The Story I Thought I Was Writing

For a long time, I thought I was in control of my life. Every step I took, every decision I made, was focused on one thing: me. My wants, my needs, my happiness. And for a while, I convinced myself it was enough.

But the truth was, my selfishness wasn’t just affecting me—it was hurting the people around me. People I loved. People who mattered.

I didn’t see it at first, but my choices left a trail of brokenness. Relationships were strained, trust was lost, and some wounds cut so deep that they couldn’t be undone. I tried to keep going, telling myself I could fix it all, that I could rewrite the story on my own terms. But no matter how hard I tried, nothing seemed to work.

When Everything Fell Apart

I can still remember the moment it all came crashing down. My attempts to control everything—to force life to go according to my plan—had failed.

I had lost people who meant the world to me. I had lost my way. And the narrative I had spent so much time crafting was falling apart.

In that moment of brokenness, I was forced to ask some hard questions: Why wasn’t this working? Why did I feel so empty? How did I get here?

The answers didn’t come right away, but one thing became clear: The story I was trying to write wasn’t the story God had in mind for me.

The Turning Point

That realization wasn’t easy to face. It required me to let go of the control I had clung to for so long. To admit that my way wasn’t working and to surrender my story to the One who had been writing it all along.

Slowly, I began to see that even in my mistakes, God had been working. He was taking the broken pieces of my story and weaving them into something new. Something more beautiful than I could have imagined.

And here’s the most powerful lesson I learned: When we let God take the pen, He doesn’t just fix the mess. He transforms it.

Why Your Story Matters

Maybe you’ve felt the same way. Maybe you’ve tried to control your life, only to find yourself stuck in patterns that aren’t working. Or maybe you feel like your story is too messy, too broken, to ever be worth telling.

But here’s what I’ve learned: Your story matters. Every part of it.

The hard chapters, the joyful moments, the quiet, everyday experiences—they all shape who you are. They’re part of the bigger story God is writing through your life.

When we reflect on our stories, a few incredible things happen:

• We gain perspective. The painful moments start to make sense when we see how God has worked through them.
• We find healing. Naming and understanding our struggles allows us to move forward with grace.
• We discover purpose. Every moment, no matter how small, plays a role in the bigger picture of our lives.

Reflecting on Your Story

If I could sit with you today, I’d ask: What’s one moment in your life that has shaped who you are? Maybe it’s a joyful memory, or maybe it’s a painful one. Either way, it matters.

When we take the time to reflect on our stories, we begin to see God’s fingerprints all over them. The ways He’s guided us, even when we didn’t realize it. The lessons He’s taught us in the hard times. The beauty He’s created out of our messes.

Your story isn’t just for you. It’s a gift. A way to connect with others, to inspire, to heal, and to bring glory to the One who’s been with you through it all.

The Beauty of a Redeemed Story

Looking back, I can see how every chapter of my life—good and bad—has brought me to where I am now. It hasn’t been easy, and it hasn’t been perfect, but it’s real.

And the same is true for you. Your story, with all its layers and complexities, is part of something bigger than you can imagine.

So today, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect. Where have you been? What have you learned? And how is God calling you to use your story to make an impact?

Because when we embrace our stories, we begin to see them for what they truly are: a reflection of God’s grace and a testament to His transformative power.

Let’s keep crafting our stories, one layer at a time.