Tag Archives: faith

Journaling From Sermons

January 17, 2016 Sandy Leave a comment

Any good pastor or preacher is trying to inspire you to take action through his or her sermon. In order for that to happen, you have to take in the message, ponder it, and then come up with a way to act upon it. However, many of us let the Sunday sermon go in one ear and out of the other, so to speak.

Oh, don’t get me wrong-we have the best of intentions. We hear the message and think, “This is exactly what I needed to hear today!” We think about the impact that the sermon will have on our lives in those few moments. And then we head home to our daily routines, and the important message is too soon forgotten.

One way that you can keep your focus on how that sermon spoke to you is to journal about it in the week following the church service. I’ve designed a series of prompts that you could use each week, one for each day following the service. I intentionally did not attach weekday names to them, since I realize that not everyone hears sermons on Sunday. Just pick right up with the beginning of the series each time you listen to a sermon, and see what happens. Try them out, and let me know what you think!

The day you hear the sermon: Begin by summarizing the message that you heard. Write it down clearly and in your own words. Now, write a prayer asking for help to apply these truths into your life in the next few days.
Day 2: What Scripture passages did the pastor refer to in the sermon? Or, if you prefer, what Scripture passages does this sermon bring to mind for you? Note the Biblical reference and read them. What thoughts come into your mind based on these verses? How do they connect with or support the sermon you heard yesterday?
Day 3: All good sermons include some kind of a call to action. What was the call to action in the sermon you heard the other day? In what way does it apply to you? What aspect of your behavior, your spiritual life, your relationships, or other part of your life will you change as a result of hearing this sermon? What can you do differently right now?
Day 4: What did you do differently today than yesterday as a result of hearing the sermon this week? What difference did that change make? Will you continue in this new direction tomorrow? Why or why not? Write a prayer asking for God’s guidance in this matter.
Day 5: What will it take to make this new change a habit in your daily life? What steps can you take today to make this change permanent?
Day 6: Looking back, how have you truly grown from hearing the sermon last week? What has changed? Find a Scripture verse that will remind you of what you have been called to do and write it in your journal. You can also put it on a card or note and post it somewhere that you see regularly. Set a date to look back to examine your routines and discover if this change that you have implemented truly was permanent.

***************

Don’t forget that we are journaling our way through Genesis, and the next installment will be posted on Sunday, January 31, 2016. You’ll want to become a member of the group to get the prompts, so sign up today at Journaling Through the Bible. It’s free, private and completely personal. There’s an optional group for sharing the things you feel comfortable with, but absolutely no pressure. Enjoy!

Faithful Journaling, Inspirations

journaling the hymns

January 10, 2016 Sandy Leave a comment

For many people, music is very, very meaningful. This especially holds true for sacred music. Music holds such a special place in some people’s lives that they recall music long after dementia robs them of every other conscious memory.

The hymns or other Christian songs focus on distinct aspects of our faith, and you can derive a lot of comfort from them. They also succinctly express many of the feelings that we associate with our Christian walk. No wonder they are so important to us!

Now put the power of hymns and sacred music behind the power of journaling, and you have an energetic combination for self-discovery. You also have a nearly endless source of writing inspiration. Sacred music will speak to you in different ways at different points in your life. There is an endless supply of different songs to consider, and they are as close as your church’s hymnal or your favorite Christian radio station.

Here are some prompts that will get you started journaling the hymns:

What is this song saying to you today?
How has the meaning of this song changed for you over the years?
Does this song tell a story? How does the story relate to your life today?
Can you find a Scripture reference to go with this song? What is it? How does it expand or clarify the meaning?
Put the message of this song into your own words.
How does this song bring you closer to God?
Which song would you choose to share with a nonChristian friend to help him or her understand your faith?

Faithful Journaling

Faithful Journaling: Genesis 1-5

January 3, 2016 Sandy Leave a comment

Join me as I read through the Bible, one chapter at a time! Let’s see just how far we can go. On the first Sunday of the month, I’ll try to post a chapter-by-chapter guide, and all you’ll need to do is read one chapter each week. Let’s see how long we can keep it up together.
Let’s start with Genesis. There are five Sundays in January, so we’ll think about five chapters this month. Now, don’t worry if you didn’t start right on January 3rd; you can join us at any time!

First week: Read Genesis 1. Consider these prompts for your journal (do any, all or none!):

Why did God create in the order that He did?
Which day of Creation was the most important?
How does it make you feel to know that God “saw that it was very good”?

Second Week: Read Genesis 2. Consider these prompts for your journal:

Describe Eden in your own words. Is there any place on earth today that comes close?
How is the story of Adam and Eve’s creation related to marriage? Have you found this to be true in your own life?
What would the world be like today if God still walked among us? How would that change your life and/or the lives of those around you?

Third Week: Read Genesis 3. Consider these prompts for your journal:

Was there any way God could have prevented this event? Was there any way Eve could have? Adam? What would have changed if any of the three had responded differently?
What do you think would have been the most shocking change for Adam and Eve after God decreed their punishment?
Are you closer or farther away from the Garden of Eden than Adam and Eve were at the end of this chapter? How so and why?

Fourth Week: Read Genesis 4. Consider these prompts for your journal:

Why did God find Abel’s sacrifice pleasing but not Cain’s?
How have you responded like Cain when God showed you an error in your thinking?
In what ways did Adam’s family follow God? In what ways did they stray? In what ways are you following God? In what ways are you straying?

Fifth Week: Read Genesis 5. Consider these prompts for your journal:

What do you believe is the purpose of including this genealogy? What message does it have for you today?
What is the difference between the reference about Enoch and those of the other people listed? Why is this important? How does it affect your life today?
What do you make of the extremely long lifespans listed? Are they intended to be taken literally, simply literary devices, or is there a meaning hidden in the numbers? Why do you think so?

Did you enjoy this set of journaling prompts to guide you through regular Bible readings? New sets are posted on the first Sunday of each month. Get access to the complete set of journal prompts that have been written to date by clicking the link below:

(no need to sign up a second time, though…if you’ve already registered and have your user name and password set up, please ignore this step)

Sign Up Here

Faithful Journaling

Off on The Right Foot

December 26, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

The new year is just around the corner, and many of us are setting goals. Does your list include a goal for your walk with God? I hope so! Are you set up for success, though?

I’m sure you can recall making New Year’s resolutions, and then realizing in about March that they have sort of gone by the wayside. We’ve all done that. Often, the problem lies in the way that we’ve worded our intentions.

This year, try writing goals instead of resolutions. There is a difference, you know. Resolutions are a bit vague for our purposes. Usually, they express a desire to improve some aspect of your world. In this case, your resolutions might say something like, “Read my Bible more” or “Get closer to God” or even “Pray every day.” Do your resolutions sound like these?

Goals, on the other hand, are measureable and specific. It’s easy to tell if you’re on the right track (and it’s harder to fudge!). A goal might be worded like this: “Read my Bible for at least 10 minutes each weekday.” Other examples include “Try 2 new types of prayer by June” or “Write in my prayer journal at least three times a week.” You will find that writing goals in this way gives you a clear idea of whether or not you succeeded today, and exactly where you stand. They also leave a lot more room to improve. A resolution, once broken, feels like a lost cause. A goal, on the other hand, leaves room to try again.

So try setting a few goals for the coming new year. Here are a few ideas related to journaling:

Record at least three thoughts about my relationship with God each day.
Write down my supplications, and note the answers when they come.
Read a chapter from Scripture each day and write down at least one way to apply it to my life.
read a daily devotional passage and write a response at least four times weekly.

Happy New Year!!

Faithful Journaling

Advent Journaling Week 4: Peace

December 20, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

If ever there was a week that could benefit from a focus on peace, it’s this week. The run-up to Christmas can be quite stressful in most households-holiday preparations are at a frenzied pace, last minute shopping, wrapping, baking, and cleaning have tight deadlines, company is coming and going, and it’s easy to lose sight of the reason we are celebrating at all. Take a few moments (for your sanity’s sake!) and make time for your journal each day this week. If you’re lighting candles in an Advent Wreath, today you probably lit the last candle in the circle. Was it pink or purple? This is the one we light on the Sunday before Christmas. This year, let’s focus on peace as we reflect in the coming days.

A special note: Since I don’t know what day Christmas will be falling on when you are reading this, I’ve included a few extra mediation/writing prompts for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Feel free to substitute them onto the actual days of the holiday if you wish!

Fourth Sunday in Advent: Read Micah 5:2-5a. This familiar Scripture heralds the coming of Christ. Why do you call Christ “the Prince of Peace”? How does your faith bring peace to your heart and to your life?

Monday: Read Psalm 80:1-7. Pay special attention to the last verse in the reading. Do you feel that God has restored you and makes His face shine upon you? Why or why not?

Tuesday: Read Hebrews 10:5-10. What will you do in the coming days to present yourself as a ‘sacrifice pleasing to God’?

Wednesday: Read Isaiah 9:6-7. What do you need to do to bring more of Christ’s peace into your life this week?

Thursday: Read John 14:27. Who is the most peaceful person you know? What is his or her secret? Can you find the same peace? How?

Friday: Read Psalm 34:11-14. The Bible is full of advice about how to achieve the kind of peace promised from a deep relationship with the Lord. If you were writing advice to a loved one about how to achieve this kind of life-changing peace, what would you say?

Saturday: Read Colossians 3:15-17. What is the relationship between thankfulness and peace? What does this suggest to you?

Christmas Eve: Read Luke 1: 68-75. What does God’s Advent into our world mean to you personally? How has this event, which happened so long ago, come alive again for you each year?

Christmas Day: Read Luke 2:1-20. Describe the scenes from this story in your best story-telling style. Engage all the senses, and make the story come alive.

Advent Journaling Week 1: Hope

Advent Journaling Week 2: Love

Advent Journaling Week 3: Joy

Christmas Journaling

Faithful Journaling

Advent Journaling Week 2: Love

December 6, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

The Christmas season is in full swing, at least here at our house, and finding the time to journal is one of the tough parts. Before we get to Advent journaling prompts for this week, check out a video that I made a few years back about finding time for the important things at Christmas:

It is not only possible to find time for your journaling; it’s important! Make it a priority and it will fall into place.

During this second week of Advent, let’s focus on Love. In many churches and households, the second purple candle was lit today for the first time. Here are some daily ideas to keep you writing!

Second Sunday in Advent:

Read Isaiah 49:13-16. There are several descriptions of God’s unfailing love in this passage. How would you describe this amazing love?

Monday:

Read Malachi 3:1-4. How can you show your love for God in the coming Christmas season?

Tuesday:

Read Philippians 1:3-11. This is the season, perhaps even more than any other, when we ponder what it means to show love. Do you have (or have you had) people in your life for whom you could pray this prayer? Who do you think feels this way about you and why?

Wednesday:

Read Psalm 98:1-6. Does God’s love make this Psalm come alive for you? How can you express your love for Him in writing or pictures in your journal?

Thursday:

Read Luke 1:68-79. This is the song of praise and thanksgiving that Zechariah (father of John the Baptist) sang upon the birth of his son when his voice was returned to him. How has God given you a rebirth in this past year? How has that made you love Him even more?

Friday:

Read John 3:16-17. These verses are perhaps the most famous in all of the Scriptures. What did they mean to you the first time you heard them? Has your interpretation of them changed or deepened, since you are now farther along your path toward closeness with God?

Saturday:

Read Luke 1:26-38. In what way does this story connect to our weekly theme of Love?

Remember, too, that your non-religious Christmas memories and thoughts are just as precious as your growing understanding of just what gifts God has given you. If you want to journal about your family life, traditions, and memories from this Christmas, check out the Keeping Christmas Holiday Keepsake Journal over on Amazon:

Keeping Christmas

Advent Journaling Week 1: Hope

Advent Journaling Week 3: Joy