what i want you to know:

your story matters, your story is relevant, and it was meant to be shared. you may feel it's so terrible or so far-fetched that nobody could ever relate to it? but it's not, and they can. in sharing your story you may be ministering to someone who's right in the thick of it, or someone who has been keeping the same secret and it's eating them alive. in sharing your story, you bring glory to God because the thing about your story is that it's really His story. we have no idea the ripple effects that can go forth and bless others, change them, heal them, lead them to a Savior.

it may be big, it may be overwhelming, it may be messy. but God intends to be glorified and exalted and made known through it. He intends to refine you and bring it about for your good.

it might be small. it might seem insignificant or not that special. but that's a lie, and God is still glorified in the small stuff as long as we allow Him to be.

the thing is, we're all in this together.why should we act like we have life figured out? because we don't, we can't. a few weeks ago i shared one of my biggest stories. it was vulnerable and a little embarrassing. i actually wrote it two months ago and almost didn't publish it. were it not for that cute lockscreen, i almost cancelled it.

but i published and went about my day like usual. as people commented and tweeted and emailed how it resonated with them or encouraged them, i was on the verge of tears in trader joes. i don't think i'll ever be the same after that day.

i finally understood that my story is safe within His will and i can trust Him with my broken pieces. 

so what i'm saying is, the same thing my friend Leslie wrote recently:

share what God has done in your life and what He continues to do. let people in to see the human side of you. let people in to see the beautiful and redemptive and powerful side of Him. 

the only caution i'd make? be careful that your story isn't actually someone else's story. be sure you have permission to tell it. be sure that you're not dishonoring someone else or putting someone else in danger. just share your part, what God has done in your life. there is wisdom in silence, wisdom in waiting, and it's okay to share after the healing. just make sure that you share, at least a piece. in the right timing, just share. 

even if you don't write it all out on your blog, find a friend you can trust. blogging is not the be all and end all of your ministry. if you know someone who could benefit from what you have to share, go to coffee and share it. we're more alike than different, us humans. God is glorified in our brokenness and it's okay to be broken. it's okay to be normal.