Join Me On the Journey

Journaling is a powerful tool to help you make lasting change in your life. There are many types of journals, but I think that the most important is what I call the quiet time journal.

I recommend that you keep your quiet time journal in a 3-ring notebook. You will have different sections in your quiet time journal and these sections will grow at different rates. Ideally, you should have tabs, but they are certainly optional. I have also found the using a 5½ X 8½ 3-ring binder works better for me. It is easier to handle because it’s closer in size to my Bible.

You will find the need for several different sections. Some of the sections in your quiet time journal, or notebook would include but not be limited to:

1. Prayer
2. Bible reading and Bible study
3. Application

How many times have you been asked to pray for someone? You soberly promise that you will pray. You have every intention of praying; and then you forget all about it. Later, when you see that person, they thank you for praying for them, and you feel badly. Having a prayer section in your quiet time journal helps keep that from happening.

The prayer section can be as simple as a list you jot down in random order. Make certain that you write down the date you add the request to your list. (I haven’t always been very good at this and I always regret it later!) Also, it’s fun to highlight your prayer request when it is answered and jot down the date of the answer as well.

The prayer section of my quiet time journal is subdivided into several sections. I have a section for my husband and myself; a section for each child; a section for my extended family; and a section for friends. You will probably find that you will have different sections. Just start somewhere and you can expand or change it as needed.

The Bible is God’s love letter to you. We all know the benefits of reading and studying the Bible.

However, reading the Old Testament is difficult for most of us. I recommend reading through the OT chronologically as it helps you to acquire an overview of the history. There are many chronological reading plans online.

I recommend using one of the modern translations when reading through the Old Testament. The modern translations are more like a story and it really helps you to get more out of your Bible reading. There was a time in my life when I would only read from King James Version, but now I use many different translations and use the KJV as my gold standard.

Something else that is interesting is a Harmony of the Gospels. Google it; there are great resources. It is enlightening to see the different perspectives of the same event.

Another great resource is the One Year Bible. This Bible breaks your daily Bible reading into an Old Testament reading; a reading from the New Testament; a passage from Psalms; and one or two verses from Proverbs. There are also several different translations of the One Year Bible.

Pick some kind of Bible reading plan—even a devotional book. There is no rule that says that you have to read the Bible cover to cover. Honestly, few people do. It takes a lot of discipline. Pray about it and ask God to give you the desire and discipline to read the Bible through.

There is a difference between Bible reading and Bible study. I was truly set free when I finally realized that. Bible reading is best done on a regular basis; for example, consistently reading three chapters per day. Bible study should be done when you have a chunk of time—at least 30 to 45 minutes or more.

Again, there are many different ways to study the Bible. Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God’s Word by Rick Warren is a wonderful book that introduces you to different Bible study methods. I have really enjoyed learning each different method and I highly recommend the book.

The last area that I would like to touch on is application: application of your prayer and application of your Bible reading and study. This is the part of your quiet time where you listen to your Heavenly Father and ask Him what He wants you to work on in your life.

There are numerous ways to make application in your quiet time. Focus on a verse that speaks to you during your Bible reading. Ask God to help you apply the verse. Listen for God’s gentle correction during your prayer time. Allow Him to reveal those areas of your life that you are trying to hide from Him and from others. Confession truly is good for the soul.

There are several systems that serve to pull all the above aspects together. One of the “oldies but goodies” is ACTS. In fact, I couldn’t find the original source of this system online. The acronym ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. There are many online sources to explain this system. Becky Tirabassi also has a complete quiet time system which you can read about in her book Let Prayer Change Your Life.

It is okay to pick and choose areas to focus on. There are seasons in your life and it is okay to focus on different aspects of your spiritual life during different seasons.

In the same token, it is not necessary to do the same thing every day. You can concentrate on different disciplines on different days of the week. You may have some days that you have more time, for example, on the week end. Your schedule may be more flexible on different days of the week. You may also break up your quiet time throughout the day if this works better for you. The important thing is to have your quiet time regularly.

Your quiet time journal is a personal record of your spiritual journey. Keeping this journal will help you to focus and it will also afford you the ability to look back and see how far you have come. I promise you it will become a priceless tool in your journey toward obedience and consistency.

Recommended Reading:

Let Prayer Change Your Life by Becky Tirabassi

Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods: Twelve Ways You Can Unlock God’s Word by Rick Warren

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A few months ago during my quiet time, I was reading in Deuteronomy:

There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. Deut. 33:26 (NLT)

I have heard it said when you see “Israel” in the Bible, you can substitute your own name. So, I did. “There is no one like the God of Tamera. He rides across the heavens to help me, across the skies in majestic splendor.”

Now, I must admit, it was a little awkward for me to read the scripture in that way. I felt a little self-conscious…and that surprised me.

I had thought I was “further along” than that. (Doesn’t that sound smug? ) I thought I had received a revelation that God truly loved me; not because of anything I had done, but because He is love. I thought I knew that He would ride across the heavens in majestic splendor…just to help me. My discomfort in reading that scripture with those personalized words showed me that I wasn’t as convinced as I thought I was about God’s love for me.

Isn’t it interesting when we’re faced with the reality that we’re not as mature in our walk with God as we think we are?

So, as was my habit, I wrote down the scripture that caught my eye. That day however, I took it a step further. I began meditating on the scripture throughout my day.

According to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, meditation is:

the practice of reflection or contemplation. The word meditation or its verb form, to meditate, is found mainly in the Old Testament. The Hebrew words behind this concept mean “to murmur, “a murmuring,” “sighing,” or “moaning.”

Meditation is something few of us utilize in our Christian walk. I suppose we don’t really understand it, but there is nothing mysterious or complicated about meditation. It’s really nothing more than reciting a scripture repeatedly; allowing that scripture to speak to you. It’s simply a matter of forming the habit of meditating.

I love this quote from the entry on meditation in Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, “Meditation is a lost art for many Christians, but the practice needs to be cultivated again.” (from , Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

There are several scriptures in the Bible that mention meditation. It is likely that many of these scriptures are familiar to you.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Josh 1:8 (KJV)

I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Psa 77:12 (NIV)

I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Psa 119:99 (NIV)

There are other words used in the scripture to describe the concept of meditation: consider, think on (or think about), study.

My favorite passage about meditation and the benefits of meditation is found in Psalm chapter one. (I love it in the Amplified Bible because it’s so down to earth.)

BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. Psa 1:1-3 (Amplified)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psa 1:1-3 (KJV) (Gotta love the King James!)

I must be honest in saying that my practice of meditation has been haphazard. One thing that I have come to understand is that God desires consistency and so, I believe, to see the benefit of meditation, I must be consistent with it. So, I am purposing to begin meditating on God’s word on a regular basis.

How do we practice meditation? Here are a couple of suggestions

• Ask God what He would like you to work on in your life. Look up scripture that speaks to that area of your life and write those verses down in longhand. (There’s something about writing scripture out in longhand that helps you to absorb it better.) Take moments throughout your day to slowly read each scripture and think about its meaning.
• If you read a passage of scripture in your quiet time, write down the verse or passage that catch your heart.  Think about this throughout the day. What was it that caught your attention?
• Choose a passage from the Bible to memorize.  As you memorize the passage, consider each phrase.  Why do you think God used that particular word or phrase?

Have any of you successfully integrated meditation into your spiritual life?  Do you have suggestions you could bless us with?

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I have admitted to myself that I don’t have a good prayer habit. I know that the first step toward change is admitting that I need to change.

Part of that is examining whether making a habit of prayer is truly important to me. It is, by the way, okay to admit that prayer just is not a priority in your life. This applies not only to having a regular prayer or quiet time, but with everything that requires discipline in your life. There are seasons of life, and no one can do everything at every point of their lives.

I would contend that prayer is a vital part of the believer’s life and shouldn’t be ignored, but if you aren’t truly committed to praying every day, the fact is, you are not going to do it. You will do one of the things that I have done in the past. You may mentally assent that you need to pray and then promptly forget about it (except for the times that it comes up and nags you). You may decide that you are going to pray regularly, but not form a solid plan and so it doesn’t last.

The second step is to get a plan. The plan for praying regularly is to ask yourself questions.

1. Why do you want to pray?
2. When are you going to pray?
3. Where are you going to pray?
4. How are you going to pray?

(read the rest of the article…)

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A few days ago, I encouraged you to spend some time listing the things that are truly bothering you about your life.

Did you do it?

If not, I would encourage you to read Control and perform this exercise.

Once you have your pages written, go back through and re-read them.

(Ideally, a little time should pass between performing this exercise and evaluating the content. It also works best if you do it without a preconceived notion of what you’re going to be doing with the material, so I would encourage you to perform the exercise before you finish reading this.)

Do you see some common threads? Did you make some discoveries that surprised you?

On another piece of paper (or in another page of your journal) make a list of the items you discovered. Look at each item and determine whether you control that thing or not.

If you’re unsure about whether you have control over that item on your list, just ask yourself, “Is there another person involved?” If so, you do not have total control over that item.

There are likely things over which you have no control. Again, you cannot control world events, or natural laws (such as the weather), or another person’s behavior. One way to make these problems less stressful is to change your attitude. You must work to come to a place where you accept what you cannot change. (remember the Serenity Prayer?)

There are likely several items over which you have only partial control. For example, if there is a relationship in your life that is troubled, you do have partial control over that situation. You can control how you feel about that person. You can control how you react to their behavior. You can become proactive in your response to their behavior.

Lastly, it is probable that you have items on your list over which you have total control. If much of your list contains things you can totally control, you are truly blessed.

When you have divided your list into things over which you have no control, things you partially control, and things you totally control; pick a place to start.

Start with the thing that’s really bugging you the most. Or, perhaps you discover a common theme to your list. You may discover your problems separate themselves naturally into different categories than I have suggested here. Remember, this is your list; your life. I am suggesting one way to tackle this list but you may intuitively follow a different trail. That is between you and God.

This is your journey and it begins with one step. Small, deliberate changes can have a big effect in your life.

One year from now, God willing (and He is), you will be a year older. You can determine today (and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow) if you will be a year older with the same problems plaguing your life; or if you will be a year older with some of those problems taken care of.

I want very much to walk with you on this journey. The first edition of my e-zine will be coming out tomorrow and I will be talking about habits. Habits are the smallest units of change. Taking one of the items on your list, breaking it down into something small that you can change, and weaving that new habit into your life is a way that you can become proactive and make profound changes for the better.

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I have spent a great deal of time thinking about when and why true change occurs in a person. When I read, it’s what I notice. Even when I read a novel, I notice how the characters are growing and changing and what factors produce that change. I have read extensively about personality types, relationships, psychology, and parenting; and in everything I read, I am always thinking about what the author says about how and why people change.

This morning (while I was sweating away, red-faced on the treadmill ) I was listening to a podcast of Joyce Meyer who was interviewing John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott, PH.D. John Maxwell said something that filled in a piece of the puzzle for me and I wanted to share it with you.

There are three things that precipitate change in a person.

1. When you hurt enough, you have to change.
2. When you learn enough, you want to change.
3. When you receive enough, you are able to change.

Let’s think about these for a moment.

First of all, “When you hurt enough, you have to change.” This is the reason that I have focused on the most. I had in my head that the only time that people truly change is when they hit bottom and there’s no way out but up. I’ve been there…a couple of times. I understand what it’s like to feel my life was so bad that I needed to make a major change in order to go on. In fact, if you’ve read my blogs, you may have read comments like, “True change occurs when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”

However, I realize now that the recent changes in my life have not been because of this first reason. My life is awesome right now. Nothing big, bad, and ugly precipitated the changes that began in November of 2006 and have culminated in my writing to you today. I realize that the recent changes in my life have occurred because of reasons two and three. I had learned and received enough that I was willing and able to change.

A few days ago, I wrote about my obsession with reading. (From Learner to Teacher) I take nuggets from nearly every book or article I read, or talk I listen to. I add those tidbits of information to the knowledge I had already acquired, reformulated them and as a result, I have come to this place in my life where I would love to have the opportunity to share all of it with you. That desire is burning in my heart.

A big part of what is spurring me on to write here is the possibility that I could help you change because I helped you learn enough to make you want to change; or because I provided you with enough information that you were able to change.

Can you think of a time when you’ve made significant change in your life? Tell us about it. Click the “comments” button below.

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I read a lot! I have always been a reader.

When I was a little girl, I read pages and pages of fiction. As I grew older, I began reading about different subjects: psychology, self-help books, personality types, success. A great deal of what I read in these areas was written by Christian authors.

I also read widely about subjects that are important to me. I read books about prayer and Bible study and quiet times. I started reading about homeschooling before Olivia was even born. I read about marriage building. I read about how to be a good mother and how to keep house.

It has also been my habit that each time I got interested in a new hobby, I bought books about that hobby. Consequently, I have a library in my home with large sections on photography, gardening, quilting, and numerous other subjects.

Like you, there is usually one or two points in a book or article that I read that really stick with me. However, when you add that all up, it gets to be a head stuffed full of tidbits about a diversity of topics. All those little tidbits are arranged in a manner peculiar to me. In the history of time, there is only one person who has read all the words that I have read and had all the experiences I have had.

That puts me in a very unique position; a position of sharing what I know with you from a very singular perspective.

On the other hand, I’m very much like most of you. I’m a Christian. I’m a woman. I’m a wife, a stay-at-home mom. I used to work outside the home in a fairly high-pressure job. And so, the wisdom that I have gained in my 41 years on this earth will translate easily into your life.

And that is why I have begun writing here. I have so much inside my head, it’s just bursting to get out! I feel like if I don’t begin sharing, my heart will explode. Writing here has been like a spillway letting pressure off the dam inside my head, LOL.

Writing here is also causing me to shift my paradigm from that of learner to that of teacher.

Now, some of you may not be familiar with the word paradigm. It’s an awesome word that simply means the set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that dictate the way you view your world. In other words, you are a product of your beliefs and decisions. The Bible puts it this way:

For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he: Prov 23:7a (KJV)

A paradigm shift is that “aha” moment that you experience when you connect the dots in your mind. It’s that moment you finally learn that lesson that God has been trying to teach you. It’s the moment you read a scripture and it speaks something totally different to you than the last time you read it. It’s that moment that you realize that your husband really does mean it when he says he’s thinking about nothing. (see my entry In the Box With No Words)

I realized this morning that this forum is a paradigm shift for me. I am going from the mindset of a learner, or a gatherer of information; to the mindset of a teacher, or a sharer of information.

Now anyone who has prepared any type of a lesson knows that when you look at information with a mind toward teaching the material to someone else, you look at the material differently. You actually learn information more thoroughly when you know that you are going to be teaching it to someone else–whether formally or informally.

For that very reason, I look forward to great changes in my life from this website. As I share with you, I expect to become more focused and accountable. I look forward to feedback and critique. I know that sharing with you will make me a better person, and I pray it will benefit you as it does me.

Have a great day!

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Recently, I have realized something that has just set me free. There is a difference between schedules and routines. Either will work, depending on your situation and temperament.

You see, I had struggled for YEARS to try and “get myself on a schedule.” I tried to knuckle myself under. I tried to “be a good soldier.” I had the best of intentions, but it would only last for a few days. Having a schedule is just difficult for me. I am Sanguine and for those of you who know me or who know what that means when I say I’m Sanguine, I just don’t do well with a strict schedule. Gradually, I have realized, that I just function better with routines.

A routine is different from a schedule. A schedule says, “From 6:00 to 6:30, I have my quiet time. From 6:30 to 7:00, I walk on the treadmill,” and so on. A routine says, “When I get up in the morning, I have my quiet time, exercise and have my shower before the kids get up.” A schedule untilizes the clock, a routine utilizes blocks of time.

As the weeks have passed, I have combined both methods into my life and it’s working well. There are a few parts of my days that are scheduled but most of my day is made up of routines…certain things that happen during certain blocks of time. It has taken some experimentation and a willingness to try a different way of doing things, but I’m glad that I did. Life is quite a bit smoother now.

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