflecting back on all the horrific circumstances of his life.
I could quickly see he was gentle. He was kind. He was hurting. He was alone.
As I was hanging on his every word trying to fit the pieces of his life’s puzzle together, I was interrupted and needed elsewhere. I apologized for having to cut our visit short. As we parted he said, “I have such a story to tell about what God has done in my life and no one to tell it to.”
My heart couldn’t take any more as I could feel his loneliness. I was fighting back having a good cry right then and there. How could a man of sixty years not have a soul who he thought would want to hear about him and his life’s story?
How could someone feel so uncared for that no one would want to hear about their story?
With tears in my eyes, I looked him square in the eyes and said, “I want to hear your story.”
We quickly made arrangements for him to write me out his story.
With that said, I want to hear your story too! Will you share?
Are there life happenings you are holding on to that you don’t feel free to share, but yet you know they are eating away at your soul? Do you feel like my new friend above and think maybe no one cares to hear your story?
What’s your story? I’d love to hear it! (email it HERE if you’d like)
Read the rest of the story about my homeless friend HERE.
I have experienced such freedom since I started sharing my story for God's glory in 2008. I, too, love to hear the stories of others so that I can pray for them and see how God moves!
I find that sharing my story provides hope and opportunities to encourage others. Most recently, God began speaking to us about our retirement.
You can read that story here http://www.waggintailsrv.com/2011_01_01_archive.html.
My story is complicated:) As i'm sure they all are.
It's a story GRACE AND MERCY, forgiveness and stength. It's a story of pain and tears, heartbreak and hurt. It's a story of joy, love, happiness, and the most overwhelming peace one can find.
My story could probably be a best seller…considering it's got all the hot topics for America today…drunkeness, lust, adultery, abuse, death, chaos, abortion, needles, knives, scars….how did this small town Kansas girl end up with THAT kind of a story??
Maybe I'd leave the middle of my story BLANK….
….because the part of my story that matters now, is the end…the now, currently…the salvation…the redemption…the rise AFTER the fall.
My God, my healer, my helper, my protector, my provider, my friend and my lover. As high as my highs were and as low as my lows were…the one thing they all have in common is JESUS….he never left me. He covered me, and carried me…he comforted me when the sting of death hurt so bad, I was sure my tears had turned to blood.
When regret was so heavy on my heart I doubted if life could ever be worth living again.
The rest of the story is in my hands…and these hands will no longer be used to hurt myself and others….My hands and feet have become those of Christ. And what matters most, is what we do next.
Thank you, MY GOD for saving me from myself, for loving me more and never letting go. I am yours now and forever.
And that's my story
:)
I love your stories. I'm such a story gal, especially when the story leads me to Jesus!!! Thanks for sharing.
So moving! I am so glad you gave him the time of day. I would of done the same. Did he actually write out his story? I’d love to hear it.
He did. I have spirals of his writings – his life story. Heart wrenching. If you read part 2 – there are incredible quotes he through in midst his story. I just love him – he has since moved and I don’t get to see him.
I feel blessed that I have found many outlets to tell my story, especially my blogs. Today, I am going to therapy to tell more of it. It will take my whole life to tell my story, because it continues.
I am so glad you got his story. I, too, am a gatherer of stories. I believe each story is important. Keeping our story inside ourselves leave the universe a little smaller.
Thanks for inviting others to share their stories.
I love it that you get it — a story is meant to be told. It empowers others, frees even yet others, and teaches many. Not to mention the fact that real-life stories warm hearts and make us all relate able. I’d love to hear more of your story. I’ll stop by your bloggy world.
What a beautiful story Alene and you are a beautiful Woman of God that you would take time to listen to his story. May the Lord Bless you!
Thanks friend – I was just there and stopped to listen. So thankful I did. The man so blessed my life.
It’s very sad to know that there are people without close friends and family to talk to. It’s so nice that you could be there to listen to his story!
Yes, this man was 73 years old and it killed me to think of him so lonely and without no one. Tears fell freely that day!
How sad that he had no one, but what a blessing that you would listen. The thing is, sometimes homeless people just look downright scary, you might wonder about your safety. But, with in the walls of God’s house what a perfect thing to connect and learn his story.
LIsa – I totally agree. What I’ve learned is that most of them just want to be noticed and loved. They are just like us. But I’d never adventure out without safety precautions. And after awhile you begin to since the needs out on the streets. Thanks for stopping by today.
I’ll absolutely send you my story after I’m done writing it. Until then, you can check out my blog, haha!
Totally can’t wait and YES I will be checking out your blog. Love it.
Yup, all of us have a story. I admire you for what you’re doing.
Oh, Alene, what a beautiful heart!
I’m in my 60s now and am very glad I told my story when I was at my breaking point in my 40s. For years, I kept it to myself, not wanting others to know that my life wasn’t as good as they thought it was. Through therapy, journals, friends, I got to tell my story and be heard, acknowledged and, most importantly, loved. Now, the story of my youngers years doesn’t bring me to my knees. I know the strength it took me to live through some very painful times and get through it ~ whole. Encouraging others to tell their story is a gift ~ thank you for being there.