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Life Map

 

Your Story

A powerful way to see how God has used the people and experiences of your life is to complete a Life Map. The instructions are provided below. Based on the accounts recorded in Genesis, see an example of Joseph’s possible Life Map below.

Life Map Instructions

Step 1: Identify the Divisions of Your Life Map
Using the Life Map Worksheet on pages 24-25, divide your life into sections based on age, natural divisions around school and/or work, particular geographical locations, or other categories you deem appropriate. These divisions mark the various chapters of your story.

Step 2: Identify Significant Life Experiences
Reflect on how God has uniquely ordained your days. Think about your parents and family. Recall your best memories and experiences. Think about the difficult times. What were the circumstances that impacted your spiritual journey? Who were the influencers in your life?

Using the Life Map Worksheet note:

• Highlights: Best experiences, memories, accomplishments
• Hard Times: Painful experiences and failures
• Heroes: People who shaped you

Step 3: Discover the Hand of God
Look over your Life Map for themes, repetitive lessons, the results of moves, new schools, or job changes. What did you learn about God’s hand in your life?

 

See how God has used the people and experiences of your life by completing the Life Map.

Click a button below to download, print and fill out your own Life Map.

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Joseph’s Life Map

As we look at Scripture, (Genesis 37-50) this is an example of Joseph’s Life Map.

LIFE DIVISIONS

 CHILDHOOD TEENAGE YEARS  TWENTIES THIRTIES-FIFTIES LATER YEARS
Highlights:
  • Long-desired son of Jacob and Rachel
  • Experiences much love from his parents
  • Receives vision from God through dreams
  • Beautiful coat given to him by his father
  • Unconditional love of his father
  • Gaining Potiphar’s confidence
  • Position in Potiphar’s home
  • Gained the favor of the prison warden
  • Interprets prisoners’ dreams (baker and cupbearer)
  • Interpreted Pharaoh’s dream
  • Appointed Governor of Egypt (second in command to Pharoah)
  • Married Asenath
  • Had two sons—Manasseh and Ephraim
  • Ability to provide safety for his family, and a place for them to live
  • Reunited with his family
  • Brothers demonstrate remorse for their betrayal
  • Realized that everything had been a part of God’s plan
  • Continue to serve in high position in Egypt
  • Became a grandfather and great-grandfather. Saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Children of Makir, Manasseh’s son, were “placed at birth on Joseph’s knees”
  • Continue to be reunited with his family
  • Lived to the ripe old age of 110
  • Received a blessing from his father before his father’s death
Hard Times:
  • Fled with parents and family from his grandfather, Laban
  • Sister was raped
  • The death of his mother, Rachel while giving birth to his brother, Benjamin
  • His brothers hated him because of Jacob’s favoritism
  • His brothers hated him “all the more” when he shared a dream that he would rule over them
  • Thrown into a cistern by brothers
  • Sold into slavery by brothers
  • Taken as a slave to Egypt
  • Advances from Potiphar’s wife
  • Falsely accused of sexual attack
  • Lost Potiphar’s confidence
  • Thrown into prison
  • Cupbearer did not remember he promised favor to Joseph after interpretation of dream. Left in prison another two years
  • Sons reminded him of his family He said after Manasseh was born, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and my father’s household.” After Ephraim was born Joseph said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering”
  • Famine
  • His father gave firstborn blessing to Ephraim instead of Manasseh
  • His father dies
  • Brothers misjudging his sincerity after death of father
Heroes:
  • Mother and Father
  • His father
  • Potiphar
  • Prison warden who put Joseph in charge of prisoners
  • Pharaoh
  • Jacob
  • unknown
Hand of God:
  • Joseph was able to look back over his life and see the hand of God move him purposefully from prison to a place of prominence.
  • God used his brothers’ mistreatment to get him to Egypt, albeit as a slave.
  • Being falsely accused of sexual misconduct and thrown in prison no doubt developed a sense of wisdom when he later served as governor of the land.
  • The prison warden put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners, giving him administrative experience, as well as leadership principles in guiding a diverse group of people.
  • While the interpretation of the baker’s and cupbearer’s dreams ended in disappointment for Joseph, they gave him confidence in the gift God had given him.
  • The interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream landed him a job as Governor of Egypt— second in power only to Pharaoh.
  • The famine led Joseph’s family to Egypt for food.
  • His position allowed him to be reunited with his family and provide them the food they needed.
  • Joseph summed up the hand of God in his life in this statement to his brothers: “But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:19-21).

 

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