In Speak: How Your Story Can Change the World, Nish Weiseth explains why, when we bring real peoples’ stories into a discussion, hard and fast rules of society fail to apply across the board. We can use story to show how vast our experiences are and how meaningless it is to make assumptions without knowing where someone is coming from. Telling our stories helps us to build bridges instead of walls.

In Weiseth’s words, “It is a call to engage with others based on what we have in common rather than what divides us.”

I really loved this book. Even just reading the introduction had me nodding my head in agreement. We need to hear what people have to say. We need to see our similarities as we discuss our differences. And talking about what we think or what we believe as it relates to our story, instead of a separate piece of knowledge or theology, gives us a way of connecting as people instead of conflicting opinions.

And I loved the way Weiseth wove her thoughts and beliefs and convictions into the flowing ease of stories. She used her own model of connection to teach us about connection instead of employing the standard point by point argument style of teaching. A point well made and well-recieved. I hope you all can take the time to read it. Excellent book.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

“The hard and beautiful thing about following Jesus is that we are invited and called to act like Him. Following Jesus is an ongoing, transformational process, and, as believers, we’re invited to be a bit more like Him every day. Sometimes that means having conversations that feel uncomfortable.”

“And though you may be living what seems like an ordinary life, faithfully doing what God has place in front of you to do means you are actually living an extraordinary story.”

“What you’re doing may not be as important as the how. If you’re being faithful in what God has called you to do He is transforming you and molding you to be kore like Christ today than you were yesterday. And that is the greatest story you could ever tell.”

Nish Weiseth in Speak: How Your Story Can Change the World

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{{disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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For you: do you find it easier to connect to a list carefully worded arguments or someone’s story?

If you’re an argument driven person, how do you think your attitude toward opposing viewpoints change if you knew the person’s story?

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Updated to add that the winner of Spiritual Misfit is commenter #2: Chantel! I’ll send an email your way and we’ll get that to you!

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