I’ve written some personal essays before – these on death and the relationship between science and faith are examples – but below is maybe the most personal essay I’ve ever written. It technically is a narrative essay – focusing on my lifelong experience with the Bible – and I developed it through the help of some amazing folks at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. Our teacher at the Loft encouraged us students to submit our work to literary publications, and I sent mine to a very cool Christian literary magazine called Ruminate. I was so honored when they accepted!
Anyway, here it is. I’d love to hear your reaction.
The Quest for a Good Life 
A very similar journey with the Bible as mine although as a Lutheran, our Bibles were everywhere in the house, some In Norwegian, some with The Good News, some in tiny purse size volumes, and always ready to be read and wondered about. The Bible was never “off limits” but at times I sure set limits on what place it held in my life – until I began studying it in depth as I began my Lay Pastoral Associate program. That it would be such a focus of my life at the same time both my parents died within a year of each other was truly God’s doing. The Word was very much my sustenance when nothing else could provide.
I very much enjoyed your story and agree, there is no better chronicle of our lives then how we walked in faith.
God Speed on the rest of your journey!
Thanks so much for commenting, Erika! I enjoyed hearing a bit about your journey as well!