Tell me your stories.
I'd love to hear.
A journal by Allison McKay.
I have always loved stories,
And growing up I heard and studied sacred stories daily.
I am a naturally curious and inquisitive person,
And as I grew older,
My questions about those stories grew deeper.
I love asking questions because I love listening to the answers.
There's always more to the story.
It wasn't until I started earnestly questioning those stories,
With real intent as an adult,
That I gained ears to hear answers that brought me to my God and myself.
The stories came to life.
The reality of the answers to my questions came alive in me.
I am grateful for the stories I grew up hearing,
And I am grateful I learned to listen with my heart as well as my ears.
I wrote this book of questions to create a space for listening,
To honor my heritage.
I have used stories from the Holy Writ I grew up with,
But these questions may be applied to any culture or religion for all people.
If a question doesn't resonate with you,
Then feel free to skip it.
If the answer is no,
But it does resonate with you,
Then I invite you to create a time and a space to experience the answer to that question.
Perhaps you will have more stories to share by doing so.
I hope that as you read,
Ponder,
And answer these questions,
You will come to better know yourself and God.
May we all love,
Alison.
P.
S.
The most common questions are who,
What,
Where,
When,
Why,
And how.
As I began recording the questions that came into my heart and mind for this book,
All of them were,
Have you ever?
Questions.
When I checked in about it,
I was delighted to learn yet another layer about asking questions,
A topic I have asked about a lot.
Remembering is a powerful way to come to God and to become your truest self.
For me,
Have you ever?
Questions best facilitate that experience of remembering,
And I hope it works for you too.
Question one.
Have you ever been spiritually enriched by someone in a different religion than your own?
For example,
The Jewish man Yeshua was born more than 2000 years ago.
And if you are studying his life and teachings,
You may be a Christian.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question two.
Have you ever received a new name that was spiritually significant other than your given name at birth?
For example,
Mary is the name transliterated into English for the mother of Christ,
But she was named Miriam at birth by her parents.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question three.
Have you ever had the opportunity to record and then ponder on your lineage?
For example,
The genealogy of Mary and Joseph are recorded in the New Testament.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question four.
Have you ever had an angel visit you?
For example,
Mary had an angel come to tell her about something that was going to happen in her life,
And Joseph was warned by an angel in a dream to flee to Egypt.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question five.
Have you ever had the experience of being misunderstood or even falsely accused because of your beliefs and actions?
For example,
Many people probably ostracized Mary for becoming pregnant when she was not yet married.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question six.
Have you ever written poetry or a song to praise God?
For example,
Mary expressed her psalm when she met with Elizabeth.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question seven.
Have you ever made a pilgrimage to the land of your ancestors?
For example,
Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem,
And Jesus was born there.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question eight.
Have you ever believed in oral or cultural religious tradition that wasn't based in the canon of scripture used by your church?
For example,
Most Christmas stories include Mary riding on a donkey,
But that fact is not included in the New Testament.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question nine.
Have you ever had special clothing or another item made for you by your mother or grandmother?
For example,
The swaddling clothes that Mary wrapped around her firstborn son were ceremonial in nature.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question ten.
Have you ever been to a sacred place to worship?
For example,
Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple to offer sacrifice.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question eleven.
Have you ever chosen to not speak about particular spiritual things with others?
For example,
Mother Mary kept certain sayings and experiences in her heart.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twelve.
Have you ever gained spiritual knowledge or assurance from the stars?
For example,
The wise men followed a star to find the baby Jesus and his mother Mary.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirteen.
Have you ever gathered with extended family for a religious festival?
For example,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus and their family to Jerusalem and then didn't realize he had stayed at the temple until on the way home.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question fourteen.
Have you ever taken action ceremonially as a sign of your devotion to God?
For example,
Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question fifteen.
Have you ever received an animal messenger?
For example,
Jesus and John received a dove that was a sign to them.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question sixteen.
Have you ever spent time in the wilderness to seek God?
For example,
Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days and nights before he began his ministry.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question seventeen.
Have you ever experienced or worked a miracle?
For example,
Jesus turned water into wine when his mother asked for help at a banquet.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question eighteen.
Have you ever fulfilled a scriptural prophecy?
For example,
When Christ read a passage to the synagogue and then testified to the people that it was being fulfilled by him that very day.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question nineteen.
Have you ever gone into the mountains to pray?
For example,
Jesus went oft into the mountains to be alone with God.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty.
Have you ever raised your voice to share your heart in public?
For example,
Jesus taught multitudes of people in small groups or even one by one,
Bearing his witness to them.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty one.
Have you ever used minerals or vitamins in an unconventional way to bless and heal your body?
For example,
Jesus put clay into a man's eyes to heal him of blindness.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty two.
Have you ever given the time and made the effort to forgive others?
For example,
Jesus told Peter to forgive others seventy times seven times.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty three.
Have you ever been cured by God?
For example,
Jesus told Peter to cast seven devils out of Mary Magdalene.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty four.
Have you ever pondered about nature and learned something you weren't expecting?
For example,
Jesus invited us to consider the lilies of the field.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty five.
Have you ever celebrated a holiday with your community to honor the faith of your ancestors?
For example,
Jesus went to the temple in the winter for the Feast of Dedication,
Hanukkah.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty six.
Have you ever done or saw something that seemed impossible?
For example,
Jesus walked on water and asked Peter to follow suit.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty seven.
Have you ever sacrificed for God?
For example,
Jesus walked on water and asked Peter to follow suit.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty eight.
Have you ever chosen to give thanks in a dire situation?
For example,
Jesus expressed gratitude at the tomb of Lazarus before raising him from the dead.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question twenty nine.
Have you ever had a friend that brought you to God?
For example,
The bedridden man with palsy was carried to Jesus by his friends.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty.
Have you ever found spiritual truths in completing menial tasks?
For example,
Many parables taught by Christ hold profound lessons layered in ordinary occurrences.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty one.
Have you ever temporarily prioritized your spiritual community before your earthly family members?
For example,
Once while preaching,
Jesus did not go out to his brothers when they asked for him.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty two.
Have you ever advocated for children?
For example,
When Joseph chose to not have Mary publicly stoned when she was found with child,
Or when Jesus chided the disciples for shooing the children away and invited them to come back.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty three.
Have you ever practiced fasting to gain spiritual strength?
For example,
Jesus told his disciples that certain issues could only be overcome through fasting and prayer when they asked why they hadn't been able to heal someone.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty four.
Have you ever used essential oils ceremonially or to heal and bless your body?
For example,
Mary Magdalene used spikenard to anoint Christ before he completed his mission.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty five.
Have you ever considered a tree sacred or incorporated trees into your worship?
For example,
The people waved palm fronds and laid them in the way as Jesus entered Jerusalem riding the colt.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty six.
Have you ever participated in religious celebrations with your family and loved ones?
For example,
Jesus ate the cedar at Passover with his disciples.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty seven.
Have you ever used music to comfort and spiritually strengthen yourself and others?
For example,
Christ sang a hymn with his disciples before leaving the last supper.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty eight.
Have you ever gone into a grove of trees to pray?
For example,
Jesus went into the garden of Gethsemane to pray before he was taken to be crucified.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question thirty nine.
Have you ever stayed by another's side as they experienced something incomprehensible?
For example,
Mother Mary stayed with Jesus when he was crucified.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Question forty.
Have you ever encountered God and not recognized it until you received further light to understand?
For example,
Neither the men who walked on the way to Emmaus nor Mary Magdalene recognized Christ when he was resurrected until he chose to reveal himself to them.
Please tell me your story.
I would love to hear.
Along with writing out your answers,
If you feel to draw anything regarding your experience or include a token or memento of some kind,
Please feel free to do so.
What questions remain for you?
May you find your answers.
Asking questions and recording our experiences are both powerful ways to better know ourselves and God.
Please join me on this journey of remembering.
