"If your message isn't touching others, it hasn't touched you."
Unknown


The best stories we'll ever hear are the true, based-on-actual-events stories.  When picking out a movie to rent, my wife and I will always choose one based on real events, or a real person's life over one based on a fictional story.  I think as human beings we have this yearning for real, authentic, even gut wrenching stories.

As a country music fan and singer, I may be biased, but I believe country music tells some of the best stories.  Some touch you, and them some straight up hit you right between the eyes.  I'm sure some songs are based on fiction, but my gut tells me that most of them were written by people who lived the story being told.

The apostle Paul, back when he was Saul, used to hunt down Christ followers, and watch as they were put to death.  One day while on the road to Damascus, Jesus blinded Saul's eyes.  For three days he couldn't see.  Jesus did a work in Saul's life ... a life changing work.  Saul committed his life to Christ, and to carry his message to the Gentiles.  Jesus changed Saul's name to Paul, and he became the man we know as the primary author of the New Testament.  Everywhere Paul went he preached Christ.  He suffered for Christ ... he was beaten for Christ ... he was locked up in jail for Christ ... but he wouldn't stop proclaiming the name of Christ.  I believe the reason that Paul was so effective at spreading the Gospel was because Paul was touched by his own story.  What happened to him on that dirt road changed his life.  Jesus touched Paul, and as a result his life was changed ... and so were the lives of countless others.

I don't know what your story is.  I don't know if you've followed Christ your whole life, or if you've never made that decision.  You may have been on this God chasing journey for several years, or only a few minutes.  I don't know.  Here's what I do know: people are watching you live out your story.  They may be close friends, or family ... they may be neighbors or complete strangers ... but make no mistake, people are watching you.  You don't have to be a Christian to make a difference in this world.  You don't have to follow Christ to affect people for the better.  I made the decision to follow Him many years ago, and I can only hope and pray if you haven't that you would too.  Whether you make that decision or not, commit to do this: live your story, believe in your story and who you are, and make a decision to make a difference in the lives of those around you.  God bless you.