Storytime!
The Greensboro Fellows are back for the new year, and we kicked it off in arguably the best way possible: Life Map Retreat! If you’re unfamiliar, Life Map presented the opportunity for each of us, JD and Stahr included (yeah, they’re servant leaders for sure!), to share the stories of our lives with one another. If this feels open-ended, it is. We shared memorable pictures, talked about family, struggle, celebration, friends, passions– important things. Well, we had 30 minutes to share, so we kind of scraped the surface, and also shared depth that requires bravery. You know, one of the “holding the tension” experiences of life. I learned new things about every single person, and I left loving every single person more.
At the beginning of Fellows, I felt grateful this retreat happens in January instead of September. If this sounds rude, let me explain. I had no doubt I would trust my fellow Fellows and honestly I tend towards being an open book, but there feels something more sincere to vulnerability once “relational equity” (as JD and probably others so eloquently describe it) exists. The care each person put into preparation was evident. It felt holy to look at my life, honor it through thought and prayer, and realize the glory due to my Father for letting me be a part of a larger story. And thanks be to God that He was with my friends as they did the same. Our lives have their places of relating and an incomparableness at the same time. The thread of God’s redemptive work is impossible to miss.
Listening to my friends’ stories felt sacred (and I understand that’s no light adjective). The image of God in each person is clear as day. And it was also so fun to watch people’s stories be caught by safe hands– something about that makes people come alive. We listened, asked questions, wrote letters, and prayed for each person. What a gift to receive!
And we did a polar plunge. Not nearly as significant, but worthy of being included in this blog post.
JD closed out our time at Ocean Isle with some words from John 21 on the significance of knowing our stories as we move forward in them. And moving forward is currently the talk of the town as we head on our vocation retreat. I am grateful to find footing in truth and story. Thanks be to God!
With love,
Peyton