Life is a Story

Tell me your story.

What is it about stories that generate so much power, emotion, and truth that we cannot help but turn an ear to someone who is telling one? Stories are powerful, because we all have one. Real stories. Fiction stories. Personal stories. Dynamic stories. Funny stories. Short stories. Long stories. They all carry something special. Something real.

Everyone has a story. Every story has a plot, setting and characters. Events in our lives stack on top of each other; and every story has this effect on the next thing that happens in our lives. Maybe something or someone has effected your story in such a big way, that you cannot help but let it show throughout the rest of your life. Some of these are sad stories--lives ruined by divorce, changed by abuse, filled with sin, taken away by cancer, or pulled away by death. Or perhaps they are happy stories-- new lives created through marriage, changed by children, crowded with successes, filled with purpose, and lives lived by fulfilling faith. Everyone has characters in their lives that have brought joy or depression: a father, a girlfriend, a neighbor, a preacher, a friend, a stranger, or even the mail lady. If you cannot tell by now, I am a big believer that this life that we live is filled with and continues to be a story.

But there is a story that effected us all before the world began...

Whether we recognize it or not, God is the creator of the story. He created this story called life. The beauty of God is found in the fact that although he created this story in us, he loves us enough to not write it. He brought story to life--so that that story can bring real love and glorification to him. God also owns an eraser. When our stories go so wrong, and mess up so much--he doesn't count that against us. Instead, he wrote an addition to the story and called it salvation. And the main character was Jesus. (follow the cheesy analogy for now)

The main point of this blog is to get across the idea of seeing life as a story. We all have one don't we? And they all mean something. The great thing about stories is that they never end. Some may seem stagnant, but they never end because our stories carry on through out history. Every story has an effect on another story that carries on after we breathe our last gulp of air.

I have heard people say, "I hate when people ask 'what is your story'". But i cannot help but wonder why. Stories are beautiful and real. The thing about stories is they are always changing. What you decide to do today and tomorrow can and will effect other stories until Jesus returns. Your story may feel like a dead end or a wrong turn, but it only takes a decision to turn it all around. And Vice Versa, life is going so great and ONE change in the story and take a turn for the worst. Life is a story--

tell it, change it, and live it

Back 2 Bloggin

That is right bloggers....Jim Landis is back in the game. I realize that my last blog post was almost a year ago, but no worries, I'M BACK! A LOT has happened to me since my last post. I cannot even begin to tell you about it, but I can try to give you a quick run down....
I finished my second year of college and am now half way done with my third. I played baseball last year and am still debating on if I want to do it again. I love the sport and everything, but it gets pretty tough taking 20 hours at school and playing 40 games across the mid-west....We'll see.

I suppose I'll spend the rest of this blog telling you about last summer, because to be honest, it blew my mind! I was on a camp team for the school in which I went around to junior high and high school camps promoting the school. My team (SHOUT OUT to Dexter, Tiphani and Erin...I LOVE YOU GUYS!)toured around Oklahoma and Texas for the first four weeks of the summer, then went to Indiana and Illinois for the last 4 weeks. To put it simply: LIFE CHANGING! I cannot even think about listing all the people I met this summer that just encouraged me to meet them and to hear their story. (I'll tell a few so that when I tell them I wrote about them in my blog they may start reading it....suckers!) Jake Raits, Emily Ritchie, Rebecca Peddicord, Beka Hull, Matt Alt, Rachel Posey and MUCH MORE. These people are college age Christians that are determined to do amazing things for the Kingdom. Some from other Christian colleges that are studying to do ministry in the church or the missions field and others doing ministry in their own secular colleges. I cannot tell you how blessed I felt to have the opportunity to meet such people and I couldn't help but think......"man, the great commission is going to be fulfilled before we know it." So for all those who I had the privilege of meeting this summer...thank you and PLEASE keep doing what you are doing.

I would have to say that the highlight of my summer would be meeting close to 1000 students at the church camps. I WISH I could name off each camp and just tell you some names and stories. Some will make you smile...some will make you laugh...and some will make you cry. Over the summer I realized that I love speaking a lot more then I thought. I was able to speak at 4 or 5 camp fires this summer and it truly was an amazing experience. I guess that will come in handy for my career....being a minister and all.

I want to tell you just one story about this freshman named Tez who I met this summer. I'll tell you right now, this dude is straight baller. Tez crossed me on the court more times then I can remember and never hesitated to hit a jumped in my face. Tez lived in the cabin that I was the "dorm daddy" in and that gave us a lot of time for 1 on 1 talking. Tez had questions about Christianity and who Jesus really is. He had questions about life and family. He had questions about girls, and his boys, and situations he runs into everyday. See, Tez isn't the average church camp going kid. He is from inner city Cincinnati.

He told me about struggles
with drugs,
with theft
with fighting
and with gangs.

He told me his family went to church every once in awhile, but he wouldn't really know what it took to be a real Christian. He has been interested in getting baptized so we talked about that a little. And on the fourth night of camp, I was able to baptize Tez in the pond at camp Whitewater in southeast Indiana. That night was all about God--

and the grace
and the love
and the passion

that he continually offers to all his children. Tez was born again that warm summer night in Indiana. He has broken the chains that help him down and I remember talking to him later that night, and behind all his smiles he used words like

freedom
over and over again.

Tez and I parted ways the next day. And to be honest, I haven't heard from him since. Growing up in the inner city, he didn't have a cell phone, or Internet access or a facebook. I have no idea where Tez is now. I don't know if he is a street evangelist somewhere in Cinci, or if maybe he went back to his old lifestyle, running around with the same guys he did before. I don't know if he is still living out his newly found faith, or if he got shot and died on a street corner.
That is the hard thing about camp team ministries, you have to let go and trust that they are in God's hands. And I trust God's hands a lot more then I trust my own. Tez, if you out there somewhere, much love brother, and I'll see you in heaven.