On the Road Again

I was fortunate to spend some time in Springfield, Ohio this past weekend. I was hosted by the Lagonda and Story-Hypes United Methodist Churches. My thanks to pastors Dan Held and Bruce Gischel for their kind hospitality. We had a great time and one fantastic carry-in dinner. I have to admit, it felt good to get back on the road and spend some time sharing my stories with folks.

It amazes me how much other junk we have to go through to afford ourselves the time and resources to work in ministry. It's worth it though, when you see people start to get it. When they realize that sharing the love of Christ is as simple as telling their stories and how powerful those stories can really be, I am filled with a sense of hope. I will be out and about in the weeks ahead and I look forward to seeing some of you and collecting some new stories to tell.

Several of you have asked about getting together in person. I am working on a plan to host a series of Storyteller Gatherings in the future. These would be informal times of hanging out and sharing some good food and stories with one another. Stay tuned for dates and times.

Be God's
Greg

Finding Freedom

People often see me as someone who is confident and self-assured. Over the years, I have been known as opinionated, cocky, arrogant, and self-righteousness. I won't say that some of those monikers weren't deserved, because sometimes I have been those things - who hasn't? I will say this, though, much of what has been seen as self-absorption has truly been self-defense. Without going into a detailed account of my personal woes, I can honestly say that I have been on the business end of plenty of unprovoked ridicule, spite, and abuse. In fact, there have been many times when it truly felt as though I were the only one who believed in me. After all, someone had to. The only alternative was to give up and I never wanted to go out that way.

Over the course of my 36 years on this planet, I have developed a rather impenetrable shell to protect myself from as much damage as possible. The problem is that shells can work both ways and sometimes feel like prisons. This is one of the more personal reasons why I have created Big Spender Stories. I know that my story is not unique. Countless other people have experienced the same trials in life and worse. Through telling my stories, I have discovered freedom. Freedom from my judgmental opinions fueled by years of emotional abuse. Freedom from the judgmental opinions of others that I too often took to heart. Freedom to be open and honest about who I am, what I think, and where I find myself on my journey to follow Jesus.

I want Big Spender Stories to be a place where stories are shared, shells are cracked, prisons are shaken, and freedom is found. I'm crafting a platform upon which people can shout their stories and find healing, encouragement, and strength. Please join me, the world needs to hear your stories. You never know whose life will be touched.