Recently I received a comment from one of you that the Catch had “changed” ever since we started talking so much about the Isaiah House and our teleconference Bible study. The implication being that since they are not involved in either that the Catches don’t relate to them. I can’t think of anything further from the truth. Because comments like this are usually indicative that more than one person feels this way, I decided to address it in this Catch.
The Catch has always relied on everyday life for its food for thought. The fact that stories often stem from our involvement with the Isaiah House and our Bible study is merely because these things form an important part of our lives thus informing a lot of our insights and reflections.
The teachings being developed in the Bible study are central to our message of taking Christ to the marketplace through our presence there; and the lessons learned from the Isaiah House women about how we are more similar that different are essential to how we view those around us wherever we find ourselves in the world. You may not be sharing our experiences at the Isaiah House, but you certainly can learn from the insights gleaned from those experiences.
Somewhere in the telling of your own story is the finding of other’s stories as well. If you learn how to tell better, you will learn how to listen better.
Some people misunderstood what Marti was tying to accomplish with these stories. If they only looked on the surface, they might have even thought we were taking advantage of these women. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was not about creating a documentary about the sordid details that put these women in the situation they are in now. We wanted no part of that. These were stories directed at their significance – stories of how they made a difference in someone else’s life – things that in their present circumstances they might be prone to bury or forget. The cameras, the lighting, the professional cameramen, the makeshift “studios” all were props to allow these women to be someone and find significance in their lives.
It is our firm belief that if we interviewed anyone from any walk of life in the same manner with these same questions, in the end you would not be able to tell the wealthy from the poor, the homeless from the homeowner, the incarcerated from the celebrity. This was a huge lesson learned.
All of this to say, I’m concerned that we have not received many stories from you. Please don’t go, “Oh, he’s talking about Isaiah House again; this doesn’t relate to me.” All of this applies to seeking stories of significance from those around you. There are things to learn on both sides of the camera.
So this Catch will end like Friday’s. I am going to include Marti’s directions on story telling because they are also directions on “interviewing.” You may send your story as a comment, or simply reply directly to this email and it will come to me. I can’t wait!
Tell Us a Story of a Time When You Know You Made a Difference in Someone Else’s Life
We invite you to contribute a story from your life. We understand how challenging this is-it requires such intimacy that no one else can do it but you. Yet, we can guide you through this process by offering these suggestions.
Be specific. Think of your own experience and tell of the things you know that no one else knows. Your story need not be heartwarming or gut-wrenching-it can even be funny-but it should be real and highly personal.
Be brief: Your story should be between 3 to 5 minutes spoken or 1 to 2 pages written.
Name your story: Before beginning your story, try naming the story in a sentence or two. This will help you get off to a good start and stay focused.
Be positive: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe in your story, not what you don’t believe. Make your story about you; speak in the first person.
Be personal: Use words and phrases that are comfortable for you and that truly echo of you.
Tell Your Story in Present Tense
Before beginning close your eyes and see your story as if describing a picture.
Think about what you want to share to bring your story to life. Let your mind’s eye bring up a picture of your story. What do you see in the picture? From left to right pan the setting for details including colors, sounds, smells, and people present.
As you look at this picture in your mind’s eye, what’s going through your mind? What are you thinking about?
As you look at this picture in your mind’s eye and think about what is going on in your mind, what are you feeling? (Hint: If you say, “I feel good” or some other generic feeling, ask yourself what “good” feels like until you are connecting to the story and are in the story and feeling as if the story was occurring in the present tense.)
As you look at the picture in your mind’s eye and see, smell, and hear what is in the picture and as you think about what you are thinking and feeling, how does what you are feeling relate to your story?
May we have your contribution?
John Fischer The Catch 
Hi John! Here’s MY view on the Catch – it’s almost like a note to ME personally in which you and Marti let me know what’s going on in your lives, what God’s showing you, and what you’re learning from from the everyday experiences that we all have. Maybe because I AM participating in the Bible Study I feel like we are neighbors (3000 miles apart, maybe, but neighbors nonetheless). Hearing what’s happening at Isaiah House makes ME want to get involved, too. So I would challenge folks who say the Catch has “changed” to look at it with different eyes – that they let what you share about your lives (warts and all) inspire them to find their OWN “Isaiah House,” – Isaiah House experiences can be anywhere WE are when we are open to listening, sharing, and caring about those around us – even striking up casual conversation with someone at the corner store can lead to all sorts of new adventures. Just a point… there are a LOT of people who live in nice houses, look like they have it all together, and act like they have it all together, but who STILL feel alone and troubled. It’s not just the homeless and displaced who need what we have to offer.
How true. Well said.
I agree completely with Carole. The Catch is “My Church”! The stories of the women at Isaiah House bring me closer to real life than any church I have ever attended or attend. This is where reality rings true. There aren’t any phonies to deal with or try to live up to. It is our opportunity to say “but for the grace of God” because we could have been in any one of the woman’s shoes that are residents of Isaiah House, had a different hand been dealt to us. I feel this is God’s way of bringing love, tenderness, understanding and compassion to some of His children – through John, Marti and all of us readers. The Catch has lots of stories of Isaiah House because the women there are a HUGE part of who John and Marti are and we should all be very thankful there are John and Martis in this world. I never get tired of hearing the “comings and going on’s” of Isaiah House and John integrates our daily Bible lesson with each encounter there.
There is always more than meets the eye; and many things in life have multiple layers. I don’t know… Maybe all things do. The problem is that sometimes we get stuck on that first layer. We tend to have a hard time peeling off that first layer in order to see the deeper layer. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor 4:18)
And so it is with the Isaiah House story. If we look past the John & Marti layer we will see that there are similar needs in our own area. And I am faced with the reality that there are people around me who need to be shown the love of Christ. And, yeah, someone needs to go show it to them. Who? Me?
And it’s quite true that we all have a story to tell. The trouble is that all too often we don’t think that our story is valuable enough to tell. Besides, it’s hard to find the time to do a proper job of writing the story. Putting words together to make sentences that make sense is hard work.
And in getting to know some of you thru this forum and on the conference call, I find myself praying for you as you share your story. So I’ll try to write my story … Just give me a couple days to roll the thoughts around in my head. I hope you’ll write yours.
TimC (in Oregon)
The ‘Catch’ has been a huge blessing to me. Many times there are things going on in my life that are addressed by John or Marti out of some life experience that they are going through. It is often uncanny how many of the catches speak directly to me even though they are meant for a multitude of people. That is something that can only be attributed to God. He knows each of His children inside out and is meeting their needs via the ‘catch’.
When John and Marti took the catch ‘in a different direction’, I prayed that they would follow God’s leading in this new venture. Right now, I believe God has the catch where He wants it to be. The bible study I do on my own time because wednesday’s I work with the youth in my church. The questions have been gut wrenching at times in this study, and I often meditate on the bible passages involved. The Isaiah House stories are a total delight. The report of how much these women enjoy the monthly ‘uphold your dignity events’ often brings tears to my eyes. The love that John and Marti give to these women is what it means to take the gospel to the marketplace.
To be totally honest, I had some misgivings at first when John informed us of the different direction he was taking the catch. Reading the daily catch gave me insight that this was of God and not of John or Marti alone. I couldn’t imagine that a man that vulnerable about his own shortcomings would not consult God about what to do with this ministry.
I will continue to pray for the ministry, perhaps God has other directions for this ministry waiting in the wings. For now, I am glad that the daily thoughts that the Holy Spirit puts on John’s or Marti’s mind are a blessing to me in the ‘Godly musings’ of the catch. God is influencing the market place and what He is doing often makes me feel small minded. A God who can manage the lives of seven billion people certainly will take care of my daily spiritual needs, catch or no catch!