Rewriting your midlife story with God’s Pen
Do you ever wish you could rewrite the story of your life? Maybe, like me, you've reached the middle of life and realized this is not at all what you had planned or had in mind. For women of faith, this feeling can leave us with questions about purpose, identity, and spiritual direction. Yet, what if we could reframe this season not as a place where we're stuck, but as a sacred invitation—to explore and get curious about the next chapters of our lives by connecting with ultimate storyteller, God Himself?
Facing Midlife Uncertainty
If you arrived at midlife and wondered how you even got here, then you're not alone. The more women I talk to that are my age, they more I realize we all have similar questions. Is this where I'm supposed to be? Who am I now that I'm facing an empty nest? Or a new job? Or even retirement? And am I doing what God wants me to be doing?
To be honest, this season of life can start to feel like a blank page. And I don't know about you, but the uncertainty of what's ahead and the lack of clarity on what's next can leave me feeling out of balance. But what if the absence of a clear script is not a void to be feared but a canvas awaiting divine inspiration? As Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." This scripture isn't just a comforting platitude; it's a radical call to surrender our pens and allow God to guide our hands as we write the next chapters of our lives.
Embracing God's Story within our own story
One mindset shift that has helped through the ups and downs of my story? Acknowledging that no matter what it feels like, no matter what I see with my eyes, or what my fears are telling me -- God is always at work. In the times when I feel alone. In the times when I've made mistakes. And in the times when I am stepping out in courageous faith. Through the pages of Scripture and the evidence we see in our own lives, God can teach us that what may seem like detours or dead-ends in our lives can be pivotal plot twists in His greater story.
Embracing God's story within our own story can include being open to God working in ways we would never suspect. Surrendering to God's story when it's not the one we would have written at all. And embracing our present moments even when we'd rather be doing something else somewhere else.
Deciphering who god made you to be
While God is the One who pens your story, understanding our own character—our strengths, weaknesses, and core motivations—is crucial for personal growth and alignment as we move forward. This is where tools like the Enneagram can offer valuable insights, serving as a mirror to reflect our true selves and a map to guide our spiritual journey.
The Enneagram, with its nine distinct personality types, provides a framework for self-discovery that can be particularly helpful in midlife. For instance, a Type Two (The Helper) might find herself wrestling with boundaries and self-care, while a Type Five (The Investigator) could be challenged to move from knowledge accumulation to wisdom application.
By understanding our Enneagram type, we can better grasp the recurring themes and challenges in our life story. This self-awareness allows us to cooperate more fully with God’s work and plan — turning our weaknesses into opportunities for grace and our strengths into avenues for service.
Transforming Challenges into Growth
Midlife often brings with it a series of unexpected plot twists—career changes, empty nests, health challenges, or shifts in relationships. While these transitions can be disorienting, they also invite us to step into opportunities for spiritual growth and renewed purpose.
For Christian women navigating midlife, this means embracing each challenge as a potential turning point in our story. A career setback might be the catalyst for discovering a long-buried passion that aligns more closely with God's purposes. The change of empty nesting might lead us to a ministry opportunity. A friend moving away may create a new friendship you would never have experienced. By choosing to see our challenges through the lens of faith, we invite God to do His work in our lives and the story He is writing.
Spiritual Editing: Aligning Your Story with God's Vision
I know what you're thinking. My story doesn't just need an edit, it needs a whole rewrite. As a writer and an Enneagram type 3 (who doesn't like a lot of rework), I'll be honest with you...both sound a little painful when it comes to my story. But. As we partner with God and the story He wants to write with our lives, spiritual editing looks a lot like entering our story, observing how God has already been working, and asking Him to guide us with next steps.
Spiritual editing might look like:
Revisiting long-held beliefs about God, ourselves, and our purpose, and allowing scripture to refine and expand our understanding.
Identifying and releasing patterns of thinking or behavior that no longer align with our spiritual growth.
Cultivating new spiritual disciplines that deepen our connection with God and attune us to His voice.
Reframing past experiences through the lens of God's redemptive love, recognizing His presence even in difficult chapters.
As we engage in this spiritual editing, we create space for God to write new chapters of purpose, joy, and impact in our lives. We begin to see our story not as a series of random events, but as a carefully crafted narrative of divine love and purpose.
Your Story Continues
Your story is not paused or stuck. . God continues to write our story ever day as we create space to connect and hear from Him. If I'm honest with you, slowing down and connecting to the story God is writing is hard work. And if you're feeling like you don't know where to start -- you are not alone. If you are feeling like you need a jump start in tapping into your story and listening for what God is saying, then my Unlocking Your Story Group Coaching Program starting on February 24th might help. The program will walk you through 8 life maps in a community of like-minded women to see God's patterns in your story and create a space where you can listen to what God is saying through it.
