Our story
“In the spring of 1953, I had left my job at Lawrenceville to be a full-time writer in New York, and it was that fall, with my third novel failing to come to life for me, that in some sense my life itself started to come to life for me—the possibility, at least, of a life in Christ, with Christ, and, on some fine day conceivably, even a life for Christ, if I could ever find out what such a life involved, could find somewhere in myself courage enough, faith enough, craziness and grace enough, to undertake the living of it.”
Frederick Buechner, Originally published in Now and Then, from Frederick Buechner Center Quote of the Day
The American Presbyterian minister, Frederick Buechner, is certainly one of the most read spiritual writers and theologians of this day. I thought I had read all his books and sermons until I found out he has written over 30 books. I have only read about a tenth of what he has published. Buechner’s writings are honest, practical, not preachy, concerned about the frailty of the human condition constantly supported by Grace. His most unifying theme is “listening to your life,” paying attention to everything around you, living in the present, realizing that God is constantly at work in our everyday lives. Peter Hawkins in Listening for God 1 describes Buechner as seeing each person’s story as sacred, capable of revealing divine truth. By sharing our stories, we discover patterns and purpose, like figures in an oriental carpet. Telling our story is not just a possibility, it is our purpose. If we lose touch with our own story, we may lose touch with God. God is a co-author with each of us in the story of our lives.
Dale Brown, The Book of Buechner: A Journey Through His Writings.
Joanna joannaseibert.com