You, dear memoirist,
are divinely linked to the reason Jesus told parables.
There’s a reason
Jesus replied with a story (Luke 10:30).
That reason? Stories
are among God’s most powerful and effective tools.
Your stories can be
among God’s most powerful and effective tools.
You see, there’s a
reason you won’t find spreadsheets and charts and bullet points and graphs in the
Bible: Research confirms that story impacts humans in ways other types of
information don’t.
The Bible is full of
stories because our minds and hearts respond differently to stories. We engage
with a story’s message more than we do with databases and worksheets and tables
and lists.
Stories uniquely illustrate,
illuminate, and educate.
“The human brain is
literally hardwired to process stories differently than other forms of
information….They create meaning from stories differently…. Stories can lift
human hearts and make them soar into the heavens. Stories can literally change
lives! The same information delivered in a non-story form rarely does so….”
(Kendall Haven)
Peter Guber says it this way: “Stories…are far more than entertainment. They are the most effective
form of human communication, more powerful than any other way of packaging
information….
“Without stories,” Guber
continues, “we couldn’t understand ourselves. [Stories]…give us much of the
framework for much of our understanding… While we think of stories as…something
extraneous to real work, they turn out to be the cornerstone of consciousness.”
Whether or not Haven
and Guber knew it, they’re referring to the fact that God created humankind to
respond to stories.
God uses stories.
They are powerful. Stories are among God’s most compelling and successful
tools.
As you write your
memoir, then, recognize this: You’re participating in a God-inspired, God-planned
practice that has taken place since before recorded history.
Yours is a sacred
calling.
Your stories help readers examine their lives and make sense of who they are and why they
were born.
They can help people
find their way.
Your stories can
pass on wisdom (which you might have earned the hard way) and motivate people
to do the right thing.
They can calm
anxiety and offer tenacious hope.
They can shine light
on possibilities, offer solutions, and change a life’s direction.
Your stories can
illustrate truth, honesty, and integrity.
They can inspire
loyalty and commitment.
They can transform
hate into love, fear into courage.
Your stories can
teach, influence, empower, and heal.
They can break down
barriers.
They can offer
comfort, cheer, and redemption.
Your stories can
solve mysteries.
They can inspire an
awe of God.
They can lead people
to His love and grace.
God can use your
stories to change lives for now and eternity.
Read more of Peter
Guber’s thoughts about story
at The Inside Story,
and Kendall Haven’s
rich insights
And then, write your
story.
You’ve received a
high calling.
Remember your memoir’s ultimate purpose.
No comments:
Post a Comment