Searching for a Story Worth Living

Everyone is looking for a story worth living.

Have you noticed? From yoga to coffee to politics to an epic ski trip, everyone is hungry for a story to be part of. But of course — the human heart is made for a big story. We are “story beings,” created by a Storyteller, and we only find the meaning of our lives when we find our place in the epic story God is telling.

The tragedy of a postmodern moment like ours — are we now post-postmodern? — is two-edged: Having abandoned all hope in a Larger Story that might make sense of this broken world, the human race will give itself over to anything that might fill the “story” ache inside us — from a Super Bowl win for our team to the mania of ISIS. People get stuck in small stories, all the while pretending they are filling the void in their souls. You can feel the desperation when you dare to question the validity of anyone else’s plan; raise an eyebrow at their latest passion and you will be met with something bordering violence.

The human heart simply cannot live without a story.

Adding tragedy upon tragedy, in this carnival of small stories Christianity looks like merely one more option and — thanks to the latest wacky religious nut — a rather embarrassing one at that. How do we bring the Gospel of Jesus to such a cynical age as this one?

I think we bring it through story. I think we go straight for the story “ache” in the human heart.

Story is hip; story is in. People want to know the story — about a company, about where there stuff comes from, about their shoes or beer or music. Read any label these days and the makers will try and “tell you their story.” Whole Foods recently ran an ad campaign on their grocery bags that said, “Every meal has a story.” Story is everywhere. “Tell me your story” is a perfectly acceptable way to get into a meaningful conversation these days.

A Story Worth Living

Enter the film, A Story Worth Living.

Last summer my three sons, two friends and I filmed a gorgeous and epic documentary about a thousand mile motorcycle trip through the wild lands of Colorado. In the midst of that adventure, we explain how every human life is a story. How you can only understand your life once you know the story. We bring people into the deep questions of their own pain and disappointment, and why there is so much beauty in the world if everything is just random and meaningless. Gently — I think brilliantly — we build a case for the Gospel of Jesus in the midst of an exciting and sometimes harrowing adventure. (Spoiler alert — this is the film that almost killed John Eldredge.)

A Story Worth Living is a rare thing in our day — a gorgeous adventure film with profound meaning. It speaks to believer and skeptic alike. Men and women are giving it great reviews, not only because it is done so well, but because it touches on the story of every human life. It answers the Big Questions in a very beautiful way. One of our sponsors — a German international motorcycle company — was at first very leery to be involved with a “faith-based” film. But having seen the final product, they did a 180 and ordered a version with German subtitles to show at their big motorcycle rally this summer!

The nationwide premiere for A Story Worth Living is May 19 — one night only.

We’d love you to come. Even more, we’d love you to grab everyone you know and bring them. This is an incredible opportunity to introduce people to the Gospel you love — not the wacky religious but the deeply beautiful Jesus and the epic Story he is telling. As we’ve shown the film to the curators of secular film festivals, motorcycle magazines and off-road expos, we are receiving fabulous feedback. This is a film that invites, not offends. Which is a wonderful thing for the Gospel in this postmodern hour.

A Story Worth Living will speak to your own heart’s search for understanding, and it will open up great conversation with your friends and family.

Listen to the podcast about this special one-night event here.

Have a sneak peek at the trailer.

Original post by John Eldredge, written for FaithGateway.

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Your Turn

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