It has been a fun, and surprising, journey growing the first Heart Challenge course I shared in the early part of this year. It transformed into a revised, refined and streamlined online digital course now titled “Do A Life-Story Album in 3 Easy Steps”.
You’ll be hearing more about this when we launch the full website, very soon I hope!
But my focus today is to bring you into the fun discovery I had this week thanks to one of the wonderful “testers” and feedback folks who have helped me improve this course.
In a thumbnail, the digital course puts you in the role of a “film director” who is following (and shaping) a script which features the highlights and big points in a “life story”. Then some photos are added to the stories and “voila”, you have a digital life-story album ready to be printed. This is for everyone who has a life story or who values another’s life story.
As any good film will, it tells a story in a way that covers the important items yet stays short enough that it is interesting, compelling and doable (difficult in our busy world).
I got so excited doing mine that I have now committed to doing some of my ancestor’s life stories — applying this course system.
So back to our point today – the last category of the script in our online course is to do an album page as a “present day portrait” of the person whose life story is being told. It covers where they are at and who they are at this point in time and in their present circumstances.
Writer’s block sets in when you ask someone to describe such a present-day portrait, but a great tool appeared which I am going to ask you to consider doing as a “stand-alone” exercise. More on the “why” in a minute.
Kudos go to Kerrianne Hobbs, whom I do not know. But she shared how she accomplished this portrait in a fun and very effective way. You see, after reading Kerrianne’s page, I felt I did know her –what a fun personality, lots of spirit and I just knew if we met, we would be friends.
She took a list of 2-word phrases and completed them with a description of “what she does” after each one. Then she put a fun picture of herself on it with a heart embellishment. Take a look for yourself:
What she put in the lower right corner is exactly my point today. She said it was a page idea she has been saving for a LONG time, but when she came across it again, she thought — “NOW is the time to do it!”
Here’s my challenge to you – download the list of 2-word phrases HERE and, without any hesitation, just spontaneously answer each of them. Do it on your computer and print it – or print out the list and write your responses – it doesn’t matter.
Then just put a favorite photo of yourself on it (as simple or as fancy as you like) and sign your name (and I recommend dating it). Yep, use a piece of 8.5×11 paper, or a colored piece of cardboard, or an album page – whatever you have on hand – don’t hesitate due to materials.
Who is it for? First of all, you, in a few years from now! And secondly, for those who come after you who may not have known how things were right now for you – or for those who may never get to meet you, but want to know what you were really like (and not just read a resume). For those of you doing the Life-Story course (when it comes your way), make it your final page in the album – so quick and easy.
And now a bit more about the “why”. In a past blog I shared that my inspiration for the Journey Well: Heart, Body and Soul business is Deuteronomy 6:5 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
I cover 3 areas of transformation in my emails focused on the Heart, Body and Soul — how you can work relatable habits into your daily rhythm for real transformation.
And the HEART in Biblical language was the center of the human spirit, from which spring emotions, thought, motivations, courage and action – “the wellspring of life” mentioned in Proverbs 4:23. “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
In Deuteronomy 6, you would read the importance of sharing the stories over generations – more in the tone of a command. The Israelites were told that when your child asks the meaning of the laws, you are to tell him the story of the Lord bringing you out of Egypt with a mighty hand, miraculous signs and wonders, and brought you to the promised land.
Our mental or spiritual health reflects the renewing of our mind from the very deepest part of our heart – which for many of us is our personal and family stories of blessings, hardships, and obstacles overcome. It is the way we process and remember and pass along these outlook-shaping times reflecting what the Lord has done and how He has shown up in our lives that determines if we journey on in our lives as ‘victims’ or ‘victors’.
I encourage you to heed Kerrianne’s words “Don’t wait any longer”. And enjoy the result.
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