Tag Archives: writing

The Amazing Benefits of Journal Writing

31 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by in Terrific Teachings

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Having been a journal writer for over 20 years, regularly writing three  pages a day, I have learnt a thing or two about the great benefits that can come from this practice. It is a great habit to integrate into your schedule.

My own practice has been to write early in the morning with a hot cup of coffee in hand. I write about whatever comes into my head. Everything from shopping lists to lists of things to do, life issues, hopes and dreams, and of course prayers. Whatever I am thinking or feeling flows out onto the page.

These are the benefits I have noticed that come from journaling.

  1. Journaling helps me to clarify my thoughts.
  2. Journaling helps me to get clear on what I want and need.
  3. Journaling is a great way to work through problems on paper. Often great solutions seem to ‘appear’ as I write.
  4. Journaling is great for my mental and emotional health. When I am feeling bad I can pick up my pen and start writing about how I am feeling. I am always in a more uplifted mood after doing this. Journaling helps me to articulate what is really at the core of the issues I am facing and gives me confidence about how to address them successfully.
  5. In going back over my journals from time to time, I notice that themes appear, ideas emerge that will not go away, and purpose and direction seem to unfold for my life.
  6. Journaling has helped me know myself more fully. Who I am and what I am called to do in the world.
  7. I use my journal to write down ideas as they come to me during the day. I also write great quotes from books that I am reading or whatever I am listening to throughout the day. The journal is a repository for everything I do not want to forget.
  8. Journaling has helped to become more creative and productive. Journaling helps me to overcome my own fears and conquer resistance to getting started.

 

I have been journaling so long it has become a necessary part of my morning routine. When I have finished journaling I feel equipped for the day, organised and  focused. I know exactly what I want to go forth and accomplish. What direction to take. I have my marching orders. I get dressed and ready and off I go to make my contribution to the world. I am empowered to live my truth one day at a time.

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Writing as a Daily Victory

23 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in Living Letters

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Dear Lord,

Thankyou for Your unconditional, unfailing love. I am Your child and You have great things for me to experience, learn and do in life. Wonder and grace. Love and light. You are with me and in me. I simply need to abide in You and follow when and where You lead. I am leading a guided life, Your Spirit guides me into all truth. You are helping me to own my calling and to be brave. I place my confidence in You. Nothing is impossible.

I am seeing the importance of being creatively brave and having faith to write. I must create a body of work. My process is to write every morning, in my journal and to share each weekday on my blog. There is something about writing with paper and pen that allows thoughts, feelings and ideas to flow out of me. Writing unlocks me. Writing first thing before the day really gets going means I can conquer internal resistance and procrastination, allowing my own creativity to flow without the distraction of other voices which will surely come at me during the day.

Words may trickle, or words may flow, but success is in the showing up and showing out every day. To make my contribution, no matter how small, or seemingly insignificant. Writing is a superpower I possess, given to me by God for the good of the world. To write is my ‘good part’ and it will not be taken from me because I have chosen it. It is my daily act of bravery which will mount up into a body of work in the future. Inspirational data which will keep on giving, building up God’s holy kingdom.

Thankyou Lord, for this great gift.

B

Questions to ponder: What is your superpower? How will you put it to use?

Communicate Your Truth and Overcome Resistance

20 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by in Living Letters

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Dear Lord,

I love You. You are awesome. Thankyou for all the good things You have given me in life. I desire to honour You in everything I do.

I believe I am called to communicate truth. My truth. And, in doing so, encourage others to do the same.

How will I express myself truthfully? So many ways. Writing, making my environment beautiful for the people I love. Being an encourager to friends and family. Serving those in need. Being a good listener.

I love listening to the stories of others. What is their personal truth? Values? Dreams and goals? Challenges? I love to encourage and impart hope.

My tools are words, concepts, ideas. Being able to express myself though writing causes me to switch on and become engaged. After I write I feel lit up and alive. When I share what I write with others I feel like I have conquered the fear and insecurity monster. In sharing my work I become vulnerable to other people’s opinions and judgment. I also become open to acceptance, growth, opportunity and useful service to others. I see that failure is assured if we never try. Each day we must conquer internal and external resistance and show up in the world to share our story.

For me this means conquering resistance early in the day. Therefore this year I am setting an intention rather than a resolution. My sound intention is to live beautifully, be creatively brave and tell my truth every day. This will build momentum in my life. My act of creative bravery is to put pen to paper every morning and write three journal pages and to share something of what I have written on the blog each weekday.

An ideal beautiful week for me would be to spend my mornings writing and sharing and to spend my afternoons involved in practical ministry and service to others, making sure to go offline during this time. Each Friday afternoon will be free for taking myself out to do and experiencing new things and open myself to new ideas. To fill my inspiration tank, in other words.

Lord help me to achieve my intention and walk in abounding grace this year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

B

Question for reflection:

In what ways is God calling you to be brave this year?

Defining Yourself to the People You Love

13 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by in Living Letters

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Dear Lord,

I love you so much! I am deeply grateful for my relationship with You. It is my salvation.  Christ is my Saviour. He gave His life for me. I am wanted. I am accepted in the Beloved. I am a part of Him. I am consumed by the love of Christ. I abide in love. I am immersed in it. I am rooted and grounded in Love.

Help me to be brave and strong. Do not let fear consume me or hold me back. You are my life. Liberate me to live in bountiful grace.

I am scared to share with my husband about my desire and calling to write. He knows I enjoy writing, but knows nothing of this calling to serve by writing. I fear his response. Will he understand? Will he value what I feel called to do? Will he support and encourage me in it? I know I need to reveal my truest self to him, as You have made us to be one. I pray he will understand. Prepare his heart to see who I am and what You have called me to do. I pray he will be my strongest support.

I know that D requires nothing more of me than to be his wife and to make a home, roles I love and hold dear. He also knows that I am called to ministry and have been struggling to know what to do once I finish university. I have only one semester left and then I am done! I believe the answers will be revealed through writing. His patience in waiting for You to reveal my next steps has encouraged and comforted me. There is no pressure to perform from him. Thankyou for giving me such a wonderful husband.

I resolve to share my heart with him and I trust You for the outcome. I pray You will show me the right time and right way to approach this conversation. I am confident all the aspects of my ministry will be revealed through writing. This is the way forward for me. I believe that all my major opportunities for service will come through this avenue.

Therefore I purpose to write each day and post at least every weekday as a matter of developing a good writing discipline. I ask you to increase my readership and allow the conversations to flow. I pray my writings will liberate and empower people.

B

Dear daughter,

Writing is your path, you way forward. You do not need to be anyone other than who you are, beloved. I delight in your willingness to step out fully into this ministry after dabbling for many years with writing. I am forging fresh faith, strength and confidence in you. I am strengthening you for service to the world.

God

Question: Is there someone who you are afraid to share your dream with for fear they may not value it as you do? How will you move past that fear?

My Delight in Writing

12 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by in Living Letters

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Dear Lord,

I am grateful for the love of D, (my husband) and Your great love which inspires and envelops me. You are always at work in our lives, helping us discover who we are and who You have created us to be. I am excited about Your plan for us.

I am thankful to have rediscovered writing, after a long break. In fact, I haven’t written since I remarried in June last year. Writing brings out what is hidden deep within me, the secrets my heart holds, Words, thoughts, ideas, concepts. Writing changes me, releases me and relieves my hearts deep yearnings. I feel lighter after writing. Writing nourishes and restores my soul.

Through writing I am liberated, unlocked. I can write down what is bothering me internally and be aware of what I fear, hope and dream. Somehow my inner anxieties are relieved by writing. I become more objective about my life and more resolute in decision-making.

I realise I am a writer. I prophecy I am a writer who helps others grow in confidence and enthusiasm for their calling. I am drawn to write by the Spirit. You meet me at the page. As I begin to express myself in this way You enlarge my thinking and help me find the words that liberate my soul and express my hearts sincere desire. Writing is one of my superpowers, one of the ways I can be a blessing to others.

Writing helps me to solve problems and resolve conflicts. It helps me to clarify my thoughts so I can better discern my next steps, my next course of action.

Your grace is upon me to write. It is important for me to write. Writing is a gift from You. I must accept it wholeheartedly and give myself fully to the craft of writing. I must write daily because I believe great good will come from it. I prefer to write with paper and pen rather than digitally. There is something about the way the words flow from my heart to my pen as I write.

There is a desire within me to share what I have written with others, that my musings may be of benefit to others as I seek to become authentically me. I think the medium of blogging is a good medium by which to share my thoughts with the world. Perhaps others might be inspired to live a beautiful God-designed life, seeking who they are in Christ and how to share their  gifts with the world. I hope my writing will help others to cast of fear of going after the dream You placed in their hearts. We only have one life to live so Lord make it beautiful, captivating and awesome. Reveal Your glory through us. I pray that people see You in my writing.

I have faith that writing daily will cause me to become a better speaker and to communicate more clearly. I have faith that doors of opportunity will open up to me through my gift of writing. I need to surrender to writing, to the writing life and to fully receive what You wish to give me through writing. What I receive I will freely give to the world.

Wouldn’t it be great if I could make a living from writing, as a side effect of doing what I love. Not as a focus, as that would stifle my creativity. I feel slightly guilty about wanting to make money this way, I am not sure why. Yet I do believe it is possible and I will see how You lead and leave that part up to You Lord,

Your beloved daughter,

B

Questions for reflection:

As you read this post today, do you sense God is calling you to express yourself through writing? Or create in some other way? What fears are stopping you from taking action?

You are welcome to share in the comments below. Blessings