Welcome to Spiritual Life Storyteller
Hello fellow story lover! My name is Sharon Hines.
I’ve been writing online, off and on, since 2009. Actually, more off than on. What can I say? It’s taken me a really long time to find my niche, my message, my peeps. In fact, all of that is still a little bit in flux. But I’m gaining clarity by the day. Let’s take a look at where I am right now, shall we? And then you can decide if I’m exactly the right writer to help you today.
Are You on the Journey Inward?
Is your spiritual life less than what you want it to be?
Maybe you’ve recently deconstructed your faith and don’t know what comes next. Maybe you’re feeling spiritually lost, confused, unsettled, or simply curious.
Do you sense there's something deeper to life, but you aren't sure what? Maybe you aren't sure where to start looking.
Or, maybe you are on a satisfying faith journey, but realize there is always, always room to grow your relationship with God. You’re just looking for a little guidance in what to do next.
If any of this sounds like where you’re at, congratulations! You are on the journey inward.
It's a different journey for each of us, yet there are common processes and approaches that form a toolkit of sorts to help us along our way.
My goal in this Substack blog is to help you on your inward journey.
My own journey has given me a somewhat unconventional set of tools for growing my relationship with God. I've practiced and honed these tools for decades. Yes, they are a little unconventional, from a conservative-Christian perspective. But completely normal from the perspective of my inclusive, progressive-Christian point-of-view.
If you're curious, and open to new possibilities, you're in the right place.
My Uncommon Common Journey
Plenty of spiritual memoirs begin with a dramatic story to draw you in. Not mine. I haven’t undergone tremendous trauma. And I've never had a high-drama, life-altering spiritual experience. No bright lights. No NDEs. I can't even point to a specific moment in time when I suddenly let God into my life. Sorry!
Here’s my baseline: God has always been there. Church is somewhere I've gone on a regular basis since the age of three weeks. I've never had a serious crisis of faith. (Although I have had plenty of questions. And a few doubts. One horrible “why me, Lord?” moment. And four years, during my first marriage, when I just slept in on Sunday mornings.)
I have had my share of setbacks and challenges. Mom died when I was a teenager. My first marriage crumbled. I weathered a layoff. Started over in new careers multiple times. I struggled financially. I ate myself into pre-diabetes. I imagine you could write your own list.
But, all along the way, I've been blessed to have a series of mentors to guide me on a path to an ever stronger, ever deeper relationship with God. I've been blessed to belong to a faith community that values questioning over having the "right" answers. A community that holds as a core value the idea that our understanding of God continues to change, even though God does not.
And because of the ways I've been mentored on my journey, I now find myself privileged to mentor others. To share what I've learned, to tell my stories of how God has shaped my life, to guide others in their own journeys inward. Maybe to guide you.
Will You Join Me?
If I've aroused your curiosity, if I've struck a chord, please join me as I explore, share, and reflect on how and why to travel a path towards a deepening relationship with God. All are called into this relationship. I'm here to help you find your response.
My promise: My writing here is free. And I won’t try to convert you.
Your next step: Let’s start a conversation! Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox. You'll get my Fractal Fridays newsletter with updates and short-form musings. Some weeks, I'll send a second email with a longer musing or a chapter from an upcoming book. Sometimes I’ll offer downloadables. I reserve the right to surprise you.
And, you can unsubscribe at any time without any hassle and with no hard feelings. Honest.
As I said, posts on this Substack will always be free to my readers. I'm not writing to keep food on the table. Spiritual life writing is a mission for me.
In devoting time, energy, and focus to this work, I trust that I will be able to cover the costs of maintaining an internet presence. If my words resonate with you, I’d love to have your financial support.
Want to Explore First?
Here are a couple of places to start reading.
Impersonal Energy or Personal God. How another author’s post on Substack led me to some new insights about God.
Listening for Guidance series. Learn about the primary tool I use for letting God have the conn in my life.
Well Guided series. Read stories about what happened when I let God have the conn. In hearing my story, you'll learn why I place such a high priority on spiritual growth. And why I encourage you to do the same.
The Dawn of a New Me. The challenges that arise when you finally develop the willingness to take bigger writing risks in public.
Phoenix Your Faith. This series is currently in progress. If you’re among the spiritually traumatized, or if you’re just looking for some new ways to grow spiritually, these articles and journaling prompts are for you.
Where Else to Find Me
My Facebook page
My LinkedIn profile
My Substack profile
My Substack collaboration: Spiritual Life Writers
Keep in Touch
DM me with your questions. Leave comments and feedback on my writing. I welcome all comments and (legitimate) conversations.
Glad you’re here!
