Honoring Your Story: An Invitation to the Sacred (Where God and Joy Conspire Together)

There is something electric about the moment a person decides to look at her own story But some folks treat it like a chore, like cleaning out the basement. You expect to see bugs, and boxes, biographies...Oh My! But here is the kicker, your story is NOT a dusty basement. It's a treasure hunt.

A forgotten photograph.

A childhood drawing.

A note you one wrote to a secret crush?

An old diary.

Honoring your story is like that, tender, surprising, sobering and delightful. Life unfolds in chapters, each with its own story, lessons, and meaning. And here is the best part, wherever your story opens God is already there. Treating every phase as a sacred text means giving it the attention and respect it deserves. This mindset helps us appreciate our journey, learn from experiences, and find deeper purpose in everyday moments.

A journal open to a new chapter, symbolizing life’s sacred texts

Recognize the Value in Every Chapter

Most of us assume our story is either too much or not worth telling/remembering at all. The following is the beige description of categories most think of when asked about our story.

• Childhood: Embrace innocence and imagination.

• Adolescence: Accept change and self-exploration.

• Adulthood: Own your choices and build your path.

• Later years: Reflect on achievements and share wisdom.

But here is the truth: your story is far more interesting than you think - it's saturated in technicolor - full contradictions, courage, brilliance, and rebellions that kept you alive.

You Honor Your Story in Naming

Honoring your story means naming the truth. Sometimes we creatively name our wounds with metaphors:

• My childhood felt like walking on eggshells

• I always felt like the black sheep of the family

• We were taught to avoid the elephant in the room.

• In my culture, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down”

Metaphor lets us tell the truth while giving your heart a sigh of relief. And "listening" to your colorful descriptions let's you in on the secret.

Your Younger Self Deserves the Accolades of a Genius

Children are ingenious. Not only are the given the task to "survive" their childhood but they usually take it a step further and invent solutions.

Who did you become due to family/childhood dynamics:

• the peacemaker

• the achiever

• invisible

• a comedian

• the counselor

• the advocate

• the hero

• the scapegoat

• the golden child

These roles are not random. They are masterful strategies crafted by a small human with a giant creative capacity. It is not my intent to put a dark cloud on our childhoods - it is quite the opposite. To honor your story is to bless the imaginative, joyful, clever parts of you that kept you going.

God Shows Up in Strange Places

Scripture is filled with people who lived stories that were surprising, confusing, humorous, devastating, beautiful, and MESSY. It is only because we "know their ending" that we brush past all of their "bad" behaviors. Some of them display the same tendencies that we beat ourselves up daily for (for years).

Here's the deal: god does not flinch at your story.

Not the weird parts.

Not the sad parts.

Not the parts you don't wanna talk about.

In fact, God LOVES surprising people inside His story and their OWN narrative. Think about it, he appears in deserts, big fish stomachs, wrestling matches, dysfunctional families, empty tombs, etc. Honoring your story helps you realize you survived with style. You see your younger self clearly and dare I say think, "Wow...I was pretty amazing."

Honoring your stories is an invitation to change your perspective. Your story is not just heavy, it's holy, brilliant, creative and their is trail of joy that can be discovered that is trying to tip-toe in.

Honor your story.

Thank that baby (your younger self) for doing a good job.

Celebrate your resilience.

Trust God with both the broken and the beautify stories that reveal His glory.

A hand adding a keepsake to a memory box representing life’s treasured chapters

Practical Examples of Reverence in Daily Life

• Morning Rituals: Start your day with gratitude for where you are in life. This simple act sets a tone of respect for your current chapter.

• Memory Boxes: Collect items that represent important moments. Revisiting these objects reminds you of your growth and experiences.

• Mindful Transitions: When moving from one phase to another, pause to acknowledge the change. For example, before starting a new job, reflect on what the previous role taught you.