Each of us has come to our current life stance through a journey of unique experiences—being born at this time, growing up in this particular social setting and culture, experiencing these specific successes and losses, and having these significant relationships. Whether we are in the early, middle, or latter part of our personal faith story, the ending is still ahead of us—and reviewing our own faith story helps us chart our course into the future. Using psychologist Dan McAdams’s idea that we make sense of life by composing our own life story, author Bradley Hanson explores how our personal identity and spirituality are influenced by the meaning and values embedded in our childhood family life and major story lines promoted by our culture. In our most basic quest to make sense of life, he considers sharply contrasting answers to five fundamental questions. With reflection and suggested group discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this study explores the idea that spirituality and one’s life story are intimately connected. Praise for Spirituality and Your Life Story “Real people tell their stories of success, love, friendship, forgiveness, and loss. Brad Hanson helps us ponder our own deepest commitments and the paths we follow to realize them. A fine book for individual reflection or group discussion.” —H. George Anderson, former presiding bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Dan Wakefield, author of the acclaimed autobiography Returning, has encouraged people across the country to tell their stories. The Story of Your Life presents a step-by-step approach to tellin that tale, a process to help readers explore their past and understand their present.

Each of us has come to our current life stance through a journey of unique experiencesbeing born at this time, growing up in this particular social setting and culture, experiencing these specific successes and losses, and having these significant relationships. Whether we are in the early, middle, or latter part of our personal faith story, the ending is still ahead of usand reviewing our own faith story helps us chart our course into the future. Using psychologist Dan McAdamss idea that we make sense of life by composing our own life story, author Bradley Hanson explores how our personal identity and spirituality are influenced by the meaning and values embedded in our childhood family life and major story lines promoted by our culture. In our most basic quest to make sense of life, he considers sharply contrasting answers to five fundamental questions. With reflection and suggested group discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this study explores the idea that spirituality and ones life story are intimately connected. Praise for Spirituality and Your Life Story Real people tell their stories of success, love, friendship, forgiveness, and loss. Brad Hanson helps us ponder our own deepest commitments and the paths we follow to realize them. A fine book for individual reflection or group discussion. H. George Anderson, former presiding bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Keith R. Anderson unfolds a vision for mentoring that invites us to read our own lives as narrative as well as to learn how to enter the narrative of another life. These pages cover the scope of the mentoring relationship through various seasons, offering helpful and inspiring metaphors for mentoring. All are invited to enter the mentoring story.

This book is the life story of Simple Sarah - a beloved spiritual leader around the world. Through thought-provoking spiritual adventures, Sarah sent messages of hope, faith, and unconditional love to the world. Her steadfast determination to overcome her own fears and doubts will inspire you to reconsider what you can do in your life to help people in need. Set in an all-too-recognizable near future undergoing rapid technological, geopolitical and environmental change, Simple Sarah brings forth a vision of abundance and compassionate action to lift the impoverished and dispirited of the world. Sarah's inspirational story will lead you to a new understanding of how an abundant spirituality can change your life and lift those around you. Not only constantly predicting the future world, but the author also cleverly gives profound messages to people, hopes for a bright future.

Your spiritual narrative is the one story that is true about you when all other stories seem to end or transform. It is the last story standing. It's your story of love and of living, of joy and of transformation. The themes of your story belong to everyone, but when you live fully, they become uniquely your own. To be able to answer for yourself, "This is what my life is about," is to bring to your everyday living such a greater quality of being, decision making, and priorities that your spiritual narrative becomes stunningly clear, and consequently, your life more radiant.

Even as a young child, Toni Maguire had the ability to remember the unique moments of planning and discussions about a future physical lifebefore she was born. In her autobiography, Maguire not only shares her recollections of an existence as a spirit before birth, but also her memories of her childhood and how it led her to learn diverse lessons, experience a variety of mistakes, and ultimately discover her true destiny. In a simple and honest style, Maguire reveals how the effects of her unique memories moved her life in an unexpected direction and motivated her to separate from her husband when she was in her twenties and move to Nashville, Tennessee, where she would try to achieve musical success in what is often times an unforgiving and difficult industry. Always believing she was born to serve a special purpose, Maguire offers an introspective glimpse into her lifes journey as she recognizes her imperfections, learns to forgive herself for her mistakes, and grows within in order to find her purpose in life. Memories of the Light shares a universal message coupled with the true story of one womans spiritual pilgrimage that allows others to imagine life in a new and different way.

The Life Story, Domains of Identity, and Personality Development in Emerging Adulthood focuses on individuals' formulations of the unique episodes and events of their lives that give one meaning and a sense of personal identity. This book brings the growing research on narrative study and the life story into focus by drawing from the existing research on personality development during emerging adulthood. In this book, authors Michael W. Pratt and M. Kyle Matsuba present a series of chapters exploring how one's life story manifests across the many components of their developing identity, including their religion, morality, vocation, society, and the relationships they have with their parents, peers, and romantic partners. Taking their cue from Erik Erikson's model of adolescent and adult development, the authors show readers exactly how a life story approach can illuminate the distinctive features of an individual's personality and development during this formative phase of life. Organized around a set of life contexts where personality is manifested (i.e. adjustment, personal ideology, close relationships, occupation, and civic life), this book draws on the authors' own longitudinal research on the development of the life story in emerging adulthood. Throughout the book, they incorporate fascinating case studies and historical examples (e.g., Darwin, Pope Francis, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jane Fonda) of individuals' unique development during this period of life in order to better illustrate the application of this approach to understanding the whole person in context.

Do you want meaningful, inspirational answers to important questions about God, the universe, and the meaning of life? Are you an open-minded, spiritual seeker who is willing to look outside the boundaries of traditional religions? Then you'll want to know about new spirituality. It's not a new religion or organization; it's a new worldview based on love, tolerance, compassion, and freedom. It's based on the writings of people such as Neale Donald Walsch, author of the Conversations with God books, but it also draws on sources ranging from ancient mysticism to contemporary science. This book serves as an introduction to new spirituality for people who are ready to embark on a spiritual journey. In a question-and-answer format, it discusses important issues in a clear, inspirational, and practical way that will help you cultivate inner peace and happier relationships in your daily life. You'll find out what new spirituality has to say about topics such as love, karma, suffering, and the future of humanity. You'll also learn about reincarnation, co-creation, intuition, and healing. And above all, you'll acquire a compassionate and empowering basis for finding your own way to enlightenment.

Volume II picks up where Volume I left off--with practical advice and tools for ministry with the aging in a variety of settings. Gerontological and theological perspectives undergird the practical guidance and a final section treats of the unique ethical issues involved in ministry with the aging.