Prompt-a-day

December 24, 2006

Write for 15 minutes on: What Christmas means to me.

Ren138 I love to keep a spiritual journal. It has been such a source of strength and comfort to me in times of sorrow, heartache or trials.

I have learned so much from my spiritual journal. I use my spiritual journal to record all the Bible studies I do in my quiet time, devotional time. This way I have a reference to come back to. I also use it to record the Lord’s faithfulness in my life. I was one of those grumbling, complaining Christians who was always saying “God hasn’t done anything for me lately.” Once I began my journey to record all the blessings, faithfulness and God’s goodness in my life, I was so amazed at how much I took for granted.

I want to share with you today a few of the different types of spiritual journals you might want to begin and than some prompts to help you get started.

1. A Prayer Journal Is simply a collection of your daily thoughts, prayers, memory verses, praises, trials and yearnings you are expecting or waiting on.
• Write out the prayers requests that you have for your immediate family. Husband, wife, children, mother, father, grandparents. Be specific in your requests as you write them out. I usually date all my requests too.
• Leave a space after each request so that you can go back and enter the Lord’s answer to this prayer. This will serve as a good reminder on how God answers prayer and can boost your faith.

2. Scripture Memorization Journal This is a place that I write out all the Scripture that I am memorizing. It is very helpful to write out the Scripture, as this helps commit it to memory. I write out the Chapter and Verse and than the Scripture. Under each entry, I write when I began to memorize this particular verse and when it was committed to memory. Than I also log a date for review, which is simply a date that I go back and review this verse to keep it fresh in my heart and mind.
• Reading the verse you are trying to memorize in context. Read the verses directly in front of the verse and immediately following it. Sometimes, I write these in my journal too.
• Ask yourself these questions, who, what, where, when, why, and how and share your discovery with your journal.

3. A Blessing Journal This is by far my favorite journal. Just recently the Lord has challenged me to go deeper in the blessings of my life. We should all be thankful for His provision, food, clothing, shelter, but try looking deeper with these suggestions:
• Where has God been in your life in the last day?
• What has God done for you today?

[(c) Melissa Waters, BellaOnline.com's Journals Editor]

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December 23, 2006

Free write on: The holiday music lyrics I find most inspiring. What, specifically, inspires me about these particular lyrics?

December 22, 2006

Dialogue with: My body and what it needs from me in the New Year.

December 21, 2006

Write an unsent letter to: Santa Claus.

December 20, 2006

The emotion I am most aware of right now is …. This emotion tells me that ….

December 19, 2006

List my 15 favorite holidays songs and movies. Indicate why each one is a favorite.

December 18, 2006

Right now, my relationship with my Self is like ….

December 17, 2006

The Top 10 things I most like about this time of year. The Top 10 things I dislike about this time of year.

Journal Your Stress Away

Writing down our thoughts and feelings, as in keeping a journal, is a proven method to relieve stress and improve well being. The expression achieved through writing in a journal on a regular basis, or during times of high stress, helps to clarify and focus what we are actually feeling and experiencing. Putting down on paper what we are frustrated about, worried and concerned with, helps us to begin to understand in a clearer, more concise manner, what we are going through. That understanding can help us to realize what actions we can then take to work through the stress.

Journaling on a regular basis about daily events, joys, and struggles alike, can actually help us to face our day, and solve our problems with less stress. When we record our days on paper, or on the computer, we are processing our feelings, fears and joys, as we are writing.

To help with the stress in our days we can create a routine and journaling system for ourselves. Ask yourself a daily morning question upon rising. This becomes a check into the day question, and writing the answer down, can be a great way to focus the day. For Example - "What am I going to do today that will support just me?" Or - "What am I going to do today at my work, (or with friends, or family), that is different than I have done before?" Another idea - "What one thing do I want to accomplish today that I have not had time to do?" We can ask the same question each day, or ask a new question.

We can also create a journal to record what we need to keep doing, stop doing, do less of, or more of. For example - "I need to stop playing old broken records from my past that no longer apply and no longer serve me. I am enough. I do not have to live in fear. We can journal on that topic alone, until it feels finished."

Another journaling idea is to define what is causing the stress: Whatever or whomever. For example - "Bob really bugs me when he misses deadlines." Or - "I never have enough time to fit it all in, family, friends, work, fun." Or - "I am in way over my head on this project."

Next in your journal write about and define the why. "When Bob misses deadlines it makes me look bad. I can't enjoy my weekends when Bob has a project due on Monday, because I keep worrying Bob won't come through."

Then ask why again to those answers, and write them down. "I hate to look bad in front of my peers. It is embarrassing to me. I don't like to be embarrassed. I don't need/deserve that."

Then ask why again. Keep writing, then asking why to those answers. What can be found is the real reason(s) for the stress. After the reason(s) are revealed then processing the root of the stress is easier to address. Then journal about those feelings. Journaling is something we can all give to ourselves. Find a quiet time in the day, and a quiet place to journal. Set the journal where you will see it every day. Using a notebook, a blank book, a favorite journal, or a computer, any of these all serve as outlets for expression of stress. Through journaling we use that outlet of expression to help us see, process and understand our stress. Through journaling the toll stress takes can be reduced or eliminated.
Copyright 2002 Doreene Clement All Rights Reserved

About the Author:
Doreene Clement is the creator of, The 5 Year Journal, a journal where you can journal your life in one book for 5 years. You can sign up for her free journaling newsletter and tour the book at www.the5yearjournal.com

[Excerpted from SeedsofKnowledge.com]

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