An Invitation:

Our lives are stories, and we are a main character. On our life journey, we
travel through many seasons and along many roads. Joy, pain, excitement,
accomplishment, disappointment, loss, and love are among the many of the paths
we trod.
The Christian story includes another character: God, Jesus, and the Holy
Spirit. The following exercise is designed to help you consider your story and how
faith and doubt have played a role in your journey through life. Who is this God?
What has formed your faith and/or perpetuated your doubts? For this exercise,
there are no right answers, only your own honest experiences. The following
questions are asked to help create a starting framework for your story, while the
interview will serve as the primary platform for you to tell your story. The purpose
of the questions is to guide, not to limit your reflection. Feel free to write as little or
as much as you like. Please feel safe to share your experiences. Your story is
important and precious. How will you tell your story?

Please take at least thirty minutes of uninterrupted time to consider how you
might tell your faith story. This exercise does not assume that you grew up believing
in God, that you have believed in God your whole life, or that you believe in God
currently. Questions are provided below if a framework would be helpful to you. If a
question does not apply, skip the question.
Consider your understanding of God and the role of faith in your life during
following life stages:
The Early Years: (Birth-18)
Young Adulthood: (19-35)
Adulthood: (36-65)
Seniors: (65+)
The follow questions might be helpful. Do not feel limited to these questions:
Did you or your family participate in a religious tradition? If so, what tradition(s)?
Who/what informed your view of God?
Who were models of faith for you?
What was your impression of people of faith, if any?
What was your experience of churches/worshiping communities, if any? Pastors?
What were positive and/or negative experiences?
How did life experiences affect your understanding of God? Your faith?
Who do/did you understand God/Jesus/Holy Spirit to be? How has this changed from
a previous life stage, if at all?