The Joy of Journaling, part 2

Good morning! Fall has arrived on the calendar, and in my part of the country, it sure is feeling like it! I am welcoming the cooler temperatures and anticipating the changing of the leaves, the hot-dog roasts over bonfires, and using lots of pumpkin and apples in my cooking and baking! Although the fun in that has been rather deflated by my needing to be gluten-free. However,  I am enjoying a pumpkin-spice latte (homemade) as I write this!

I took a little detour last time in posting about the blessing of our Missions conference, and now it is time to get back to my previous post and the subject of journaling as a valuable part of your time with God. If you have not read that post, please go back and do that, as in it I give the Biblical basis and the motivations for keeping a spiritual journal. Today I want to continue that theme and give you some practical help and ideas to help you get started. As I mentioned before, the object of journaling is to not only get into God's Word, but to get God's Word into you. There is a big difference! You need to keep it simple! You can go out and buy a pretty journal if that helps to motivate you (Hobby Lobby usually has some with scripture on the front, priced very inexpensively), or you can just use a plain old spiral notebook.

Begin by praying for God to open your eyes and heart. As you read your Bible and you come across a verse or passage that speaks to you, write the date in your journal and then write out that particular verse or passage in your journal. Copying God's Word really helps you to remember and think about it. (Remember copying in elementary school? There was a reason for that!)

Next comes the application part. Write just a sentence or two summarizing in your own words what the verse or passage is saying, then write a couple sentences how it applies to your life. Basically you are answering three questions: What does this say? (copying the verse) What does it mean? (interpreting the verse) What do I need to do? (applying the verse). In considering what the verse means, look for things such as what it tells you about God, or about people. Ask yourself if there are any commands or promises given, or any examples that you can follow or avoid. Then when it comes to the "What do I need to do?" part, think about how this personally relates to your life and to the situations you are in right now. Writing down what the Holy Spirit reveals to you makes it more concrete and makes you more accountable.

Then expand your journaling with writing about the milestones in your life (Exodus 17:14, Deut. 17:18-20, and Joshua 4:2-7): decisions you make, battles and trials you are going through, special occasions (times with family, holidays, vacations, births of children or grandchildren), answers to prayer, and special blessings God gives you. This will give you a permanent, written reminder of what God has taught you and how He has helped you and serves as tremendous encouragement in the future. In addition, when you are feeling discouraged or depressed, make it a point to write in your journal all the things you are thankful for that day. You will be amazed at how this changes your perspective! You can write down such simple things as getting all the laundry done, a hot cup of coffee, a needed item on sale! It will make you have a more grateful heart and look for the little blessings in your life!

One final thought: Don't get discouraged - it takes a little time - and don't miss the point! Don't get so caught up in the mechanics of journaling and trying to be perfect at it that you miss the whole point of learning and applying what God has for you.

Until next time,
Kathi