Tag Archives: journal prompts

Weekly Topic Ideas-Week of January 18, 2016

January 18, 2016 Sandy Leave a comment

I don’t know how it is where you are, but around here it’s COLD! Thermometer was reading zero degrees this morning and is struggling to climb into the single digit range. It’s a good morning to snuggle up under a warm blanket or afghan and write in your journal!

Starting a new journal this week? Here are some theme ideas:

A weather extremes journal. Reminisce or give live updates when the weather is doing unusual things. These can be your own stories or your thoughts on unusual weather from other times and places.
A poetry journal. Find and read a poem and then respond to it for your entry.
A descriptive writing journal. Write down your best descriptions of everyday items that engage all five senses. How vivid can you make your writing?

And if your creativity is frozen to the floor, here are some prompts that you can write about this week:

When was the last time you saw a face in some inanimate object? Does that happen to you a lot? Does it have any special meaning for you?
Choose a knickknack that you have in your home, and write the story of how you came into possession of it and why it’s special enough that you keep it around.
What type of weather do you find most soothing? Most exciting? Most interesting? Most frightening? How often do you experience it where you live now?
What was the last television show that you watched all the way through? Why did it keep your interest? Will you watch the next in the series?
Look around your home and find a pile of clutter (c’mon, we all have them somewhere even if they are hidden in a little-used drawer). What’s in the pile? Why is it there?
Choose a memory from your school days and write it down. Did this experience impact your life or was it a mundane sort of an event? Why did the memory stick with you?
Describe your favorite physical sensation in the whole wide world. How often do you get to experience it?

Enjoy!

Faithful Journaling

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.

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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?

Inspirations, Journaling Motivation

Weekly Topic Ideas-Jan. 4, 2016

January 4, 2016 Sandy Leave a comment

Welcome to a brand new year! Here are some ideas to keep you writing in the next few days:

If you’re starting a new journal or creating a new section, try:

Writing down places you go each day and how that impacted your life, sort of a “journey journal”
Make a doodle journal. Instead of writing, create a doodle that expresses your mood, your day or anything else you wish.

And here are some prompts if you want something to get you started on any particular day this week.

How is the weather affecting your mood today?
If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
What was the first thing you learned to cook? Do you still make it?
Tell about the last book you read, or the one you are reading right now.
What do candles make you think of?
Describe the taste of the water from the tap at your house.
What kind of animal is the best to pet? Why?

Keep writing!

Journaling Motivation

Weekly Topic Ideas-Dec. 28, 2015

December 28, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

The very last week of 2015! Many of us are still on vacation, but don’t let that stop you from writing in your journal. Some of the most precious memories are made during this time of the year, and many people have some of their most profound thoughts and greatest creativity. Keep your pen handy, your pencil sharpened, and your notebook or tablet by your side for moments when inspiration strikes and be sure to set aside some time for intentional writing each day, as well.

If you’re starting a new journal or a new section, here are a few themes you might want to consider:

Write about your daily progress on New Year’s Resolutions.

Make a journal of recipes or craft ideas you want to try and how they turned out.

Record your activities each day, like you did when you were younger in your diary.

And here are some daily prompts in case your muse is nowhere to be found in the hustle and bustle of the week:

Choose a current event from today’s news and write about your thoughts on the situation.
Write about how you believe a person should spend the time between Christmas and New Years in an ideal world.
What was the most useful present you found under the tree this year? Why?
Which was the most thoughtful present you found under the tree this year? Why?
Which present are you the proudest about giving to a loved one? Why?
What did you (or can you) do to help someone between Christmas and New Year’s?
What is your most treasured memory from the week between Christmas and New Year’s this year? Describe it in detail.

Inspirations, Journaling Motivation, Resources

Weekly Topic Ideas-Dec. 14, 2015

December 14, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

Good morning and happy Monday! Here are some interesting ideas to get you writing this coming week.

Thinking of starting a new journal or looking for a new theme to energize your writing? Try these suggestions:

Keep a foods diary. Write down everything you eat or drink each day. It’s a great strategy for improving your health and managing weight.
Create a point of view journal. Choose a different object or item and write about life today from that perspective. It doesn’t even have to be alive!
Develop a character journal. Choose a stranger that you encountered today and make up a background and persona for that person. It’s a great exercise in creativity, and could well be an entrance into writing a short story, poem, or novel.

And here are some daily journal prompts to get you writing:

What is your favorite Christmas decoration? Why?
What motto or saying would you choose to inspire your life this coming week? How will that affect your actions?
Which household chore do you like the best? Which is the worst? Why so?
If you could visit anywhere in the world today, where would you choose to go and why?
What is most important to you about the Christmas season? What do you spend the most time on? Do the two match up?
Where do you like to go when you are feeling bad? How does this place help you recharge your batteries?
What was the best, most exciting Christmas present you’ve ever received? What was the worst?

Inspirations, Journaling Motivation

Weekly Topic Ideas-Nov. 30, 2015

November 30, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

Keeping up with your journal during this hectic holiday season can be challenging, but it’s oh, so worth the effort! Here are some prompts to get you started in the next few days….

What is your favorite part of the run-up between Thanksgiving and Christmas? What is your least favorite part? Why?

Describe the decorating rituals at your house. How important are these to your family?

What is your favorite Christmas memory?

What activities or events “make” the season for you? How so?

If you could share the holiday with one special person, who would it be and why?

How do you help yourself when you feel overwhelmed during the rush between Thanksgiving and Christmas? What do you do to relax?

Keep writing!!

Journaling Motivation

Topic Ideas: Week of 11-23-15

November 23, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

Here are some ideas for your journal this week.

Focuses for a new journal:

Thanksgiving traditions
Your family
Your blessings

Journal prompts:

What do you remember about Thanksgiving from your childhood?
Which person from your family would you love to pull out of the past and celebrate with this week?
Have you ever shared Thanksgiving with someone who was not related to you by blood or marriage? Why or why not?
How important are traditional foods in your household? Why is that?
Have you ever helped with a community or charity Thanksgiving feast? What was that experience like for you?
What are your feelings about “Black Friday” and the traditional shopping spree that follows Thanksgiving?
How does the run-up to Christmas look to you right now? Are you excited, bored, dreading it? What will you be doing over the next four weeks?

Remember you can get a daily prompt for six weeks by signing up below:

Journaling Motivation

Topic Ideas: Week of 11-16-23

November 16, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

Just sharing some ideas about what you could write about this week!

Starting a new journal? Try these themes:

Your cooking experiences
Your prayer life
Favorite family outings

Journal prompts:

Write about these if you are looking for ideas:

What emotions are prompted by the change from fall into winter for you?
What comes to mind when you see the trees without their leaves?
How does journaling help you?
If you could do any job in the world, what would you choose and why?
What problem would you wipe out of your life right now if you could?
What has been your biggest blessing this week? How so?
Where would you go on a vacation get-away if you could leave today?

Remember you can get a daily prompt for six weeks by signing up below:

Journaling Motivation

Topic Ideas: Week of 11-9-15

November 9, 2015 Sandy Leave a comment

Looking for something to write about? Here are some thoughts.

Focuses for a new journal:

Your pet
Your pregnancy
Your favorite holiday recipes

Journal prompts:

Try these on for size:
What memories surface when you hear clock chimes?
What is your favorite radio station? Why?
Where can you go to reduce stress in your life?
Create a stress-relief alphabet: write down one strategy for each letter
How will you prepare your heart for the next holiday?
Describe your most recent “date” with a loved one.
What can you hear in the silence? What does it mean to you?

Remember you can get a daily prompt for six weeks by signing up below: