To live a better story.

Hey guys! This is my post for the contest donald miller is doing for the Story Confrence in Portland. Check out the confrence web page: www.donmilleris.com/conference

Living a Better Story Seminar from All Things Converge Podcast on Vimeo.

Thanks!
Jenny



I’m 20, and to most people out there that means I have my whole life in front of me. But, I don’t. No, I’m not dying (or at least, not that I know of) but Im walking around a character in a story with out a plot.
I, the character am silly, and irrational. I want to change the world, watch the oppressed be set free. I talk about revivals, and about the definition of church. I want to see the body of Christ be united, but I can’t find that piece inside of me to even join a church, to commit to a location or locations in order to watch these desires come about.
My “chapter” currently involves a lot of time with my computer, work, and studying. I have even found my self with only a few real life friends. My iphone in all reality, has become my best friend. And when things get tough I escape to places that I haven’t been, like Portland. I also go collect things from other people’s lives because I can spend hours looking at it wondering what story it has, antiques have begun to clutter my tiny little place. It doesn’t even end with things, I have even tried dressing in other people’s clothes in hopes that it would make me live a better story.
I have romanticized my life, and well I need to stop. My story may not be about me falling in love with prince charming, or being in a center of a revival… my story may not be as romanticized as I have played it out to be.
To live a better story would be to find freedom, to be fearless, to discover a setting where my hopes and dreams may play out, and to start learning about people’s stories through their stuff but through them.
To live a better story, I want to start talking to people. I want to talk to them and write down what they have taught me and in the end, to discover me.
I think this conference will give me this opportunity to start this change. To start talking to people, and watching people… to discover myself, my home, and my own story.
I need a setting. I need a plot. Without these things I am just all talk and ideas and no action, a travesty.