Stories make a lasting impression on us. We will remember stories more easily than anything else. Matthew 13:34 says, "Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did notsayanythingtothemwithoutusingaparable." Jesusknew the impact of a story, so he used stories to help people learn about God. In Luke 15, Jesus used three stories in a row to help people understand who God is. The parables, or stories, of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son, all illustrate how valuable we are to God and the passionate way he seeks for us when we are lost.
Jesus understood how powerful stories can be. Stories can help make complex ideas simple so that we can grasp the concepts. The stories of others can also encourage us as we continue to live out our own life stories. Think about it, we all have a story. In fact, our individual stories are intertwined with the stories of humankind throughout history. The decisions we make in our personal stories in uence the stories of others. For example, the story of how many Europeans used Africans as their slaves explains how my ancestors rst arrived in America. The many stories of those who participated in the Civil Rights Movement explain how others and I have had the opportunities we have had to succeed in this country. The story of my parents explains how my brothers and I came into being. Although we all have individual stories, our stories collectively in uence one another in a powerful way.
A Story to Tell is a collection of stories, illustrations and anecdotes, that I hope will help you nd direction in life, while drawing closer to God in your everyday living. As you read one brief story for each of the next forty days, my prayer is that these stories will help you better understand the story of Jesus and how relevant it is for today. My prayer is that God will use these stories to help enhance your own life story. My prayer is that the lessons found in these stories will help you in your relationship with God and your relationship with others. My prayer is that the stories told in this book will encourage you to tell your own story, so that others might learn from you about how Jesus can transform our lives for the better. Enjoy, my friends.