Every single person on this planet has one. They want to share it; they also want to leave it behind. Many might think theirs is insignificant, but it’s not, because it is universal, and every single part of it is something that will touch someone else on this planet. Given the right setting, the right time, and sufficient interest, every single person will tell it. Every single person has one; every single person has many. The volume is only limited by time. You can get it in 3 minutes, or you can be up all night with it, and only scratch the surface. You can spend a lifetime telling it, for that matter, because we all are, in fact, spending a lifetime living it.
What is it? It’s your story.
And starting now, and for the next few days, we are all going to take up a new vocation. No, we’re not going to quit what we’re doing now, but we’re going to think of ourselves as something else. We are going to think of ourselves as having taken on a new skill. We are all photojournalists on a massive hunt for stories.
As photojournalists, we will be after one thing. We will be setting the stage with everyone by telling them that their story is important. It is worth hearing and it is worth recording for others to experience, and for posterity. It is a legacy of a life. Your job is to set the stage and conduct the interview. You may just be waiting for the bus, or standing by the water cooler, or out for lunch or coffee, or in the employee lunchroom, but your mind is on one thing: getting the story.
You are Barbara Walters, Charlie Rose, Mike Wallace, or any interviewer you like, with one goal: to get the story. It is not about you; it is all about the interview and the person on the other side of the camera.
You are a film director. Your mind is on lighting, camera angles, framing of the subject, and the right questions that will get and keep the person talking.
We all work for a boss who wants stories, and this is what He has told us. Your job today is to simply start thinking like this. History is a story; the Bible is a story; the gospel is a story; the Word becoming flesh is a story; the person next to you is a story.
God is the master storyteller; you and I are story-seekers. Let’s get after it.
John Fischer The Catch 
Re: “History is a story.” Yes, History is “His story!”
I’m sure this exhortation was meant to encourage us – as you so often do – to go out there and really LISTEN to others, and thank you for the reminder. But somehow the story that comes to mind is one that was told at a funeral over the weekend. One of the sons of the person whose life story was being celebrated told this story about his dad (a pastor):
Mom usually handled discipline at the moment of the transgression, but I had done something so awful (though I don’t now recall what) that it was a “wait until your father gets home!” moment. So Dad arrived home and called me out back for my punishment. He had a paddle. He looked down at me with sorrow, and handed ME the paddle and said he was going to take the spanking for me. I protested, but he said I had to spank him, and I had to make it hurt. I begged and begged for him to spank me instead, but he steadily insisted otherwise – he would take my punishment for me. He would show me mercy as Jesus had shown it to us. Weeping, I finally swung the paddle as hard as I could. It was the ultimate and best illustration of the love and sacrifice of Jesus that I’ve come across in my entire life.
Truly parenting at its best! And a great man – Pastor Jonathan Harrel – will be missed upon this earth.
God bless you John, for your thoughts shared with us every day!
I did that just yesterday as I was giving blood at a local church – I listened to the story of the RN who was poking, prodding and sticking me:) As we finished I said I would pray for her and she said thank you. And I prayed for her.
Now there’s a unique story setting! Anything to keep from watching that vial fill up!
John – I couldn’t agree more. As a teacher, writer (livingthesolution.com) and personal historian (your-life-your-story.com) I’ve been collecting stories for some time. I agree that everyone has a story. We must remember that the Bible came about because events became oral stories became written records passed on to us by people inspired by God’s great message (read story) of love for His Creation.