All the Little Stories Becoming One
A devotional by Jessica Brodie
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”—Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
Have you ever looked back on your life and been struck by how it all seems to fit together like a pattern you couldn’t see while you were living it?
I released my third Christian contemporary novel recently, Hidden Seeds, and during an interview with a news publication, something hit me like a splash of cold water: these books are an echo of the work I’ve been doing for the last 16 years.
Sixteen years ago this month, I was hired as editor of a Christian denominational newspaper called the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, and my life has changed in so many wonderful ways since. I was already a Christian when I started, but my faith walk deepened significantly once I took the position. How could it not? I was surrounded by pastors and church leaders consistently modeling discipleship, day after day. And as the primary writer for the publication, month after month—for 16 years—I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to write about churches, pastors, and everyday Christians doing God’s work. That work takes every imaginable form: coffee ministries, reaching the unchurched through robotics, faith-based summer camps, mission trips, and so much more.
As I spoke with the interviewer, I heard myself say: “So many of the people, the ministries, and the stories from these last 16 years as a Christian journalist are peppered throughout the entire series of novels.” The realization was profound—and it filled me with overwhelming gratitude.
These 16 years have shaped me on a soul level like nothing else. I’ve always been grateful, always loved this work, and I’ve always known I’m blessed to hold this position. But it had never quite hit me this way before. Now I understand: Being a storyteller has changed me. In the telling, I’ve been transformed, inspired, and made new. To learn firsthand from the people who lived these stories, then to share them with others? What a glorious thing.
Now, looking back over the books I have written—and knowing the story for Book 4 that is already taking shape in my mind—I see how these years and all their stories are intricately woven into the characters and the town. As the saying goes, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” Well, apparently, I’ve been pouring from a cup brimming with evidence of God’s people doing his will all across this state. That abundance lives in the pages of the Advocate . . . and within my novels.
Life gets hectic, and our thoughts get weighed down by daily concerns and distractions. We forget to step back, to take the long view, to marvel at what God is doing in the full sweep of our lives. It reminds me of watching my kids grow. Because I’m with them every single day, I don’t notice the slow climb from 4-foot-11 to 5-foot-1 to 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-10—until one day I look over and realize they’re taller than I am. That’s what happened to me in this moment of recognition.
God is the master storyteller, and He weaves all our little stories into His grand narrative—even when we can’t see it happening.
So, I want to ask you: What stories are quietly accumulating in your own life right now? What experiences, relationships, or seasons might be more connected than they appear? We don’t always get to see the pattern while we’re living inside it. But it’s there. God is writing something in you, through you. And one day, if you stop and look, you just might catch a glimpse of the whole beautiful design.
Let’s Pray: Lord, thank You for the opportunities you give me in life. Even if I can’t see the plan, I know you are behind the scenes, working it all out for your good and your glory. Help me hold fast to gratitude and trust your will and all the ways you are using me. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.
~*~
Song of Reflection #1: “God is in This Story” by Katy Nichole. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “Glorious Unfolding” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #3: “Just the Beginning” by Kurt Carr (feat. Vonnie Lopez). Listen to it here.
~*~
Author Bio:
Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach.
Her two Christian contemporary novels, The Memory Garden and Tangled Roots, are Amazon bestsellers and her third novel, Hidden Seeds, is out now and is a #1 New Release. Learn more about Jessica’s writing ministry and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.
She has a YouTube devotional, and you can also connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism.
