Larry

But it's the simplicity of the stories that he hopes will stir people. Toller is promoting "memory journaling" with his book  My Story Your Story His Story.  It's Toller's passion-turned-publication that may just send people exploring their past for stories that weave through the generations.

Toller, who attended Oklahoma Baptist University and previously lived in Shawnee, wants people to set their family stories and cherished memories down on paper. In a society where people are less connected and faster moving, he's asking us to slow down a bit and make room to reminisce.

"I hope people won't just read the book; I want them to write their stories for their children and grandchildren, and continue to write their stories," he said. "There's not enough room in this book to write all the stories. It's just a starting point."

Larry Toller, left, author of My Story Your Story His Story, signs a copy of the book for Mary and Walt Johnston recently during a signing at Benton's Cafe in Shawnee. Toller is a former Shawnee resident and has relatives here.
ED BLOCHOWIAK/SNS Photo

FONT face=Georgia color=#000000 size=4>The format of Toller's book is reflected in its title, My Story Your Story His Story. He tells his stories, then gives writing prompts and provides space for people to write their stories. Ingrained throughout are tidbits relating to "his story" -- how God may be guiding people's lives and leaving blessings along the way.

Toller is a minister and has worked for years in the financial side of various Baptist organizations, including his current role an associate executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Convention. But he's also stepped into many pulpits as a supply preacher, which has given him an opportunity to tell stories that related to his message. He doesn't have a writing background, he said, but like most people, he has family stories.

"I would share these stories in my messages, and often people would come up to me and say, 'That reminded me of the time when ... . It prompted a memory for them," Toller said. "The idea stirred in my mind that, perhaps if I could attach something to my stories, they might be publishable."

With only one rejection slip to the contrary, Toller's manuscript was accepted by a publisher, and the book's actual release date is Aug. 22. However, it is available before then on Toller's Web site, www.memoryjournaling.com .

Among the stories Toller tells is a simple interaction that could take place between any father and child. He writes of coming home for lunch and seeing his daughter run into his arms, eager to tell him about the first part of her day.

"Every day we did that. She'd jump into my lap, maybe show me a bruise she'd acquired, and she'd start talking," he said. "The best part of the whole experience was when, without any prompting, she'd say, 'I love you.'

"At the end of the day, that's what God wants us to do: tell him about our day and show him our bruises and hurts. No one else may want to listen, but God listens and loves to hear us say, without any prompting, 'I love you.'"

Other stories focus on high school friends, describing a trip to a musical festival, family history, the early birth of Toller's son and much more. Woven in between the stories are song lyrics and poems by other members of Toller's family, as well as a few pictures.

At the end of each section, Toller poses questions: Do you remember those days of youth at your grandparents' house? Did you have awkward years growing up? Have you ever had a moment when you experienced true courage? Did God reveal a spiritual truth through the experience you have written?

The forward is by Mike Huckabee, governor of Arkansas, whom Toller worked for as a policy adviser for several years. He writes that Toller (besides being a great jokester) has "a way of recognizing the deeper significance of what might seem like an insignificant event."

Toller said he believes in the "five-generation rule" -- that people influence not just their own children, but five generations of children and, in a sense, everyone they touch. That heightens the importance of staying connected in a culture that doesn't always encourage it, he said.

"This is a way of connecting with the past," he said. "But if you talk to anybody long enough, you will find a connection. We are so much more connected than we think."

In conjunction with My Story Your Story His Story, Toller has created a CD featuring music by his brother, son and daughter-in-law. He also has developed a conference, mainly for people 50 and older, that encourages "memory journaling."

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April Wilkerson may be reached at 214-3926 or april.wilkerson@news-star.com.