6 S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 3 - 2 Fa l l 2 0 1 7 Leigh 2000), which includes paying close attention to the "ethics of life writing" (Eakin, ed. 2004). In addition to the listed resources, one can learn about writing a spiritual autobiography through a careful reading of excellent autobiographies. It is difficult to select the list of the "best" Christian autobiographies, but mine would include St. Augustine, Teresa of Ávila, John Bunyan, Thérèse of Lisieux, Corrie ten Boom, C. S. Lewis, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Nicky Cruz, and Billy Graham. Although quality of effort should never be judged purely by utilitarian considerations, the kind of spiritual fruit produced matters (Matthew 7:20). Ultimately, only God can transform the human heart, but God most often does so through Spirit-filled people who respond with alacrity to God’s call. Lastly, I want to mention one deeply personal reason – again related to transformation – that I feel drawn to writing my personal story and why I would ask others to consider doing the same. Anyone who delves into the field of life writing in general and spiritual autobiography in particular will quickly become aware of the manifold benefits such writing has for authors. Classical Greek philosophers already talked about the importance of "knowing thyself," and a number of Christian theologians pointed to the link between self-knowledge and knowledge of God. Aware of this connection, Heather Walton writes: "Because of the close ties between our sense of who we are and our grasp of who God is, life writing has become a key resource in vocational exploration and formation, the development of spiritual awareness, theological research and pastoral care. In all these fields it delivers powerful results" (Walton 2014, 91). John-Raphael Staudte, who defines autobiography as "a dialogue of the self with itself in the present about the past for the sake of self-understanding," adds along a similar vein to Walton, "writing and reflecting on one’s autobiography enhances spiritual growth and can be therapeutic, freeing people from outlived roles and self-imposed images" (Staude 2005, 249). I am at a point in my life in which I can sense and rationally justify the need to "stop and remember" as well as sharpen my spiritual vision, so I can see God’s purpose for my life more clearly in the near and distant future. Transformative leadership requires transformed leaders, and my underlying assumption is that writing my spiritual autobiography will be a transformative experience for me, which will bring me closer to God, the source of all positive transformation.
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