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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Story

I know, it's been almost a month...really...how did that happen?  I write this post, a little fevered, a lot feeling really ill and mostly dumbfounded.

In the past 24 hours I have read two books on genocide.  People who know me well, will smirk a little at this.  Yes, I submerge myself and can read books quickly when I want too...and yes, tragedy is my favorite genre, and if it is a TRUE tragedy, I eat it up.  These two genocides are 40 years apart from each other, on different continents, written by two people who are nothing alike...and yet, the similarities are frightening.  The first is the book Night by Elie Wiesel which is his first hand account of the Nazi takeover.  Being shuffled from camp to camp, in his shockingly refreshing honesty (much like Manning's) it drags you through the stench of emotion that we dare not even imagine.
The second is Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza...words cannot describe this book.  This heroic woman recounts the life she LIVED during the Rwandan holocaust...to say she is a hero of mine, is an understatement.  The cursor blinks as I think of words to type...

So in the midst of these two books about God, questions, humanity and evil...I found my worldview once again being opened.  As I sit and realise that we all have stories, issues and tragedy...I see the questions that these people asked in thier situations that I couldn't even point pictures too at times, the very same as mine as I seek God's counsel about daily situations.  Lies are lies.  The devil only has that trick...fear, doubt, irrational thinking...it's all about lies.  Whether it's a lie that a certain people group is inferior to you and God would rather them be dead or that You aren't worth loving and no one really likes you.  We all fall prey to the lies...

What is even more exceptional is that freedom in all these situations is also found in the hope of the truth.  How these two people found hope at all is a miracle, but the fact that I find hope is too.  I love finding people with scars who are not ashamed of them, realise that God thinks they're beautiful and has shown them a way to use them.  Our scars are our stories and our stories change lives.  Don't hide your scars, take the oversized sweaters off and surround yourself with people who love you scars and all, and let the world gawk and stare...then someone will be brave enough to ask a question...which in turn you have the opportunity to answer...and thus a conversation is born...

Get these books.  Left to Tell is my recommendation if you can only read one.  Find courage in their stories...and share your own.