The best stories are about truth telling or truth twisting.
The have 6 common elements.

1. They make people feel less alone.
2. They make people feel better.
3. They make people laugh.
4. They make people cry.
5. They make people take themselves less seriously.
6. They have insightful morals that are not preachy.

The stories below are paraphrased or quoted from Anne Lamott's book *Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith* to illustrate storytelling at its best.

1. Give 80% Sincerity.

David Roche is the pastor of the Church of 80% Sincerity. He has a severe facial deformity that people don't notice so much after he speaks for a while and they get over the shock of it and see his radiance. He says that people with facial deformities wear their shadow on the outside whereas the rest of us wear it on the inside.

*We in the Church of Eighty Percent Sincerity do not believe in miracles,* he said. *But we do believe that you have to stay alert, because good things happen. When God opens the door, you've go to put your foot in. Eighty Percent Sincerity is about as good as it's going to get. So is Eighty Percent compassion. Eighty Percent celibacy. So twenty percent of the time, you just get to be yourself.*

Note: I love the way Roche cuts you slack for not being perfect. We're all on the road called *trying.* We're *trying* to live a life of 100% sincerity and when we fall short it's not so serious. He takes the smugness out of sincerity.

Lamott says, *In the Church of 80% Sincerity, you definitely don't have to look good, but you are supposed to meditate. According to David's instructions, you sit quietly with your eyes closed and you follow your breath in and out of your body, gently watching your mind.

Your mantra should go like this: *Why am I doing this? This is such a waste! I have so much to do! My butt itches...* And if you stick to it, he promises, from time to time calm and peace of mind will intrude. After some practice with this basic meditation, you will be able to graduate to panic meditations, and then sex fantasy meditations. And meditations on what to do when you win the lotto.

When David insists you are find exactly the way you are, you find yourself almost believing him.*

Note: This is a great story because it takes a big, serious subject--meditation--and really humanizes it. Also, it's really funny.

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2. Explore Your Motivations.

Lamott says, *I've been thinking about A.J. Muste, who during the Vietnam War stood in front of the White House night after night with a candle. One rainy night, a reporter asked him, *Mr. Muste, do you really think you are going to change the policies of this country by standing out here alone at night with a candle?*