Sept 14, 2025
Today’s sermon reflection was written by Nancy Jo Bleier.
Today I told the congregation about myself through a Spiritual Autobiography. What is that and why? This from participating in Education for Ministry (EfM) via Zoom with 8 other people. This is my third year.
Some of you may have written a Spiritual Autobiography in EfM years ago.
EfM defines the spiritual autobiography as the narrative of significant events, people and places that have shaped our relationship with God. It recounts how we have become the person we are and how we have developed our beliefs. Most of the work is private and “for my eyes only.”
So today I talked and showed a mosaic I did my first year for my spiritual autobiography.
For you who did not attend the church service today I am giving you the process EfM gives each participant on how to write a spiritual autobiography but not the details of my journey.
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM EFM:
In this step, we offer a method for you to explore and write your own spiritual autobiography. This year’s spiritual autobiography method offers you an opportunity to reflect theologically on your personal faith by looking at significant moments or stepping stones in your life that have contributed to its development.
The term “steppingstones” was coined by Ira Progoff to describe events of a life to gain a perspective on that life. He writes, “In steppingstones, we draw out of the jumbled mass of our life experiences, the thin and elusive threads that carry our potentials towards a fuller unfolding” (Progoff 1992).
Preparing Stepping Stones
Below is an outline to guide you through developing your stepping stones:
1. Begin forming your stepping stones by sitting quietly for a few moments and allowing the events of your life to come to mind.
2. As you become aware of each event, write down a word or brief phrase that describes it. Continue this process until you have covered your entire life.
3. Once you complete your list of stepping stones, arrange them in chronological order. By limiting your stepping stones to twelve, you can more easily navigate the flow of your life.
4. After you finish listing your stepping stones, read them to yourself a couple of times. Sense the flow of your life, its ups and downs, as well as the quieter periods alongside the more active times. Then, write a brief paragraph that encapsulates your life, providing an overarching picture of your journey. This offers a 360-degree view of your life's perspective.
5. Next, begin to explore your life more deeply by reflecting on your Stepping Stones individually in chronological order.
6. For each one, write a few sentences that describe the tone and atmosphere of that period in your life: “It was a time when….”
7. You may wish to consider the people, activities, social attitudes, physical experiences, and sources of inspiration involved in this period of your life. Reflect on the people along your journey and how you grew emotionally, spiritually, or intellectually.
8. As you finish writing your spiritual autobiography, revisit each Stepping Stone to describe your journey with God.
9. Where were you?
10. Where was God?
11. What did that mean for you?
12. What emotions or awareness arise in you?
My hope is each of you reading this will put together your spiritual autobiography whether in words, a piece of art or in music.
Nancy Jo Bleier