So, you’ve listened to your story, you’ve learned the true story of need and you’ve made a plan to live a new story that does justice to both, but that’s just the beginning of what we hope for you — a lifelong journey into your story of service.
While your journey promises to be as unique as you are, you’ll probably encounter some of the same challenges as others who’ve gone before you, such as fear, uncertainty, disillusionment, discouragement, personal failures and burnout. In light of those challenges, we commend to you the following trinity of practices — live centered, live equipped, live connected. The more you integrate these practices into your daily life, the better you will be able to sustain your explorations into your true calling of service.
(Click the headings below for an expanded discussion of each practice, including additional ideas, exercises, resources and links.)
Live Centered
By “live centered” we mean the practice of living a “centered” inner life. We could call this the “intangible” practice, because it focuses on the inner work of developing character, living in reality and seeing ourselves for who we truly are. On the other hand, we embody our inner life in the world around us, in healthy and unhealthy ways, so living centered is also a tangible practice, especially in our connections with others and in equipping us to deal with the suffering and pain that accompany the story of need.
- Develop the “disciplines” — Faith traditions emphasize prayer, fasting, rest and pilgrimage, among other reasons, because they help us practice our humanity. They heighten our awareness: of God, who holds all things together and in whom “we live and move and have our being,” and of the fact that we are not God, but instead stewards called to tend and care for God’s good creation and for each other. The disciplines of prayer, fasting, rest and pilgrimage are deeply personal in that they point our minds, hearts and bodies toward wholeness, but they’re are also deeply interpersonal in that they empower us to be in the world who we were made to be.
- Build in reminders — The central practice of a Story-Sharer, if there is such a thing, is to remember who we truly are and why we’re truly here. In addition to the disciplines highlighted above, four regular celebrations of remembrance can help keep us centered amidst the inevitable interruptions and distractions of life: holidays, meals, gifts and symbols.
- Nurture the greater realities — As the Apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, ”And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Learn to wrap yourself in the realities that make your calling of service possible: faith, that restoration, redemption and healing is possible on every level; hope, that the story of need can be rewritten; and love, which makes you care even if you’re not exactly sure why.
Live Equipped
By “live equipped,” we’re deliberately calling to mind the contents of a pilgrim’s pack or an athlete’s equipment bag. The practice of living equipped points to tools of knowledge and experience that help you encounter and grow to understand the story of need. If you’re still not sure where you want to get involved, browse through our Wiki.
- Decode the need — Learn as much as you can about the need that tugs at your heart as it is. Learn its history, its current expression locally and globally. Think holistically. It’s your calling. No one else is going to live it for you. See yourself as a life-long student of your specific story of need. Live and breathe that story. Become an advocate. Help other people open their eyes to the need.
- Make room in your life — Aspire to never be too busy with other commitments to enter into the story of need. Time is not money, time is opportunity to serve, and making time for whatever needs might come to our attention, is one of the most significant tools we have at our disposal.
- Wrestle with your questions — When it comes to living a new story, there are always so many questions. It’s natural and right to try to answer them, otherwise we’d never take our first steps, but learning to live with unanswered questions is an important skill for a Story-Sharer.
Live Connected
What we’re about to say is pretty obvious, but we’ll say it any way. No one can share their story without real-life connections to other people. The whole idea of a calling of service hinges on the idea of coming alongside people in need. The more we explore our own calling of service the more we realize we need to help as much as others need help!
- Find a guide — Enlist the help of an expert or experts “on the ground” who are willing to brief you, train you and mentor you as you explore your calling of service. We point to well-known authors, websites, and grassroots non-profits who address the “world’s deep hunger” because we believe they’ll prove useful, but you’ll also need help from people who are locally connected to and intimately familiarity with the Problem, group of People or Place to which you feel drawn.
- Form a circle — You need to be a part of a fellowship of service with people who care about what you care about, to spur one another on and multiply your efforts beyond what you could accomplish on your own.
