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Dear Friends,
Years ago I wrote a short booklet on the art and spiritual discipline of journaling. I decided to reprint it here in serial form for my Rest and Be Thankful readers. One of the fun things I like about the booklet is the short excerpts from my old – very old – diaries.
Other than that, I must admit I would probably write the booklet differently if I tackled the subject today. I think I have “loosened” up and improved a good bit in my writing style in the last 10 years. Nonetheless the booklet has merit and hopefully it can be a blessing to you as you hone your skills in this important area of spiritual processing.
I still journal. I still see it as a powerful tool to help me grow in my faith walk. The discipline keeps me alert to the Spirit’s sometimes subtle movements around and in me. It helps me remember.
I am journaling for my grandchildren as well. I have a “Grandma book” in which I am recording special moments with each kid, special verses and special messages from heart to theirs. I am determined to leave a legacy for my family that will last for eternity.
I hope this series has been a help and inspiration for your own journey of faith.
Here is Part 8 and the last chapter of the booklet called: Journaling: A Meeting With God and Me.
January 13, 1962
“We watched Tarzan and the She-Devil. It was good. We cut out paper dolls and played snap.”
Conclusion
Journaling isn’t for everyone. We are all different. We have different backgrounds, personalities, and gifts. We are all at different places at different times. As with any spiritual discipline we must discover whether journaling is something that will be a means to an end we desire — to be closer to God. One of my favorite quotes is from Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline (Foster, 1978:1)
Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people. The classical disciplines of the spiritual life call us to move beyond surface living into the depths. They urge us to be the answer to a hollow world. John Woolman counsels, “It is good for thee to dwell deep, that thou mayest feel and understand the spirits of people.”
Journaling is one discipline among many that teach us to understand our own spirit before anything else. As we interact with God at that deeper level, we can become the answer for our hollow world.
The help journaling offers you on your spiritual journey is great. I encourage you to start.
Helpful Resources:
Adventure Inward, by Morton K. Kelsey,
Augsburg Publishing House, 1980
Celebration of Discipline, by Richard J. Foster,
Harper and Row, 1988
How to Keep a Spiritual Journal, by Ronald Klug,
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982
Journaling: A Spiritual Journey, by Anne Broyles,
The Upper Room, 1988
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