Find Inspirational Stories on the Web
Posted by admin on Dec 5, 2008
I am always on the lookout for stories that bring something more to listeners than a clever twist of plot. Something that listeners can take away from the story. Maybe there is a message. It might give the listener a suggestion of a new direction. There could even be an outright moral. It doesn’t really matter what name you give to this elusive quality; it is more important that the stories I tell possess it.
Even when I was growing up, I found myself deeply touched by inspirational stories. I heard similar stories from my mother and my grandfather. Once in a while, a teacher would tell a story that held profound meaning to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. The messages stuck in the memory, too. The Golden Rule. Honesty is the best policy. Take time to smell the flowers. Give back to your community. I am who I am because of those messages.
I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today. The stories are ageless. The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.
Why seek out inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Next, we live lives that leave no room for reflection. And without time to reflect, how can we develop insight into the affairs of the day? Here is the place for inspirational stories. A listener can mull over inspirational stories. They give us something to consider. Something that helps us to find our personal “true north. Something that gives us perspective.
Care for some inspiration? You can find inspirational stories and more at www.jaystetzer.com. On the “Listen” page of my website, click any one of the story samples and you are likely to find a message worth your time. Two good examples of inspirational stories are “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from my CD World Full of Stories. From the CD Parking in Manhattan, “Service with a Smile” brings a great message to the listener. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. In fact, the inspirational stories I tell even inspire me!
We live in a complex, fast moving world. As we head on down the highway of life, we can all use a little direction to guide us. Inspirational stories help keep us on the road. Think of them as your own personal GPS! My recordings contain a wealth of inspirational stories. Listen for yourself!
An awesome post. Love this blog.
I have spent a good amount of my time researching stories that offer listeners something more than simply a clever plot. Something that listeners can take away from the story. Call it a message. Perhaps it gives a hint of direction. It might even state a moral.
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The stories I chose for my Fables in Four Minutes and World Full of Stories CDs are good examples of nifty stories with subtle messages.
Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories appeal to a broad audience. Nifty stories travel beyond the culture from which they originate. Nifty stories are always stylish, regardless of the era that spawned them.
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Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. The subtler lessons tend to come from longer tales. One can learn many lessons from epic stories. Just compare a tale from the Arabian Nights to a fable by Aesop to see the difference. Which one gives you more freedom to choose your own message? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story.
These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings.
Love this blog.
As a culture grows, so do its world stories.
I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Rituals and customs. Daily habits and geography.
For centuries as well, life has been a struggle. Wars. Pestilence. Relationship scuffles. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message. It teaches using a concrete example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious. The characters may act out the meaning of the story. It is up to the listener to decipher the message.
It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift. A meaningful gift is even rarer. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I hoped my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent.
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Where was this site when I needed it? Write more soon please.
Not only those high points, but those exasperating moments as well. One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Birthday gifts. Those occasional gifts rewarding good behavior.
Awesome. I could have used this information a while a go.
The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish. ”
What was my listener describing when he called my stories “nifty?” The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good and evil are eternal foes. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. Regardless of genre, any worthy world story can be applied to contemporary life.
A good example is the memories I have of buying gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful.
Great info.
I will bookmark this one. Many thanks.
Good blog. Keep it coming.
It is up to the listener to decipher the message. And different listeners will carry away different messages. This kind of story is generally attractive to a wider audience. Longer stories are likely to be more subtle in the lessons that result. Epic stories have many layered lessons Think of the difference between an Aesop fable and a tale from the Arabian Nights.
I’ll be sure to link to you.
The name one might give to this ephemeral quality is not as important as the fact that the stories I tell actually possess it.
As a child I found deep meaning in inspirational stories. Both my mother and my grandfather told similar stories. Once in a while, a teacher would tell a story that held profound meaning to me. I noticed that stories with a message stuck in my memory.
I liked reading this blog.
Wonderful stuff here.
Good stuff. Great post.
Thank You. Great info.
To me, nifty stories are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment. ” There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
For example, a story with a moral is one that provides a clear message. It teaches by example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious.
Many world stories derive from mythology. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.
Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales.
Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. It was tough going most of the time. It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift.
You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
For example, a story with a moral is one that provides a clear message. It teaches by example. On the other hand, many stories are not so obvious in the lessons they offer.
Thanks. Liked your blog a ton.
This blog was great. Don’t stop writing.
A meaningful gift is even rarer. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I hoped my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure.
Inspirational stories give listeners something to chew on. They offer something to think about. Something that helps us to find our personal “true north. Something that offers a little perspective to life.
Looking for inspiration? You can find inspirational stories and more at http://www.
The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. As a storyteller, my job is to sift through the data and sort out the meaning. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Priceless humor.
There is priceless humor in virtually every genre.
This was a great read.
Holiday gifts. Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. It was tough going most of the time.
Listeners are left to figure out the message for themselves. And there may be a different message for each listener. Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. The subtler lessons tend to come from longer tales. One can learn many lessons from epic stories.
An awesome blend of entertainment and enlightenment.
As you know, laughter lightens the heart. Laughter takes the sting out of life. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). This is priceless humor.