Stories… I’ve lived a life surrounded by countless stories! So numerous and never-ending that I couldn’t even ballpark a number. My father is a storyteller, a Master of Communication through oral narration. You may have experienced some of his handiwork from the stage, social media, a CD, DVD, or maybe a Cassette or VHS Tape depending how old you are and how far you go back! But I can assure you that for every story you’ve heard there are hundreds more that I’ve been told.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not complaining. At gatherings of family and friends, on the golf course or the back porch, around a table or sitting on rockers and porch swings, I find myself constantly urging my dad to, “tell this story” or “tell that story.” Whatever the topic of discussion, I’m always reminded of one of “The Big Swan’s” stories.

They’re forever seared into my consciousness, and I’ll carry them with me until the Lord calls me home. And along the way, I’ll likely do my best to recreate the magic and recite some of them myself. I’ve even heard others attempt to recount my father’s stories second hand… but nobody tells a story like my dad.

I’m grateful for stories! Stories, narratives, and oral translations, passed down from generation to generation are how I’ve learned my lineage and family history. They’re how I’ve learned the chronicles and traditions of my country, how I’ve gotten to know my family and friends on an intimate depth, and how we received the Word of God. All passed along to me from someone who had it passed along to them by someone who heard it from someone else.

Of course, my father’s stories and influence reach far beyond our family. He has a ministry that has encapsulated more than half a century. As a pastor and preacher, he influenced his congregations and as a speaker has reached residents of every state in our union! I couldn’t begin to try to quantify an accurate number of individuals who have listened to “The Swan’s” stories! Regardless of age, physical limitations, and wear and tear from all the smiles, The Big Swan continues to press on with his “Ministry of Encouragement.” And despite the urging of friends and family, he has no intention of slowing down or stopping. My father continues to pass on the story of a life lived in faith in Jesus Christ and in the service of God, family, and others each day!

But what about me? What about my stories? I’m not special, unique, or famous. My stories are a bit on the dull side. I’m not well known, and even if my story was captivating, I don’t have the capacity to reach beyond this little bubble that I’ve created for myself to live in each day. I have very little influence and live a simple and unassuming life of mediocracy. I’m just a standard, run of the mill, middle class guy who loves his family, friends and football! A fella that goes to work every day, struggles to pay bills, tries to exercise and eats too few vegetables. There are a few hobbies that provide a reprieve from the monotonous. And I do my best to enjoy myself as I attempt to make it in today’s world. My days of repetitive tasks and ordinary experiences stack on top of one another to become weeks, months, and years. Nobody is interested in retelling my stories, or the story of my life. It’s average, mundane, and uneventful. And if I were to take a guess, it’s likely that you might be able to identify more with my life than with the life of my Pops, “America’s Minister of Encouragement!”

But I’m wrong in my default observation of my life, and I must be reminded that I am mistaken in the manner that I portray myself. My life matters… a lot! I have purpose and influence. And I make a difference! Every person that I encounter, every relationship that I cultivate, each life that I take time to invest in, every opportunity I take to use my talents and gifts, how I utilize my time and resources, they all create a ripple in the water. Hopefully positively, and too often negativity, my life makes a change in the world around me.

So, it is up to me… my life is my responsibility, and it is my obligation to use whatever position I find myself in to pass on the good news that has been passed to me. My stories do matter, and someone will tell them. Perhaps not on this earth, but in Heaven, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, I know that God will reveal all the ways that my life has shaped and changed others in this little world I’m allowed to inhabit for a short period of time. The same is true for you and your story… make it a good one!

I don’t consider myself special, you may not either, but the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit sure think we are! In God’s Holy Word He tells us over and over that it’s up to us. He continually calls us to Pass It On! Regardless of my intention or conscious decisions, I’m going to pass along something, whether I like it or not. Each of us will leave more behind than just a headstone. May we choose this day to live a life rooted in faith in Christ. May we pick up the mantle and carry it to others and encourage them to pass it on as well! An inheritance will be spent, all the items left behind will collect dust and eventually be discarded, but the Word of the Lord lasts forever! So may all who come behind us find us faithful! It is indeed Up to Us! So, let’s Pass It On!

Chad Dennison Swanberg