Your Story is the Light Someone Needs

 

Walking Into the Waiting Room

I can still picture it: fifteen-year-old me walking into a hospital waiting room, surrounded by adults. Some looked worn out by life, others kept to themselves. I had come alone for another appointment, trying to carry myself with quiet confidence.

I wasn’t fearless but I had learned that sometimes you kept showing up because that was how you moved forward.

 

From Journals to Hope

My teenage years were a blur of moving between homes and schools. I was always trying to fit in, because at the time, being “different” didn’t feel like a good thing.

That was when journaling became my safe space. I poured my thoughts, prayers, and dreams onto paper. I didn’t write for anyone to read them, but deep down I hoped my words might one day encourage someone going through a hard time.

Hospital visits alone, moments of wanting someone to understand these experiences slowly grew in me a desire to share my story so that others wouldn’t feel as alone as I sometimes did.

 

Why Your Story Matters

Our stories are more than memories, they’re a way to pass on hope. You never know who might need to hear that they can get through what they’re facing.

Your story can be the light someone else needs, or the “seasoning” that makes life a little richer for them.

But telling it well matters too and that was where I found help in the book Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. It outlines 7 imperatives for sharing your story in a way that people connect with and remember.

 

7 Imperatives for Sharing Your Story — and How to Apply Them Today

1. Determine Your Goal
• Ask yourself: Why am I telling this?
• Maybe it’s to inspire, to comfort, or to challenge. My goal was to restore hope and remind people they matter.
• Try this: Write your goal in one sentence before you start.
2. Pick a Point
• One main message is enough — people rarely remember more.
• Mine is: Your story is worth sharing because it’s uniquely yours.
• Try this: If someone asked, “What’s the one thing you want me to take away?” — that’s your point.
3. Create a Path
• Take your listener from beginning → middle → end.
• For me, the path began in a hospital waiting room, moved through my journaling years, and ended with the hope I found.
• Try this: Map out 3–4 key moments that take people on a journey.
4. Find a Tension
• Without a challenge or problem, people won’t lean in.
• My tension was navigating illness and loneliness as a teen.
• Try this: Identify the biggest challenge in your story and share it honestly.
5. Resolve the Tension
• Show what helped you move forward.
• For me, it was my faith in God, resilience built through journaling, and the encouragement I found along the way.
• Try this: Point to what gave you hope — that’s what your audience will remember.
6. Engage Your Audience
• Use personal touches, relatable moments, and even small bits of humor where it fits.
• Try this: Imagine you’re talking to one friend, not a crowd. Write or speak like you’re in conversation.
7. Land the Plane
• End clearly. No drifting, no fading out.
• My landing line is: Don’t hide your story. Someone needs the hope you carry.
• Try this: Finish with a call-to-action — something your audience can do today.

 

Your Turn

Whether you’re a teen figuring out life, a young adult chasing dreams, or someone navigating illness, your story matters.

It’s not about having a perfect script, it’s about being real, offering hope, and reminding someone else that they’re not alone.

So, write it down. Share it in conversation. Tell it when the opportunity comes.
Your story is your light. Let it shine.