Your memoir can have an outcome beyond your expectations

The Bible’s characters “may not have realized the privilege and certainly didn’t know the eternal impact they would make,” writes Priscilla Shirer in her Bible study, Jonah.

“How could they have known that their names would go down in God’s Word to encourage us millennia later?”

Realize the truth of what Priscilla says next:

“Like those holy heroes, you’ve got an outcome you can’t make out. . . .”

“In future generations, your story will be the one that encourages someone else to follow hard after God.”

Read that again and believe it:

“In future generations,

your story will be the one

that encourages someone else

to follow hard after God.”

Priscilla’s insights suggest ideas for your memoir: 

• Which Bible characters have impacted your life? Abraham? Moses? Ruth? Joseph? David? Esther? Peter?
• What did they say or do that helped define your life’s choices?
• What did they do that changed your life’s direction?

Include vignettes in your memoir illustrating why and how those characters have inspired you, influenced you, and shaped you into the person you are today.

Then do an about-face. God has used other people’s stories to encourage you, teach you, admonish, and inspire, so now it’s your turn to pass on the blessings. Turn from the past and look toward the future.

Stories are important. Your stories are important. You might never be able to guess how God will use them. For example:

“During my intense grieving moments, other people’s stories gave me words to describe the ache that was indescribable,” writes Dana Goodman. “They gave me hope that a new day would dawn, and I would not be stuck in the black forever.” (Dana Goodman, In the Cleft: Joy Comes in the Mourning)

“I’ve seen it happen. . . .

A lost human being feels like they’re the only one

who has ever felt this much pain.

They don’t know how to reach out for help

but then, inside of a story . . .

they see every emotion or secret

or hope-for happy ending

that they’ve ever kept bottled up inside . . .

and they start to believe—maybe there’s more. . . .”

(Martha Carr, “Just Keep Writing”)

Let me ask: Do you see your writing as a privilege? As a ministry?

Do you realize the impact your memoir can make?

“Have you ever considered,” Priscilla asks, “that just as the previous stories encourage us along the way, yours will encourage someone else?”

God can use your words

to help readers experience God’s grace,

cling to hope, remain strong in their faith,

and delight in His love.

Write your stories!