“We Rise” inspired by John 20:1-18

Ava’s Story of Story

“Several years ago I came to the NBS festival in Georgia and left promising myself that I would tell the scripture myself sometime.  Over the years I had every excuse imaginable.  But God wouldn’t let me forget that promise.  And this past Sunday I (finally) told my first scripture by heart (John 20: 1-18) in our worship service at First Presbyterian in Morganton, NC.  To say it was well received would be to very much understate the responses.  People caught the excitement of the Easter story and are asking for another ‘telling.’  I thank God for His continuous ‘nudging’ and give Him praise for filling me with the Spirit that allowed this story to be heard anew. “

Ava Turner
Morganton, NC
April, 2012
Used with permission—and thank YOU, Ava, for your courage and commitment.

Ava’s Story, Continued: Pentecost

“Meanwhile, I am working on the Pentecost story for May 27.  It is a bit of a struggle, not so much the names of locations, but the 3 different verses where they talk about hearing in their own language.  They are all similar, but each is different.  But I will get there, with God’s help and lots of practice.  Living the story is absolutely the only way to do this.”

We couldn’t have said it any better. Part of the fascination with learning biblical stories by heart is noticing the challenges, as Ava has. What stories are you working on and what are their rough spots? Let us know at feedback@gotell.org (and also tell us whether we have permission to print YOUR story of story).

NBS Festival Gathering 2012

August 8-11 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, NC
The “NBS festival” that was so significant for Ava’s faith story (see above article: “Ava’s Story of Story”) is happening in August and it’s not too late to register. Please note that this year it is held near Asheville, NC, not in Georgia as when Ava attended.
New York Times best-selling author Phyllis Tickle is the keynote speaker, new workshops abound, and there will be many opportunities for both listening to and telling biblical stories. The worship, fellowship, and beauty of the mountain-side setting are worth the price of admission alone.
CLICK HERE to register for the 2012 Festival Gathering of the Network of Biblical Storytellers.