The Story Zone

The Story Zone or “Story” is the second position on The Journey Map, but often the starting point for people to realize they are on a spiritual journey either individually or communally. This position is about the creative tension between aspiration and situation in people’s lived experiences. We may aspire to live a certain way or to be a certain person, but the demands and conditions of our situation set the limits on this becoming a reality. God uses this tension to create a space in our lives for his revelation of identity (being) and mission (doing).

If we recognize this position on the spiritual journey, we are able to hold creative tension in ourselves, others, and the organizations we serve. This creates an environment open for God’s coming revelation of identity and mission. Empathically listening to a friend without judgement or solutions creates a more secure friendship bond and more potential for encountering the authentic Kingdom (God’s will done because people choose it). In the same way, organizations that truly hear the aspiration of their constituents and truly understand their situations on an empathic level — sharing authentically in their struggle — foster a deeper sense of belonging. Conversely, organizations that too quickly collapse tension with judgement or solutions or never really see the hopes and struggles of the people have relationships that are not secure or deep. Individual and communal journeys that cannot maintain this tension and space create people with shallow allegiance or only partial openness to revelation — they are either all about identity or mission, but not both.

The E.L.E.V.A.T.I.O.N Allegory | L – Lay of the Land

In the ELEVATION version of The Journey Map, the second position is L for Lay of the Land, symbolized by the Old Watch Tower. Before the adventurers start off, out of the Lowlands of Belonging for the wilder lands beyond, they ascend the tower to survey the lay of the land — specifically the highs and lows of the road behind and the road ahead. As they hear the ups and downs of each member’s story up to this point and they share feelings as they look to the lands ahead, they start to identify and feel connected — both to each other (community) and what they propose to do (mission). At this point, the adventurers don’t know what they journey holds or how exactly they will get there. But that’s OK because they are together and they can navigate the highs and lows together. They notice the new road, and are at peace in each other’s presence but feel anticipation towards what might be ahead.

Dynamic Elements

The key dynamic elements for the Story position in people’s spiritual journey are aspiration and situation in creative tension. Aspiration means what people want, who they want to be, and when/where they want to be in life. Situation means what makes demands on them, how they are required to respond, and to what extent is their success necessary. Creative tension is holding space for the eventual emergence of the why that joins together and synthesizes these two elements.