Whether you are a God seeker, a new believer or a person who is solid in their faith, spiritual autobiography can help you connect more deeply with God and others. Don’t be intimidated by expectations here: you don’t need a special degree or position to have a God story to share. Sharing your spiritual memoir is a gift that will touch the hearts of those whose journey is much like yours. It will open the eyes of others with a different experience, allowing them to comprehend the various ways people relate with God. Regardless of who you are, what you’ve done or where you are at in your walk with God, spiritual autobiography is an opportunity for you and others.

At first glance, this may seem like an overwhelming proposition. My own mind swam with questions: Do I have to share every detail of my life? What do I include and what do I leave out? Will people even be interested in my journey? What impact will my testimony have on the lives of others? How do I even begin? Is anyone even interested? What am I trying to do and why am I doing it? Answering these initial questions was one of the more difficult parts of the process. The good news is that there are answers. You are not alone. Spiritual Autobiography is a genre that has been around for much longer than most think. St Augustine’s Confessions were written in the year 398. It is believed that the impulse to write spiritual autobiography has been with us since the dawn of man. If you have the desire to share your story you are not alone here; you are part of history! This means that you can learn from the experiences of the spiritual autobiographers that have come before you and pave the way for those who will follow in your footsteps!

As I am writing this article I am not alone. I have several web browsers open and they are providing me with rich possibilities for beginning as a writer of spiritual memoir. I’m siphoning through lots of great information and am picking the best of it to help guide you. I used this same process when I wrote my own spiritual autobiography; I used the experiences of others to help direct me. As this was helpful for me, I believe it will be helpful for you. Here’s my best of the best just for you!

To begin, list your “spiritual epiphanies” in a journal or a notebook. Think of a spiritual epiphany as being a sudden insight with no size requirements. Your life many be women taking viagra littered with many “little epiphanies” with just a few moments of larger insight. You don’t need to have tons of gigantic spiritual moments to make this list. Remember that your experience will mirror the experiences of many others. Don’t be afraid to share the ways you have experienced God. These experiences are valid, powerful and life changing simply because God is in them. Make your list from your heart No prescription cialis and trust that you have something to share.

After you have listed your “epiphanies” you might want to make a list of your biggest spiritual questions. These are deep questions that weave in and out of your spiritual experiences. What proof do I have that God exists? If God loves me then why do I, and others, continue to suffer? Is God personal or is he “out there” far removed from my daily experience? Is Jesus Christ real or just a myth? Am I really forgiven? Am I good enough for God? How do I know that God is with me? These Kamagra Soft are examples of the types of questions that might be on your list. You will likely find that your questions will provide a spiritual theme for your story. You will likely discover that certain questions are the life source of your personal narrative. These are the driving questions of the spiritual autobiography.

Now it’s time to begin writing without worrying about where you are going. Normally, a story is told with the expectation of a certain conclusion. This is not the case for the spiritual memoir. Consider that you are the main character in a live, real time drama. You are playing your part but you don’t know what will happen in the future: the past and present experience is what you have to share. Embrace the tangential, the unexpected and the unfamiliar. Tell it as it has been or is right now. Grab one of your “epiphanies” or “spiritual questions” and write about how they relate to where you are right now, where you’ve been or where you think you might be going. Whatever you do don’t make presumptions about where your story will end. Over time this direction will reveal itself. You will find themes, dominant questions and the guidance of God directing you as you share. Just write and let the pieces come together on their own.

Another source of inspiration for your God testimony requires a bit of a scavenger hunt. Look for ten objects that are connected to your spiritual experience. Maybe you light a candle or burn incense as a way of connecting to God? Perhaps a cross, rosary beads or a certain piece of art brings you closer to Him? Is there something you have made: a piece of art, a poem or a photograph that is a physical expression of your spirituality? What are your tangible expressions of your God experience? Find your ten objects and write about their place in your story. Let these objects speak, guide and give answers. Let them be a part of your testimony.

As you progress, consider writing as a spiritual practice much akin to prayer, meditation or ritual. The point here is that writing is not for the select few. Everyone can write just like everyone can pray or meditate or participate in a ritual. No one is “in” or “out” here. The nature of all these practices is repetition. Become a person of the pen just as one can become a person of prayer. Just keep on writing and let God speak in His time.

Finally, embrace the process. Your goal as a spiritual autobiographer will likely be to connect more deeply with God and help others do the same through your own story. This is a two step process that starts with your process; it’s your process of connecting more deeply with God. Let Him lead you as you find a voice for your own story and let Him talk to you about the ways He has been present on your own journey. The ways in which God wants you to share this journey will take form over time. Let this be step two. Don’t put the cart before the horse. In the end you might share your spiritual autobiography in the form of a memoir, a collection of expressive art works, a photo journal, a series of scrapbooks, the publishing of your personal journals or a personal blog through which you share your story. These are possibilities for the future and they are exciting (and a journey in themselves!) but you must embrace the process for these possibilities to have a chance to unfold. Let God lead you and He will take your where you need to go.

List your “epiphanies” and your questions. Use them as a place to start writing about your journey. Find the tangible things that have a place in your story and let them speak. Keep on writing as though it is a spiritual practice and believe that you have what it takes to practice it. Finally, let God guide you as your journey. Trust Him to guide you as you write and as you share. You now have a place to being your spiritual autobiography. Let it bring you and others closer to God. Share your God experience. Share your story.

Author Bio: Alisa E. Clark believes in the power of spiritual autobiography. Her website invites viewers to create and share one’s own spiritual memoir and allows readers to learn more about Alisa’s own spiritual autobiography: Dancing in the Doghouse. You can learn more by visiting www.journeyoncanvas.com

Category: Religion and Spirituality/Christianity
Keywords: spiritual autobiography,spiritual memoir,testimony,journey,journal