Our house is fairly immersed in the Winter Olympics. We’re so glad to be back on the west coast (meaning we don’t have to stay up as late to watch the primetime events)! After dinner each night we have a rhythm of settling in to watch the athletes compete.

The mom in me cringes every time someone crashes or is disqualified. And I try to encourage my kids to remember these are real people and the pressure is intense. (I also have to remind them to not boo for countries that aren’t USA.)

One of my favorite things about the Olympics is hearing the different stories. The obstacles overcome, the raw emotions, the heartache and triumph and everything in-between.

Everyone has a story. And everyone’s story matters.

There’s an incredible power in stories because everyone’s perspective and experience is unique. No one can tell your story like you can. You’re the only you that’s lived it.

A couple weeks ago Jon and I got to go to the movies to see Redeeming Love. The kids were all at school, and it had been six weeks since our last date day. We couldn’t even remember the last time we had gone to the theater without our kids to see a movie! (Possibly since we lived in Washington!)

We sat down with our popcorn in a near-empty theater. (My husband was the only male.) I located my pack of tissues as the previews began – I had been warned to bring them. I ended up not using them during the movie itself (I think I had cried all my tears while reading the book two weeks prior). But we both needed tissues during a certain preview.

The Unbreakable Boy is an amazing story. I was so excited to find the book by Scott LeRette at our local library. I am starting to love reading the book before seeing the movie!

In case you’re new here… I LOVE books; like I want to have a library in my house someday. And we have 5 overflowing bookshelves and a couple more stacks and boxes of books. ThriftBooks is my go-to whenever I’m looking for a new book to add to our collection, but I am so glad we have a library card again! My kids are avid readers and visiting the library together is quickly becoming a Saturday morning tradition.

If I’m honest, I’m not always the best at reading, or at least finishing all the books. When attempting the home-work balance, books are usually the first thing to go.

But I’m wondering if Redeeming Love and the power of story changed me more than I realize. After reading almost 500 pages in a few days during isolation, I read The Unbreakable Boy in 24 hours on our Sabbath. There was something in the story that I really connected with; having a child with special needs and hearing another family’s experience brought courage and strength to my soul. To be reminded that we’re not alone in the struggles we face, to read of similar situations and honest emotions, to have words to express what you can’t quite describe…

Our stories hold an uncanny ability to connect us on a deep level.

I pray that you’re encouraged by this truth today: your story, your perspective, your experiences – it all matters. Never forget the power of your story. And the glory that God gets when we share what we’ve been through (and what we’re going through). Even if there’s only one person who listens, understands, or is inspired by it – that’s one person that needed you to share your story.