creating your timeline - wordpress.com
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Creating Your Timeline We are often so overwhelmed with simply living our lives that we rarely have an opportunity to step back and ask, “What does it all mean?” This exercise will do just that. You will identify 8-10 of the most pivotal events of your life story and plot them on a timeline, just like a screenwriter would do. (Some people may identify more than 10 events, some less.) Once you’ve identified these events, you’ll begin to build a redemptive perspective and recognize how God has used these seasons to shape you into who you are today. Once you see that, you’ll begin to understand your purpose and calling in new ways. You’ll need to set aside about 2 hours to complete this timeline, so plan accordingly. Don’t rush. If you need to leave this project and come back to it again to complete it, please do so. 1. To begin, pause. Sit with God and ask him to guide you as you survey the significant events of your life together. 2. Use the note sheets provided to identify every significant Life Turn you can think of. Life Turns are threshold moments. These are events that bring you through a “doorway” of sorts; something happens, and once you’re on the other side, you can never go back. Life Turns can be as simple as the birth of a sibling, or working hard and earning a spot on the team. They can also be defining losses like the breakup of a friendship, or the death of a parent. If you think of something, write it down, and refine your list later. Remember to ask God for guidance; you probably have more defining moments than you realize. Also, don’t feel pressure to only locate events that seem like a “big deal”. Even very small things can have a big impact. If it seems significant, write it down. Give each event a title, and describe it in the space provided.
These events can be both positive and negative in nature, so ascribe each one a number value on a scale from -10 to +10. To jog your memory, it can be helpful to work in time increments. Perhaps start with the first 5-10 years of your life, then move on through each decade of life from there, up until the present day. 3. Once you’ve completed your list of Life Turns, grab a blank piece of paper, or begin a new page in your journal. Turn the page sideways and draw a horizontal line across the middle. Place your birth year on the left end of the line, and present day on the right. Now plot your Life Turns in order on the timeline in sequence, using a vertical line for each. Allow the height or depth of the vertical line to reflect the positive or negative value you placed on each one. Label each line with the title you provided. 4. Finally, return to the events you’ve ascribed a negative value. These are your Negative Turns. Using the note sheets provided, begin to identify a redemptive perspective. Redemption is about recovering something that was lost. God doesn’t author pain and suffering, but he does redeem it. Identify God’s voice, help, gifts, and presence within these difficult seasons. How did you grow as a person? What did you gain through this suffering or difficulty? Recognize God’s redemption within these Negative Turns. You will talk about this more with your mentor, so don’t worry if you have trouble identifying these redemptive threads in detail. Just get started.
LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIFE TURN Title: ________________________ Rating (-10 to +10):_____________________ Description:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NEGATIVE TURN Title: ________________________ Redemptive Perspective: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________