In my family, we tell the same stories over and over to the point that we now skip right to the end. (When I got married and my husband joined our family, I had to tell him the stories so that he could track with all the seemingly random punchlines.) Shared memories bring shared joy, and the stories we tell are the ones we remember.

Just as storytelling strengthens a family bond, the stories we choose to tell about our church family shape our affections. “It is easy for us to remember when the church has failed us,” writes Lindsey Schubert in her article We Need (Good) Church Stories. “But what if God’s people were intentional about sharing stories of faithfulness more than failure?” Lindsey’s on to something. It’s not hard to get people to tell the stories of how the church has wronged them, but it’s rarer to hear about the blessings.

The church is a bit like our body. We take it for granted until something goes wrong (and when something goes wrong, we talk about it . . . a lot). We shouldn’t ignore our wounds or try to keep the peace when wrong has been done. But we should also remember all the times when things have gone right and remind each other of them.

I hope you’ll read Lindsey Schubert’s exhortation and spend a few minutes today considering how your church has shaped you for good. Then look for an opportunity to tell your story to encourage someone else!