Tuesday Tidbit: Are you writing a memoir for the right reasons?

Let's be sure we write our memoirs

for the right reasons

and with the right attitudes.

They can sneak up on you: Benefits of writing your memoir

We write our stories because we believe others—our readers—will benefit from them. And they do.

But many of us are surprised at how beneficial writing our stories can be for us—the writers.

The insights, the healing, the clarity, the hope, the joy—marvels that have been there all along, hidden to us—well, they can all kind of sneak up on us writers. They can delight us. They can change our lives for good.

"Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us," writes Henri Nouwen. "The writing itself reveals what is alive. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write." 

"There are many good reasons for writing that have nothing to do with being published," says William Zinsser. "Writing is a powerful search mechanism, and one of its satisfactions is that it allows you to come to terms with your life narrative. It also allows you to work through some of life's hardest knocks—loss, grief, illness, addiction, disappointment, failure—and to find understanding and solace."

Elizabeth Andrews writes, "The writing itself becomes a means for spiritual growth. Often the writer stumbles on this strange occurrence mid-draft, suddenly discovering that writing can be an avenue for prayers, or a means of wrestling with angels, or a form of contemplation."  

"We find the effort of organizing our thoughts and memories in story form deepens their meaning, and we often mine gems of insight and joy from the dirt of the past," writes Sharon Lippincott. "Life takes on richer meaning and becomes more satisfying."  

Sharon also writes, "All of the dozens of memoir authors I've asked have confirmed that writing has changed their view of life, leaving them happier, healthier, and more serene."  

"In thinking back, we see [God's] hand and see how far we have come. There's no way to predict specifics in the future, but if we see God's hand and how he has blessed us, it totally prepares us to live in joyful and blessed ways." (Pastor Sid Tiller's sermon, A Thousand Generations, based on Psalm 100:5; August 21, 2011)

We receive so many blessings

by taking the time and

making the effort to write our stories.

What are some of the blessings and benefits

you've discovered?

Be sure to leave a comment below or on Facebook.

Evidence! Shouldn't you be writing about it?

Have you ever held in your hands a chunk of God's love?

Silly question, I know.

You and I can't hold in our hands a chunk of God's love.

We can't take a photo of Him or His promises, but when we live each day by faith, God gives us evidence of who He is and evidence that He's involved in our lives.

He gives us tangible evidence of His love, His power to help, His creation, His protection, guidance, forgiveness, and answers to prayer.

"God has blessed his people—just look at the evidence!" (2 Chronicles 31:10b, The Message).

Shouldn't you be writing your stories about all this?

“ … But he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts” (Acts 14:17 NLT).

“There's no end to what has happened in you—it's beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives” (1 Corinthians 1:4, The Message).

 The poor and homeless are desperate for water,
   their tongues parched and no water to be found.
But I'm there to be found, I'm there for them,
   and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty.
I'll open up rivers for them on the barren hills,
   spout fountains in the valleys.
I'll turn the baked-clay badlands into a cool pond,
   the waterless waste into splashing creeks.
I'll plant the red cedar in that treeless wasteland,
   also acacia, myrtle, and olive.
I'll place the cypress in the desert,
   with plenty of oaks and pines.
Everyone will see this. No one can miss it—
   unavoidable, indisputable evidence
That I, God, personally did this.
   It's created and signed by The Holy of Israel (Isaiah 41:17-20, The Message).

What “unavoidable, indisputable evidence” do you have that God has acted on your behalf?

Perhaps He provided for you in a time of financial crisis.

Maybe He caused someone to notice you were in danger and call for help.

Maybe someone prayed for you and sat with you when you were desperately ill, or brokenhearted—as if God Himself had sat beside you with His arm around you. 

Perhaps there was a time you were "desperate for water, ... tongues parched and no water to be found," maybe literally, maybe figuratively, and yet you experienced God's assurance, "But I'm there to be found, I'm there for them, and I, God of Israel, will not leave them thirsty" (Isaiah 41:17-20, The Message).

What do those verses symbolize in your life? 

In what specific ways were your "hills barren" and what "rivers" did God open up for you?

What were your "baked-clay badlands" and what was the "cool pond" God created for you?

What caused your "treeless wasteland" and what were the "cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees" God planted in it?

When did you find yourself in the "desert" but God provided "cypress, oaks, and pines"?

You have all this evidence confirmed by your own eyes and ears. Shouldn't you be talking about it...? (Isaiah 48:6, The Message).

Write your stories of the "unavoidable, indisputable evidence that...God personally did this."

Writing your stories of God's involvement in your life will strengthen your faith—for today and for the future, whatever it holds.

Writing your stories will also strengthen your readers' faith.

Who knows what they'll face in their lives?

God can use your stories to prepare them 

and mature them

and use them 

and bless them

in the future.