Hi everyone,

We often encourage Christians to tell people their story of how Jesus has made a difference in their life.

That is good.

But recently, as some of our MyFriends trainers practised sharing their stories, another thought emerged:

Your story is not really about you.

Of course, it is your experience. But when you share it with someone else, the goal is not simply to tell them everything that happened to you.

The goal is to help them take a step toward Jesus.

That means we need to listen before we speak.

Suppose you are talking with someone who is anxious about the future. You might tell the part of your story where you discovered you could trust Jesus when life felt uncertain.

If someone feels lonely, you might share how Jesus met you during a time when you felt alone.

If someone comes from a strong religious background, they may not need to hear that you grew up going to church. They might connect much more with how Jesus became real and personal to you.

The same story can be told in different ways because different people are asking different questions.

Before you tell your story, it can help to ask:

What is happening in this person's life?

What questions might they be asking?

What has Jesus done in my life that might connect with that?

And you do not have to tell the whole story.

Sometimes 30 seconds is enough.

Share the part that connects, and then turn the conversation back toward them.

You might ask:

“Have you ever experienced anything like that?”

Or:

“What has your experience of God been?”

Then listen.

Sharing your story is not about getting through a prepared speech.

It is about using something Jesus has done in your life to help another person consider what He might want to do in theirs.

Walking together,

Bob