“To lose track of our stories is to be profoundly impoverished not only humanly but also spiritually.” ~ Frederick Buechner, Author, Storyteller, Theologian

Our neighbor, Bud, has lived in this rural Indiana valley as long as we have, but before he landed here, he called the hills of West Virginia “home”. Bud is a wood carver who tells his stories with tools and paint. We think most of Bud’s carvings look a lot like him. In a way, he’s keeping track of his stories.

There’s a fishing term that I think applies to the process of capturing and sharing our life stories: catch and release. When we cast about for meaningful stories in our lives, grab hold of them then find a way to release them into the world, we’re doing just that. It can be with a pen or with a carving tool, with a song or with a sketch. The important thing is to honor our stories, owning the treasures they hold. Sharing them with others contributes to the bigger story God is writing.

In the first episode of my new podcast, Tell Me A Story, I share with you how I became a “story teller” and encourage you to gather up some of your own life stories. Take a few minutes to consider all the ways our stories matter. Listen below and subscribe to Tell Me A Story at Anchor, Spotify, iTunes, and Sketcher.