By Terrie Hellard-Brown
He shared his story—a terrifying situation, finding himself a hostage in a robbery by gang members.
His story was vivid, and we felt his pain, his fear. But it ended there. It was like walking out in the middle of a movie, never knowing how it ended.
She shared her story—taken into a Satanic cult, married off to a man, and later forced to abort her baby when she was only 12. When she finally walked into a church and talked to the pastor, she told him, “Jesus doesn’t want someone like me.” The pastor assured her she was exactly who Jesus died for.
I have never been a hostage or involved in a Satanic cult, but I can relate to the second story more than the first.
Why? Because every person who has come to know Christ understands we don’t deserve salvation, and we can’t help but feel gratitude, sorrow and joy when we understand we too are exactly who Jesus died for.
The Power of Timing
The difference between the two stories is time.
My first friend survived, but he hadn’t yet come to the point of sharing God’s redemptive work through his experience. My second friend had healing, and she pointed us to Christ and the hope she found in him. Sharing our story is like sharing fruit: when it’s picked before it’s ripe, the full flavor and nutrition have not yet developed. If we wait, we are blessed.
We need to wait until the Lord has done his work in our situation, so we can share the full story of redemption. When we wait until we have healed and seen how God is working through our story, we have more freedom to share in ways that bless our audience—vulnerable yet controlled—pointing hearts toward God rather than toward us.
Vulnerable, Not Oversharing
Being vulnerable is imperative for connecting with people in an audience.
At the same time, we do not want to overshare. Vulnerability is a delicate place where we risk our reputation to share our hearts, but, as one teacher once said, “We don’t want to throw up on our audience.”
Admittedly, there are real risks. Sharing vulnerably means exposing not just ourselves but sometimes others. It can invite criticism. But we cannot let fear of cancel culture or the noise of hostile voices distract us from our real calling: to point people toward Christ’s redemption.
Being wise means considering our audience and protecting those in our stories.
Being brave means telling the truth anyway.
Your story is important. God’s work and you sharing about it bring honor to God and can draw people to Him. As Christ followers, we aren’t just sharing stories to entertain (though that’s valid).
We want God to use our lives to help draw people to himself. If that is our heart, to see God’s kingdom brought to our audience, then we must be willing to do the work of learning to share our stories in redemptive, God-glorifying ways.
Is Your Story Ready?
Emotional Barometer:
• Do you see humanity and divine activity in your story?
• Can you share without losing emotional control?
The “So What?” Test:
• What is your “so what”?
• What do you hope your audience will take away?
The Mentor Test:
• Have you shared your story with a trusted mentor?
• How did your story impact them?
The Hard Questions:
• Have you asked why you need to share your story?
• Is fear holding you back anywhere?
• Are you oversharing out of selfishness, hurt or sensationalism?
Terrie Hellard-Brown is a writer, speaker, podcaster and missionary. Her podcast is “Sparking Everyday Discipleship.” Terrie writes children’s books and materials to help parents disciple their children.
