- Speaker #0
Welcome back to Promise Hill, Season 1, Episode 11, The Storyteller. Hello, I'm your host, Kimberlee Herman. If you're just tuning in, awesome I'm so glad you're here. You're meant to be here. Now this is an unfolding story, so if you're interested, you can check out the story. episode one to learn a little bit more backstory about our main character. Now, I would love to hear from you. What questions do you have about counseling or relationships? Shoot me an email at the email listed below. And I have a gift for you. I made it just for you. It's called Pause, a sacred reset. I think that's what I named it. Something like that. It's a tool to help you when you're feeling overwhelmed. Now, this can also be found at the link below. Don't forget to subscribe. And if this podcast is helpful, would you leave me a review? That is how people can figure out if this is something they want to listen to. And I want to do a quick shout out to the Island of the Grenadines. I'm shouting it out because on my charts, I just looked. Promise Hill scores pretty high in the Grenadines consistently for like a long time. So I just want to say thank you for listening. The Grenadine Islands are now on my bucket list to visit. It looks so beautiful. All right. In our last episode, Mira stepped in to help Charity at the bakery. Mira caught wind of a serious conversation between Charity and Pastor Enoch, something that didn't sound small, and she had a wild dream about a storyteller. Today, an unfamiliar face visits Promise Hill. We're going to meet a new character. He sets a time and a place and ordinary plans rearrange themselves. By afternoon, Promise Hill stands still, waiting for words that will soon transform their hearts. I'll meet you on the other side of the story with reflections, live it out action steps, and prayer. Let's listen in.
- Speaker #1
Saturday arrived with the warm sun rising over Promise Hill. Mira opened her eyes, thinking of the dream she had a few nights before, and wondered if it meant anything. As promised, she opened the bakery and got the day rolling so that Charity could help out at her church. Mira slipped into the rhythm of baking the cookies, muffins, and scones that Charity had made the night before. Mid-morning, Nathaniel Ember calmly wandered in. He was surprised to see Mira behind the counter.
- Speaker #2
Hey there, Mira. Look at you working here at the bakery. I'll take a coffee, please, to go. I use my own cup. Here you go. Oh, and if you've got any of those blackberry muffins, I wouldn't say no.
- Speaker #3
Hey Nathaniel, nice to see you.
- Speaker #1
She handed him the warm pastry and filled his mug with fresh hot coffee, just as the door opened again. An excited looking man in his 30s with kind and welcoming big brown eyes stepped in.
- Speaker #4
Hello, I'm Solomon Reed and I'm a storyteller. Would you mind if I stood in front of the shop this afternoon? I'd like to tell a story appropriate for all ages to whoever wants to listen.
- Speaker #3
Um.
- Speaker #1
Mira was taken off guard, glancing toward the bookstore and thinking about her dream. She was shocked and speechless. Her heart was beating out of her chest. I've got a great spot, Solomon. I'm Nathaniel,
- Speaker #2
and this is Mira.
- Speaker #1
Nathaniel and Mira put out their hands to shake Solomon's. Mira noticed the gentle strength that Solomon carried as he greeted her.
- Speaker #2
You can stand in front of my wood shop and share your story there. Would 2 p.m. work? Grandma Eden will be done reading her story to the children by then. Solomon smiled.
- Speaker #4
Of course. Two works great. In the meantime, it's nice to meet you both. I'll be back soon.
- Speaker #1
And just like that, he departed. Solomon left behind a wonder and expectation that something exciting was coming and that he was the one to deliver. The hours went by fairly quickly with a steady stream of customers. Mira noticed that the customers were coming in from all over the world. noticed she enjoyed working again and the distraction helped get out of her own head. True to his word, Solomon the storyteller showed up right at two to meet Nathaniel outside of the bakery.
- Speaker #2
Hi there Solomon, ready for your story? Because I am.
- Speaker #4
I sure am. Thank you for letting me do this. I'm a complete stranger. This means a lot to me.
- Speaker #2
I have a great feeling about you, Solomon. So, follow me and let's get started. We're just going across the street to Ember and Oak, my wood shop.
- Speaker #1
Nathaniel led the way, with Solomon by his side. Nathaniel could see quiet curiosity in his face and notice the way his shoulders relaxed with each step toward his studio. The woodshop was a humble place, nestled on the corner, just across the street from the bakery, feeling peaceful and close enough to be seen by the whole town. When they reached the edge of Nathaniel's shop, he paused, turning to Solomon. Here's the spot. Will this work? Nathaniel gestured to the area in front of his shop.
- Speaker #2
There's enough room for you here, and the sound of your voice will carry. I'll tell you about that another time.
- Speaker #4
Well, I'm gonna definitely need to hear that story.
- Speaker #1
Solomon looked around, nodding thoughtfully. He ran his hand along the edge of the bench, the smooth wood feeling familiar under his fingertips.
- Speaker #4
It's a good spot. I can already feel the stories waiting to be shared here.
- Speaker #1
Nathaniel smiled, noticing how the storyteller's words seemed to come alive even in the quietness of the moment.
- Speaker #2
You and I have something in common. I try to tell stories through the wood I craft, and I've always believed that stories have a way of making a place feel more alive.
- Speaker #1
Solomon's eyes lit up. He stepped forward, letting his hand rest on the wooden post that framed the doorway.
- Speaker #4
Well, that's really awesome, Nathaniel. Yeah, we do have that in common. Maybe this town needs to go deeper with familiar stories. That's what I do. I take a story we all know and look at it from a different perspective, and it sounds like you'd do that with wood. Very cool, Nathaniel.
- Speaker #1
His voice was thick with meaning. It's time to share them here. Nathaniel nodded, appreciating the weight of Solomon's words.
- Speaker #2
I can't wait to hear your story, Solomon. What a gift you're bringing to our small town. He gestured to the ground, where the sidewalk led to the space between the shop and the street. You can stand right here, and the people will hear you. If you need anything, just let me know.
- Speaker #1
Solomon looked down at the ground, taking in the quiet hum of Promise Hill. Then he turned back to Nathaniel with a smile.
- Speaker #4
I don't need a thing. I'll begin soon.
- Speaker #2
I'll need a moment to gather my thoughts. Take your time, and when you're ready, just let your words flow.
- Speaker #1
As Solomon set down his satchel and began to prepare, Nathaniel stood nearby, watching him thoughtfully. There was something about this man that felt right, like he was meant to be here, bringing something the town didn't even know it needed. Mira, having finished her shift at the bakery, joined them outside just in time to see Solomon pulling out a small leather-bound notebook. He flipped it open and scanned through a few pages, as though searching for just the right beginning. She also noticed a big black Bible book that matched her mother's and grandma Eden's. Nathaniel turned to Mira, his voice low. I think Promise Hill is about to receive a gift. Mira smiled. Her curiosity peaked.
- Speaker #3
I think so too.
- Speaker #1
As Mira stood next to Nathaniel, other people noticed and wanted to see what was going on. One of the perks of being in a small town. People started coming in from all directions. Nathaniel waved over the people walking by, while Mira yelled,
- Speaker #3
Come listen to Solomon the storyteller.
- Speaker #1
As Solomon took a deep breath and looked out at the crowd that was forming, the stage was set. Solomon was ready, and Nathaniel could already feel the people leaning in to listen. Solomon's voice gathered strength as he started the story.
- Speaker #4
I didn't know colors. I couldn't describe the blue of the sky or the golden hues of the sun. People tried to explain them to me when I was a child, but all I knew was darkness. I was born blind. Every day I sat near the temple, begging. Not because I wanted to, but because it was the only way I could survive. My brothers dropped me off at the same place day after day. People whispered when they passed. Some said my blindness was punishment for sin. Maybe mine. Maybe my parents. As if my darkness was deserved. But I leaned in to listen deeply. I could tell what kind of person someone was by the sound of their steps. Heavy, hurried, ashamed, proud. Some voices passed in judgment. Others dropped a coin with a whisper of pity. I had no name to most, just that blind man. Then one day I heard a different kind of voice, calm, certain. There was movement around him, people pressing in asking questions. One of them asked about me. Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? I braced myself for more condemnation. But the man's answer surprised me. Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. No one had ever said my life had purpose before. Then I felt someone kneel close to me. There was silence for a moment, then a strange sound, spitting. I flinched at first, then gentle fingers smeared something smooth and cool over my eyes. Mud. He told me to go wash in the pool of Siloam. He didn't promise anything, just told me to go. A few people helped guide me to the pool. I stumbled, I slipped, but I got there. And when the water touched my eyes and the mud washed away, I saw, I saw the world. Light burst in like fire and music. I saw faces, colors, reflections. I laughed. I cried. I ran. People didn't believe it was me. Some argued I wasn't the same man, but I kept saying, I am the man. I told them what he did. Some still refused to see. Later that day, he found me again. He looked into my new eyes with a gaze deeper than sight. Do you believe in the Son of Man? He asked. Who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe. You have now seen him, he said. In fact, he is the one speaking with you. And I believed. I dropped to my knees and worshipped him. I once lived in darkness, not just in my eyes, but in my soul. But now I know what light is, not just sunlight, but the light of the world. My name no longer matters. What matters is this. I was blind, and now I see.
- Speaker #1
The crowd was awestruck and erupted in cheers, tears, and a thunder of clapping. Mira could hear murmuring of how incredible the story was and how it touched their hearts. Solomon, the storyteller, began to blush and said,
- Speaker #4
Thank you for sharing your time with me. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He gave me that story for you today. It is taken from the Bible, but I put my own spin on it so you could hear it in a new way. Someone here needed to see from that perspective because you have been blind and wanting so much to see. Jesus wants you to see the light. May the darkness leave you and truth settle in. There will be a few more stories over the next few weeks, and you all are welcome back. Bless all of you.
- Speaker #1
The crowd again erupted in applause and thanked him for his story. When some began to disperse, Nathaniel approached Solomon.
- Speaker #2
You have a place to stay? Solomon nodded his head.
- Speaker #4
I have a trailer in the woods I have already set up. I could use a hot shower, though. Would that be okay?
- Speaker #2
Of course. Anytime. Here's my cell. I'm here to help. After your shower, let me treat you to a hot meal down at the cafe, and then I can drop you off at your place if you need a ride.
- Speaker #1
Solomon smiled and exchanged numbers with Nathaniel.
- Speaker #4
That would be great. You know, Nathaniel, you're an answer to prayer. God told me he would take care of the details of where I would sleep and where I would be fed, as well as bringing listeners to hear my stories. Know that you are in God's plans for my visit. I'll be back shortly after I gather some things.
- Speaker #1
Solomon looked around and caught Grandma Eden's eyes. After she finished reading her new children's book at the Lantern Bookstore, she listened to Solomon's story, standing in the back of the crowd. She gave him a nod and then quickly left. He wondered when he would see her next. He took a deep breath in and knew he would stay for a while. This is a place he needed to be. God had an assignment for him. He just did not know who it was for. But at the same time he knew one of his assignments was to fix what he broke. Mira walked up to Solomon before she left.
- Speaker #3
Thank you, Solomon, for such a great story. You're really gifted. I look forward to hearing more. Off-topic question. I couldn't help but notice your black book. Where did you get it?
- Speaker #1
Ah.
- Speaker #4
My Bible. A dear friend from long ago gave it to me when I didn't know how much I needed it.
- Speaker #1
In that moment, other people pressed in to talk to Solomon. Mira smiled and headed home, exhausted from being on her feet all day. Her thoughts began to bubble up.
- Speaker #3
A Bible. Just like from my dream. and from Grandma Eden's, as well as the one my mom gave me, and like the one in my flashback. Clearly, I am supposed to read it.
- Speaker #1
Her heart felt a new kind of hope, but she wasn't sure why. She was still reeling about her dream, and the storyteller appeared on Saturday, just like she heard. She also thought deeply about the story. A blind man being healed sounded vaguely familiar. Mira plopped down on her couch when she arrived home to re-read the letter Grandma Eden wrote to her about soul care and healing from her marriage to Jackson. When she picked up the envelope, she noticed there was something else inside, a small card that read,
- Speaker #3
Planted, not buried.
- Speaker #1
Beneath the writing was a small hand-drawn symbol, a seed in the shape of a heart cradled in the roots of a blooming flower. Mira traced the edges of the card with her fingertip. Her eyes damp. Whatever this was, it wasn't just encouragement, it was a new type of a beginning. Somehow, through an old story with new lenses and a single flower, something new had started to shift inside her. And maybe that was the beginning of seeing things in a new way. As she set the card down, the phone rang.
- Speaker #3
Hello, Mama. It's so good to hear from you. How are you?
- Speaker #5
Mira, you need to know something else.
- Speaker #3
What, Mama?
- Speaker #1
A storyteller had arrived in Promise Hill. A blind man had found his sight. And for the first time in a very long time, Mira wondered if she might be beginning to see too. But before the day was over, a single phone call would uncover a clue that had been hidden for years. Take it away, Kimberlee.
- Speaker #0
Let's unwrap this story together. What happened in Promise Hill that Saturday wasn't random. It was orchestrated by God. Ordinary moments turned into holy ground because people made space, paid attention, and responded to what God was doing right in front of them. That's usually how transformation starts. Not in grand gestures, although it can happen, but in small, intentional choices. As we step back from the story, we can identify some clear patterns. that we can apply to our own lives. Let's jump in. Reflection number one. Our pain may hold a purpose. Hear it and hold it. John 9 verse 3. But this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. The blind man's condition wasn't a punishment. It was a platform. Sometimes what feels like punishment or injustice is preparation for a testimony. God may allow brokenness to become a beacon. of his power and grace. Reflection number two, obedience precedes transformation. Hear it and hold it. John 9 verse 7. Go, he told him, wash in the pool of Siloam. So the man went and washed and came home seeing. The man didn't know what would happen, but he went. Faith is often revealed in the willingness to act without full understanding. We experience change when we trust enough to move. Has that happened to you before where you felt the Lord telling you to do something and either A, you were obedient and did it and felt the peace of the Lord all over it, or B, you fought him and didn't do it and felt not the peace? I've done both and it's so much easier when you feel the peace of the Lord on you, even though it's something that's really hard to do. So I want to encourage you to have faith like the blind man. Reflection number three. True vision is seeing Jesus for who he is. Hear it and hold it. John 9 verse 38. Then the man said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him. Physical healing was only the beginning. Spiritual sight was the true miracle. Knowing Jesus not only changes our sight, it changes our soul. I want to encourage you to do your own Bible reading. For those of us that go to church and have a nice Bible message, that's awesome. It's essential. I know too many people that have come through my counseling doors that have belief systems that are not rooted in the Bible, and part of their counseling work is to get that healed. We all need to renew our mind. with the truth of the Lord. And we can do that when we read the Bible. And sometimes we need to look up words in the Hebrew if we're reading the Old Testament, or the Greek if we're reading the New Testament, to fully understand what the scripture is saying. And there's lots of great apps out there that have information that goes deeper than just the scripture. One of them that I use is called the Blue Letter Bible app, and it is free, and you just go on the internet. and type it in and you can type in your scripture and then there's lots of options to go deeper. So I want to encourage you to do that. Get to know Jesus as your shepherd through your study. Don't depend on your pastor to feed you everything. Now that's a good start, but you go deeper with the Lord through your own study. Okay, I have one action step for you. Say yes to divine appointments. Be willing to respond when unexpected opportunities show up. Nathaniel didn't plan an event. He simply said yes when Solomon appeared. God often brings key people into our path that unlock new growth. Transformation happens when we stop brushing those moments off as either coincidences or irritations. So this week, pay attention to interruption moments. Before saying no out of habit, pause and ask the Lord, could this be a divine appointment? Now, I know some of you listening are people pleasers and say yes to everything. I don't want you to do that. I want you to pause, literally just pause. And I want you to ask the Lord, Lord, is this something you want me to do? And if you feel the peace of the Lord, go ahead and do it. If you don't feel any peace, then say no. But for those people that... tend to say no to everything or get irritated when they're interrupted with something, that would be the time also to ask the Lord, hey, what do you want me to do here? This is a break in my day that I wasn't expecting. Show me what to do. All right, friend, let me pray for you, just you, wherever you are right now. Jesus, thank you for the one listening right now. You see their weariness and the quiet ache they don't have words for. I know you meet us in the ordinary and you are always present. I ask for the gift of other people to help the listeners who need support, like Mira's generous time to the bakery and like Nathaniel with his helpful heart to Solomon. I ask you to touch the dim places in these listeners' hearts to give light, revelation, or breakthrough, and to wash away shame, fear, and hurry, and help them see you clearly again. I ask for protection for every seed you've planted in their hearts. Remind them they are planted and not buried, for you have plans for them. When it feels quiet or they feel unseen, may they feel the whisper that your work is still alive beneath the surface. May the listener feel deeply seen and deeply loved by you. In your holy and mighty name, Jesus. Amen. Don't forget to subscribe and forward this to a friend who could use it. Also grab the gift that I have made for you by clicking the link below And shoot me an email. Let me know any questions that you might have. Friends, may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop. Until next time, this is Kimberlee Herman cheering you on from Promise Hill.
