Recalling Our Own Stories: Spiritual Renewal for Religious Caregivers

by Edward P. Wimberly, Tapiwa N. Mucherera (Foreword)

How religious caregivers can find spiritual renewal in their own story Recalling Our Own Stories , which author Edward P. Wimberly describes as "a spiritual retreat in book form," is designed to help clergy and religious caregivers face the challenges of ministry. It is also a valuable resource for practitioners who assist these clergy and caregivers in meeting the challenges of their work. Wimberly enables caregivers to map out and come to grips with cultural expectations of their profession. He also helps readers explore and edit the mythologies that make up their self-image, attitudes toward others, expectations about their performance and role, and convictions about ministry. Finally, he provides a model for spiritual and emotional review grounded in narrative psychology and spiritual approaches. As Wimberly explains, this book offers a way to renew our motivation for ministry by reconnecting to our original call, visualizing again how God has acted and remains intricately involved in our lives. Wimberly demonstrates how religious caregivers, often facing burnout, can tap the sources of renewal that reside in the faith community.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Church, Psychology

226 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 1997

Reviews

[Luke Hillier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a part of my CPE residency and I can't imagine a context where it would be better suited. Wimberly invites readers to thoroughly examine and excavate the mythologies woven across our personal and familial histories in hopes of catalyzing a re-authoring process that aligns the narratives we live by with the life we've been called to. Such a rich, engaging, worthwhile endeavor! He spends time exploring a number of personal myths (e.g. "I am unlovable," "I must be a good girl," "I must be self-sufficient"), marital and familial myths, and ministerial myths with lots of different examples that help bring the concepts to life. The personal myths felt the most rich to me and had a lot of overlap with the core fears of each Enneagram type; engaging this book with that in mind was especially meaningful. I was surprised that he connected so much to perfectionism, but as someone with that inclination (Ennea1), I personally appreciated the consistent emphasis there. As is often the case, I would'vet liked more clarity and direction on how to move from identifying these myths and their influence on one's life to reclaiming one's authorial authority and writing a healthier, more whole story. I also felt like the writing was a bit clunky and repetitive at times, though that's hard to avoid in this type of work. I'd love to participate in the kind of retreat that Wimberly describes leading around this subject, and am glad for the book as the next best thing.

[Rev. Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life can make a pastor's vocation dim....this book has some marvelous ways to reconnect with the call that God gave you to serve him -- From the Publisher: Reconnect with your original call to ministry and passion for caregiving with this spiritual reneretreat in book form. Clergy and other professional religious caregivers routinely find that parishioners and clients expect from them a superhuman level of empathy and love?a level that embodies God's love. Many of these caregivers expect no less of themselves. This myth of perfection often leads to burnout in caregivers, who then run the risk of damaging themselves and others. Minister and counselor Edward P. Wimberly crafts a powerful and innovative path to renewal based on his popular workshops and retreats. He guides religious professionals?trained to attend to the stories of others?to reexamine the personal and professional stories that shape their own lives as individuals, family members, and ministers. Recalling Our Own Stories, a spiritual renewal retreat in book form, guides religious professionals in reconnecting with their original calling. Most important, it offers readers ways to reauthor their personal mythologies, giving them renewed vigor in ministry and caregiving. Wimberly shares the varied life stories of caregivers of diverse cultural backgrounds while walking readers through the process of revisiting their lives, recognizing unrealistic expectations, and transforming wounded beliefs into sources of compassion, strength, and renewal.

[James Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn to "Reauthor" Your Story
According to his biography, Dr. Edward P. Wimberly was well-known for his insights into the influence of the African American experience on a person’s spirituality and ministry. In this book, he looks at how each minister’s story influences how they minister. Over the years, Dr. Wimberly lead many retreats for clergy. "Recalling Our Own Stories" comes from stories shared in those retreats. It is full of true cases from spiritual renewal retreats, workshops, and classroom discussions and features life stories of caregivers of diverse gender and cultural backgrounds. The author believes that we all have our identities shaped by “myths” that we live by. These “myths” also dictate the way you (as a chaplain, pastor, or clergy member) serve others. Your “myths” have their roots in your family of origin. Understanding your “myths” can help you bring meaning to the patterns that emerge in your life. Dr. Wimberly encourages you to “reauthor” your story. "Reauthoring” does not mean that you change the events that took place in your life. Instead, you should grow and learn the meaning that you have given to these stories. This, then, will enable you to look back on your past with greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, and confidence for your future. I highly recommend this book for anyone in the ministry.

[A.J. Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wimberly does a great job synthesizing his pastoral counseling experience into an assortments of myths with a plan on how to "reauthor" one's stories. Mind you, this process of "reauthoring" is not one of changing the events that took place in one's life. It is instead the evolution of meaning one has given to these stories, for it is in the meaning that the long-term influence is derived from. This is helpful for spiritual caregivers who desires to help their people look back into the past for the sake of moving with greater self-acceptance and confidence for the future. The difficulty in this book, however, is using the case-studies that occupy the later portion of this book to identify what myths might be alive in you (the reader). This is a hard and long process of "reauthoring" that takes partnership and great prayer. If the reader is not willing to utilize the plan within their own life, they should not expect to use this process to bless their people.

Key Terms/Phrases
- Myths
- Reauthoring
- Meaning
- Caregiver
- Story
- Marital and Family Myth
- Personal Myths
- Ministerial Myths

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wimberly's "spiritual retreat in book form" helps those who care for the spirituality of others care for themselves. He leads the reader into examining their own lives and discover the "mythologies" (love this term) that we function out of that are in our peripheral vision. Naming these mythologies allows us to change them over time, resulting in a renewal of calling and a refreshment of the job ahead of us, avoiding burnout.

The questions in this book are so valuable, as Wimberly leads the reader through discovering her/his/their own mythologies and how to dismantle them. These questions and the multiple examples he shares are helpful in demonstrating how to use the materials he presents.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who works with people, especially those in ministry or working with ministers regularly. There's really good stuff here.

[Joshua Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came to me at just the right time during my first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. I've been in the process of recalling my personal mythology for the past few years, although I wouldn't have called it that until now. Likewise, I've recently begun the work of re-authoring, which is as daunting as it is exhilarating. So I appreciate Wimberly's model; I'll be utilizing it well beyond my current CPE training as I engage in personal therapy and/or spiritual direction.

[Sam Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid book for those interested in congregational ministry, spiritual care, and the ways one’s ideal conception (what Wimberly terms mythologies) of themself, their ministry, family, and spouse affect ministry and relationships. The book is at its best in introducing family systems theory into a ministerial setting and in outlining how dominate cultural mythologies about ministry, family, and marriage affect ministry and the minister’s self-conception.

[Rick Lee Lee James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Book

The stories we are told and tell about ourselves shape us into who we are, but these stories often need re-authoring. This book requires a fearless look at ourselves, or family of origin, our marital lives, and literal assessments of who we are. Be fearless and enter into the difficult journey of recalling your own story.

[Brittany J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“An appropriate theology for reauthoring takes suffering and evil seriously and finds God’s presence and work in the midst of it all.” (P. 197)

If you’re up for a challenge (preferably with some trusted mentors/ peers) - Wimberly has one for you.

[Adam Metz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction into the idea of how our different myths function within us and, in particular, affect how we provide spiritual care for others. Practical with questionnaire and several case studies. A helpful primer in bettering your ability as a spiritual care provider.

[Allan Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book to anyone working in ministry. Great way to reflect on how God brough you to the call of ministry

[Clarence Cunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read that allowed me to understand some of the myths regarding myself and my family. I highly recommend this book.

[Larry Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish scholars would just write books like real people instead of inserting journal references throughout the text as if it were a scientific paper. Nevertheless, once you learn to ignore all the stuff in parentheses, Dr Wimberly takes the theme of Paul relating his vision and call to ministry, and weaves that into the importance of all of us recalling and re-telling our own spiritual journeys. In the re-telling of our testimonies, we are renewed and refocused.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read on how to care for ourselves and those who care for us. The book is desinged for those in ministry, but I found the tips to be helpful for those in various walks of life. The author kindly invites the reader on a journey to spiritual growth by recalling the stories that shaped our spiritual identity. It also offers solid advice on identifying and addressing the personal themes that we may have or still be wrestling with along the way.

[Ferrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wimberly has some excellent insight for ministers and other professional caregivers. The book has some real shortcomings in structure and communication, but the sum total of the entire book is a positive result.

[Ruby Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was required reading for my first CPE course. It was a powerful tool to look at my own family history, the myths and belief systems, and reframe my story within a larger narrative. Highly recommend for people who want to do that kind of concentrated work on themselves.

[Nathan Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wimberly writes a great book to assist religious caregivers to rediscover the passion of their calling. Great book!