REMINDER!!!

I started out writing my family’s ‘God Stories’ to put in a binder, making them easier to share and easier for future generations to add their stories to our family’s Christian Heritage. Then God led me to start this blog with the goal of encouraging others to recall and record their stories for the benefit of their families.

Your Stories Are Important

Recently, someone commented to me in a private conversation, “I can’t write like you can.” About the same time, The Epoch Times printed an article by Barbara Danza titled What’s Your Story? in which she interviewed Linda Olson, author of Your Story Matters: Own Your Story, and Tell It With Clarity, Confidence & Impact.[i]

The article and Ms. Olson’s book are not about ‘God Stories’, but about life stories. However, I think the following quotes from the article may be helpful to anyone who feel’s inadequate about writing their ‘God Stories’.

THE EPOCH TIMES: What benefits are there to sharing our story?

 MS. OLSON: There are many benefits to sharing our story, but it often comes down to three main benefits.

First, story is the number one way we connect with people. When told well, a story will grab our attention and draw us in to what the speaker or person is saying.

Second, story is the number one way to influence or impact someone. We can share many facts and figures, but nothing will make the impact like a great story or testimonial.

Third, story is the number one way someone experiences you. The more vulnerable we are, the more someone will experience us, especially when our story impacts them.

THE EPOCH TIMES: What is the very first step you’d recommend someone take in trying to assemble their story?

MS. OLSON: I suggest reflecting on your life and writing down the turning points, in other words, the significant things that happened in life that created a shift in your direction, in your thoughts, in your life.

The ’24-Hour Rule’

I would also recommend applying the ’24-hour rule’.

The brain is divided into two hemispheres – right side and left side. The right side of the brain is the creative, imaginative side; the left side is the logical, analytical side. When you’re writing the right, imaginative/creative, side of your brain is in control. Editing is a function of the left, logical/ analytical, side of the brain. You cannot effectively edit what you’ve written soon after you’ve written it because the right side will automatically take back over. Switching from right side thinking to left side thinking isn’t like flipping a switch. Since most of our daily activities are guided by the left side of our brain, engaging in those activities is the easiest way to disengage the right side.

Try prayerfully writing one of your ‘God Stories’- if you haven’t already written it, your salvation experience would be a good one to start with, and put it aside for 24 hours. Then prayerfully read it with the mindset of editing it. As you are editing the right side will become engaged, though not really in control. The more edits you make the more engaged it becomes.  So, once you’ve made all of the edits and you have it like you want it, put it aside for another 24 hours; then prayerfully read it again. Do that for as many times as it takes. Give God time to guide you in the wording; after all it is about Him. When you read it with the mindset of editing and you see nothing that needs to be changed, then it’s done.

I hope this helps.

And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, and his miracles, and his acts,

But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did.

And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deuteronomy 11:2-3a, 7, 19

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[i] The Epoch Times, B2, May 7-13, 2020,