Many of you have commented on the Cascadia Daily News article that highlighted my spouse Jamie and my life together in ministry. Being asked nosy questions by an interested reporter was a unique experience; she pried about our first date and our wedding; she dug into loss of faith community when coming out and reconciliation with God through the people who mentored us. There were moments we got choked up, and we definitely laughed a lot. Our stories connected us to one another, and the telling changed us.
Getting to tell parts of our stories to someone who really listens and hears can be a holy experience. Jamie and I feel a close connection to this journalist (and the photographer) who listened so deeply. When is the last time you got to tell a meaningful part of your story? It seems rare we get to do that: when we’re building a new friendship, when our kids ask us about our history … when else?
You may have noticed that we’ve begun including moments of testimony in worship. Testimony is an ancient Christian tradition in which individuals speak a truth of their life. Some of us might describe these testimonies as telling about the Divine breaking into our everyday. Over these past months one person spoke about gratitude and another shared about a miscarriage. Recently someone talked about how music has been a teacher and healer in their life. What might you share, if you gave a testimony? Would it be how you found healing in community or met God in an unexpected lyric? Maybe it’s how becoming a grandparent changed you, or how you came through a faith crisis.
We all have stories that bring value to others, if only we get to tell them. I hope you will consider offering a testimony sometime in the next few months. I’m always happy to give you a “prompt” for what the theme is that Sunday, so you can reflect on a moment in your life that fits. Let me know if you’re willing (or if you’re terrified by the possibility but also curious!). The connections we build with one another through telling our stories is a gift we bring to life together in this faith community.
