Skip to main content

Storyteller

I’m not a huge fan of public speaking or having people stare at me, however, I often find myself in situations where I’m either standing in a room full of people talking about my writing, or individually sharing what I enjoy most about being a writer. Such was the situation at an event I attended awhile back. I had to share what I believed was one thing that defined me. I listened as others who shared before me talked about material things like, jewelry (wedding rings and other heirlooms that were of great value to them) and when I stood up to speak, the first thing that came to my mind was – storyteller. I’m a writer, and while I do love writing and storytelling, I wouldn’t look at them as things that define me, but rather things I know I’m called to do.

I spoke and said, I’m a writer and a storyteller. I believe everyone has a story and that now, more than ever, there’s a need for outspoken, bold, courageous, and authentic Christian writers to share stories that people need to hear... After I shared, my heart was beating rapidly, again, I’m not into public speaking (although I have a strange feeling I’ll be doing it more often in the future. Guess I’d better get ready…) but as I wrapped with what I said, I was approached by some older acquaintances who insisted we meet up some time and discuss more of what I shared. I was also connected with published authors who wanted to help me get published, too. Look at God. I was terrified to share, but felt relieved and powerful. 

Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” I couldn’t agree more. Whether someone is a Christian or not, I believe everyone has a story and a voice. It’d be terrible to silence them. It takes courage to write and share stories. Writing isn’t easy, but one of the things I love the most about it, is that when there are things I struggle with talking about, I know I can always write about them. And that’s freedom. For a long time I felt stifled playing things safe. I’ve faced challenges being both a Christian and a writer that boxed myself in, out of fear of  being judged if I wrote about things other believers may perceive as too controversial or too touchy to write on (thankfully my audience isn't limited.) Writing and story-telling are just parts of what I do, and I choose to be fearless, real, and believe in myself, because there are people looking to me and I intend to deliver. 


Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...
Read more

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut...
Read more

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace.       As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken t...
Read more