Bringing Story Seeker Back to Life
Last summer, a bunch of conversations and questions and searching culminated in the launch of a new project. I was seeking a richer life in Richmond, craving community, and longing to be real with the people around me. I wanted to share my story and I wanted to hear the stories of others.
Story Seeker was born last June.
Exactly one year ago today, I wrote this post about it.
“It won’t be long before you’ll get to meet the people I’ve been meeting and read their stories. I really think you’re going to love them. I’ve been blown away by each person I’ve met so far, amazed at their willingness to open up and share the hard, gritty stuff and the sweet, joyful stuff, too. I’ve left these coffee dates with an overflowing heart each time, in awe of the strength and courage I’ve seen in people who had been strangers just hours earlier.”
From June of 2014 through April of this year, 18 people shared their stories. 18 people bared heart and soul and spilled it all onto the page. 18 people grew me in incredible ways, opened my eyes and my heart to pain and joy I had never considered, reminded me we're never alone, and became parts of my heart.
“The truth is, I shouldn’t be alive today. There is no reason other than God saved my life that I am here to even be telling this story. So on days where I don’t think it’s worth it, or it just feels too hard, that’s what I think about. That’s what I know. And on the days I feel so alone, like the answer to my prayers is no, I know that God is saying yes to something else. He is saying yes to using this to somehow, someway help someone else. And that starts with sharing my story. It starts with you sharing yours.”
Story Seeker is an amazing thing. It's also a hard thing. I realized as I sat across the table or sat at my computer that these stories were going to wreck me and break my heart and feel heavy. They were also going to put my heart back together, to make me celebrate, to fill me with joy and hope for humanity.
“Experiences and seasons of darkness often seem extremely foggy and distant from the Lord. However, what I truly needed to grasp was that even though we have veiled eyes in this pain, God does not. He sees everything as it really is, after all, he designed it to be that way. Through my story, I can honestly say that each one of our veils is never too thick for his mighty vision.”
Life got busy. We say that so much, and it's a poor excuse. What happened is I let it slide. I let the stories fall to the wayside and let other things take priority in my life and with my time.
But now? Now I'm in a season where all community has been put on pause, and I find myself craving connection and community and coffee dates all over again. So I'm committing to bringing Story Seeker to life again.
“My story is a hard one to tell. Mainly, because it’s what I would consider a constant work of God’s grace. When is one’s story ever finished? Maybe when we meet Jesus, himself. I can tell you the beginning of my story, though.”
If this is the first time you're reading about it, the whole scoop is here.
If you've never read the 18 stories, I promise you they are stunning and so worth reading.
If you want to share your story, I'm all ears. I would be honored to listen and share mine in return.
Story Seeker is back in action.