Sunday Strategy: Lead with Stories


This week has been a challenging time for me and my family. Financial reserves are tapped out and we are running on fumes. Without the help we received from family, we would be homeless today.

Things must change, and soon, so I brought my struggle to the Lord and sought His wisdom. I've been struggling with feelings that what I post doesn't matter and that what I'm going through isn't valuable to Him. I have been concerned that my lack of success in selling anything means that I'm not truly pursuing His will and am just wasting my efforts.

What You Say Matters. What You Do Matters More.

I was tempted not to worry about writing this post. That's why it's getting posted so late. I was tired. Tired of fighting a battle that never seems to end. Tired of doing work that doesn't seem to go anywhere. I told myself it didn't really matter.

The Lord corrected me. He told me that what I am doing in the face of my discouragement is my witness to what it means to serve the Lord. Every week I face challenges and every week I seek the Lord to overcome them and every week I receive grace to get me through to the next week.

If I talk about my faith, but nobody sees it in action, those are just words. What I am doing is to live it out in front of everyone and to show them how I handle the things I come up against and that is the most powerful thing I can do.

Powerful Stories Begin with Overwhelming Odds

The odds of me succeeding at what I am trying to do are against me. I am trying to change lives on many levels while balancing my own needs. It's not an easy walk. 

But all truly powerful stories begin with a character who is fighting against overwhelming odds to do something extraordinary. I am not unique in this. Every person faces overwhelming odds whenever they step up to serve or step out to try and pursue a dream.

The Story of Transformation 

Stories are powerful tools for helping connect people together and motivating them to act, especially when the story involves a transformation achieved through the use of whatever instrument it is that you are offering. If there's no transformation, though, the story isn't as compelling or as likely to grab people's attention.

Those transformations don't come about instantly or overnight. They would lose their meaning if they did. Transformation is powerful because it is so dramatic.

Authentic stories are best because they carry with them the emotions felt in those moments of experience. You can write a story that's fake and put in all the right details, fiction writers do, but you risk losing the long-term trust required for repeat business. Stick with true stories for best impact when promoting a product or service you know is going to help change people's lives.

This Week's Focus: Stories

I've spent the last almost decade of my life honing my story-telling skills and learning how to deliver powerful assistance to those who have lost the thread of their story or who don't know where to get started or how to continue past the blocks that stand in their way. That's what I'm going to spend the next week passing on to you in a condensed format.

Marketing Monday: Finding the Story

Time Management Tuesday: Creating a Portable Story Kit

Wealth-Building Wednesday: Revising Your Money Story

Thanksgiving Thursday: Week 7 Progress Report

Freebie Friday: 5 Storytelling Tools You Can Access for Free

Saturday Sales: Selling with Stories

You Matter. What You Say Matters. What You Do Matters More.

To any of my readers out there who are right now facing their own discouragement and feeling the weight of financial burdens, I want you to know that you matter. Other people may not make you feel like it, but you do.

You matter and so does what you say. Speak life to the people around you. Speak hope. Speak encouragement. Share the stories that lift them up.

What you do matters more. People are watching what you do to see if it lines up with what you say. Your actions will determine, by and large, what they decide to do about the things you say to them.

Join Project FED 

You can make a difference, not only in your own life, but in the lives of orphans in Nigeria, just by joining us. Sign up for our email list and become part of our volunteers or get support in being an affiliate for our program. Shop our store and know that every gift you buy gives twice - once to the person who receives it and once to the orphans in Nigeria.

Location: Lewisville, TX, USA

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