Your memoir can have an outcome beyond your imagination

 

If you suspect your story isn’t worth sharing with others, this post is for you.

 

If you don’t recognize the influence your memoir can have, this post is for you.

 

If you can’t imagine how God can use your story, this post is for you.

 

Priscilla Shirer’s Bible study, Jonah, caught my attention in relation to memoirs.

 

She is certain that

in the same way other people’s stories

have encouraged and guided you

along life’s ways,

your story will do the same for others.

 

She asks us to think back to the Bible’s characters, pointing out that they

 

“may not have realized the privilege

and certainly didn’t know the eternal impact

they would make.”

 

Does that sound like your thinking, too?

 

“How could they have known

that their names would go down in God’s Word

to encourage us millennia later?”

 

Take to heart what Priscilla says here—take this personally:

 

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

 

“The fog of your life’s journey will clog your spiritual sight. . . .”

 

(Let me interrupt Priscilla here. That fog she refers to—that’s a holy fog. It keeps us from navel-gazing and pride. By God’s grace, He dims our self-absorbed vision in a blessed fog.)

 

Okay, back to Priscilla and this important point of today’s blog post:

 

“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 give ideas for those who write memoir:

 

First, which Bible characters have impacted your life? Abraham? Joseph? Moses? Ruth? David? Esther? Peter?

 

What about other people—just ordinary people not in the Bible: a historical figure, a grandparent, a best friend, a spouse, a professor, a colleague, a coach. . . . The list could go on and on.

 

• How did they point you to God? What did they tell you about His love for you, about His grace and mercy?
• What did they say that helped define your life’s choices and values?
• What did they do that influenced your life’s direction?

 

Craft vignettes illustrating why and how those people inspired you, guided you, and shaped you into the person you are today.

 

But don’t stop there. Don’t keep those stories to yourself. Look to the future. Pass on your stories—the blessings contained in them. Share your memoir with others, especially family members.

 

Always believe that in God’s hands, your stories are important.

 

Savor these rich words by Andrea Sanborn:

 

“In this autumn of my life, I have had to let go of the expectation that my physical body may one day may return to its youthful state. The added weight and wrinkles match my graying hair to render me on the downside of life’s trajectory.

 

“Now, like the falling leaves filling the woods around me, I hope to nourish others with the life given me; with the wisdom gained through the flourishing, green years now past.

 

“I think of the ones who sheltered and nurtured my seedling faith: the pastors and teachers, authors and leaders. I contemplate the ones who welcomed me, encouraged me, and prayed for me. The ones who parted the curtain into eternity before my hungry eyes.

 

“Now it is mine to pass on the glimpses of glory that I have witnessed to the sapling souls around me.”

 

I hope you enjoyed Andrea’s words as much as I did.

 

Let me ask: Do you see your writing as a privilege? As a calling from God? Do you believe your memoir can have an eternal impact on others? How can future generations benefit from knowing your stories?

 

Always remember:

 

God can use your experiences,

joyful and sad, good and bad,

lovely and ugly,

funny and scary,

and He can use your words about them.

 

Together with God, your stories

can help readers cling to hope,

remain strong in their faith,

live in harmony in His ways,

and to delight in His love

now and forever.

 

When you realize God can use your memoir

in people’s lives,

your writing takes on

an altogether new meaning

and urgency.

 

Write your stories.

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!

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 here:

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

“The fog of your life’s journey will clog your spiritual sight.…”

(Let me interrupt Priscilla here. That fog she refers to—that’s a holy fog. It keeps us from navel-gazing and pride. By God’s grace, He dims our self-absorbed vision in a blessed fog!)

OK, back to Priscilla and this important point of today’s blog post:

“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 here suggest two ideas for your memoir:

First, which Bible characters have impacted your life? Abraham? Moses? Ruth? Joseph? David? Esther? Peter?

What did they say 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 Biblical 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, and now it’s your turn to pass on the blessings: Turn from the past and look toward the future.

Your stories are important.

“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, acted out,

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

(Martha Carr, Just Keep Writing)

Do you see your writing as a privilege?

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 God’s love.

Write your stories!