30 Days of Biblical Journaling: An Introduction Grace JBS Series, Vol. 1 Stacy Duplease Smashwords Edition, Copyright 2012 REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT, LLC POQUOSON, VIRGINIA Website and Blog: www.gracejbs.blogspot.com Copyright © 2012 by REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT, LLC and Stacy Duplease. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy or copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. Copyright © 2012 by REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT, LLC and Stacy Duplease. All rights reserved of photography on cover of this book. All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Remembering Your Present, LLC & Duplease, Stacy. 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: An Introduction ISBN 9781476168784 Please visit www.gracejbs.blogspot.com and email at journalingsd@gmail.com PRINTED AND CREATED IN THE USA 1 Date: Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 3:43 PM Subject: Welcome Welcome to a blog, which focuses on grace, journaling, and Bible study. Note: At the beginning of each chapter of this book is a header of a date and a subject. This is to show you where to find this in my blog if you want to see the original source. 2 Date: Tue, May 1, 2012 at 3:18 PM Subject: Welcome, Round 2 Welcome to Grace JBS. It stands for Grace, Journaling and Bible study. This is a blog about biblical journaling or Bible study journaling. It is a Christ-centered and Word-based approach to studying the Word and journaling. 3 Date: Tue, May 1, 2012 at 3:40 PM Subject: The Goal of This Blog GOAL The goal of this blog is to offer 30 Day segments of a series to help bring you closer to the Lord and deeper in the Word. BLOG TO BOOK Every week, this blog post series will be converted to a free (no cost) book at the link below for the Grace JBS store on Smashwords. After the 30 Days blog post series, more will be added, the material will be edited, and there will be a $2.99 charge. If you want to view any of these blog post series in book form, feel free to download them from Smashwords. Or, you can see them on this blog. THE EASIEST WAY TO VIEW EACH 30 DAY BLOG SERIES If you look at the LABELS section of this blog and find the series you want to study, click on that label and it will sort them out for you. OR, you can do a search in the search engine for this blog and look for the series title. Have a blessed day. Shall we get started? 4 Date: Tue, May 1, 2012 at 4:13 PM Subject: Who Am I? I am a sinner. I want to start with that recognition and ask that you know I make mistakes and can error. Please do not ever think I know it all or am perfect. That is a definite lie. That being said, I do my best to follow Jesus Christ and the Word of God each and every day. I seek to pray without ceasing and I am passionate about grace. I have been a Christian since I was three. I have journaled for 27.5 years and have made it my goal to study the Word daily for the last twenty years. Granted, this is a goal I succeed at some times in my life--and have failed miserably during others. However, this has been a renewed goal of mine rather recently. I am happily married to my best friend and count myself quite blessed with my man. He is a definite man of God and is the spiritual leader of our home. We have a beagle, orange Maine Coon, and 2 RES turtles. Coffee is a daily habit of mine. I am on a strict hypoglycemic diet and am trying to do the Couch to 5k program of running a 5K 3 days a week. (In time, it might be a goal for me to do a 10K. We shall see.) I enjoy reading and love my Amazon Kindle Fire. 5 Date: Tue, May 1, 2012 at 4:50 PM Subject: Day 1: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: An Introduction DAY 1 Welcome to a blog post series dedicated to Biblical Journaling. This is a combination of Bible study, journaling, and prayer--that is Christ-Centered, Word-Based, and Grace-Filled. This blog post series is called: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: An Introduction This is the first of a series of 30 day blog series and books planned. The following books will be on books of the Bible, chapters of the Bible, verses of the Bible, and subjects (or topics) of the Bible. Each blog series and book will be a 30 day book and will focus on Grace, Journaling, and Bible Study. 30 DAYS OF BIBLICAL JOURNALING: AN INTRODUCTION will be the book recommended for everyone to do first so that you can get the most our of the blog post series and books thereafter. WHY JOURNALING?: PART 1: REMEMBERING There is a reason the word "REMEMBER" is mentioned in the Bible 231 times. God wants us to remember 3 things: 1 Him. 2 His Word. 3 What He has done in our lives. If we just sit down and read the Bible, or if we study the Bible, and do not write anything down, what do you think the chances are you will remember what you studied, when, what God said to you, what you said to God, and what you decided to apply to your life and how? Let's be realistic, it isn't very likely. Let me drive the point home. What did you study from the Bible during the third week of June in 2010 and in the second week of October in 1999? Do you see what I mean? However, if you journaled about what you read, studied, and heard, then you can grab your journals and look this up pretty easily. Never mind how if you write things down, you can actually remember the sermon from Sunday on the following Friday--and even in six months. This is why journaling is critical in the life of every believer. Journaling helps us to remember. WHY JOURNALING?: PART 2: APPLYING THE WORD Journaling also helps us to apply the Word in our lives. After all, it helps us to remember what we have studied and learned. But, there is something else very important about journaling. We can list goals of how we want to apply the Word in our lives--and check and see if we fulfill the goals. It helps us to analyze how we are doing. WHY JOURNALING?: PART 3: LIFELONG RECORD OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN OUR LIVES Journaling provides a lifelong record of what God has done in our lives. After all, the best journaling looks each day at: the present, the future, and lessons learned from the past. THE IMPORTANCE OF JOURNALING Do you see the importance of journaling in your life? WHY BIBLICAL JOURNALING (AND WHAT IS IT ANYWAY)? The truth of the matter is I described Biblical Journaling in the 3 parts just before this section. I will define it at this time though. Biblical Journaling is: Journaling with the purpose of contemplating, learning, applying, and analyzing the Word of God (the Holy Bible) in our lives. It is a combination of Bible study and journaling. Why should we do Biblical Journaling? Refer to the 3 parts just before this section. IS BIBLICAL JOURNALING FOR YOU? Ask yourself the following questions: ~ Are you a Christian--and believe John 3:16 is true? ~ Do you want to know God more? ~ Do you want to know the Bible more? ~ Do you want to hear from God? ~ Do you want to apply the Word to your life? ~ Do you want a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord? ~ Do you want to get the most out of your walk with God? ~ Do you not want to settle with living a life of mediocrity? ~ Do you want to be more Christlike? ~ Do you want to learn how an ancient text (the Bible) can apply to your life thousands of years after it was written? ~ Do you have questions? If you answered yes to any of the above, this Grace JBS series is for you. In fact, the more yes answers you gave, the more you will benefit from this. TOMORROW Tomorrow, we will look at how to find the perfect journal for you. 6 Date: Wed, May 2, 2012 at 9:40 AM Subject: Day 2: 30 Days of Biblical Counseling: Choosing a Journal DAY 2 Today is the most important day for this entire blog post and book series. Why? Today is the day we choose our journal. You see. It is a big day. The journal you pick will determine how you conduct Bible study and how you are transformed by the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever journal you choose will influence whether you get deeper with the Bible, draw closer to the Lord, and whether you stick with it or not. Therefore, take some time to really think this through. Do not trust your gut instinct. Do not even seek to do that which is comfortable. Rather, seek to do the Lord's will. 2 TYPES OF JOURNALING ~ Paper and Pen (handwriting) ~ Digital (on a computer, cell phone, tablet, laptop, whatever) WHAT DO YOU THINK? What is your first inclination? To make it simple... If you do not have a computer of any type, you can eliminate that. Also, if you have a computer, I recommend STRONGLY that you do digital journaling as your main form of journaling. WHY DIGITAL JOURNALING? MY STORY I apologise to any of you who have read any of my previous books and have heard this story. But, it is a story in my own life that has changed the way I journal completely. I do not hesitate. I do digital journaling. Sure. I still long to write on the page with a pen on real paper--not digital paper. But, because of this story, I will never not type up what I write by hand to my computer IMMEDIATELY. (Note: Sorry about all the capitalized words. I think they are necessary to tell you how adamant I am about this.) Why digital journaling? It's permanent. Why is that so important? Let me tell you my story now. As I start to type this, I get swept away by STRONG emotions and I am shaking. Would you believe that in 6 weeks, there was a funnel cloud just a couple of blocks from my house that threatened to sweep down to the ground, movers lost a couple of BOXES of my 27 years of journaling, there was an earthquake, and a hurricane (which was GUARANTEED to flood my house by all the forecasters)? And, the earthquake and Hurricane Irene were in the same week? (Yes. That was August of 2011). The worst part was with the hurricane, we did NOT have enough room in my car for photo albums, food, clothing, external hard drive, beagle, orange Maine Coon, 2 RES turtles, and hubby and me. I did everything I could to protect my several hundreds of paper journals as I call them. They are actually blank books that are no longer blank. I wrapped them in trash bags, put them in large totes, and taped the totes with lots of duct tape. As I took the time to do so, I prayed protection over my journals. I prayed to God that if he would take my house and all of its belongings, please have the totes and journals survive. I balled. I released them to God. I felt a sense of peace. (Huh. Did I ever tell my husband about that prayer? If not, he knows it now. I am laughing. I do not think he would be surprised.) God was in control through the tornado, moving, earthquake, and hurricane, though. I still have a rest deal of my journaling. And I have tried to recapture those missing journals here and there since August. Oh. And need I mention how many times I've spilled coffee on a blank journal and gotten most of the inside of the pages? The movers losing some of my journals... and memories and thoughts I will never get back... That is quite painful. It will always bring a sour taste to my mouth. It was my bad. If I want to preserve my journals, the only way is digitally. It's permanent. Digital journaling is protected from weather, fire, theft, earthquakes, and water or food spillage. Please heed my warning. Please. Do digital journaling. A DEAL? But, even after all of this, if you are tempted to walk away from journaling because you refuse to do any other journaling than paper and pen... By all means, ignore me. Do what feels most comfortable to you. But, can you make me a deal? Once a week, if you have a computer, will you do one day of digital journaling for 3 months. Then, do 3 months of 2 days per week. Then do 3 months of 3 days per week... etc. until you are up to journaling 5 to 7 days per week of digital journaling? You can acquire the habit. PAPER AND PEN JOURNALING TYPES Types of paper and pen journaling are: ~ Blank books ~ Notebooks ~ 3-ring binders and paper ~ Loose-leaf paper in a manilla folder ~ Paper that is bound (plastic comb bindery, for example) ~ Steno pads ~ Legal pads ~ Index cards ~ Scrapbooking TYPES OF DIGITAL JOURNALING On: ~ Computer ~ Cell phone ~ Tablet ~ Laptop How: ~ A blank document on computer (saved to email makes it permanent). ~ A blank document in google docs makes it permanent. ~ Email ~ Digital scrapbooking--saved to email makes it permanent. ~ Memo--saved to email makes it permanent. NOTE: I recommend saving to computer, external hard drive, and internet. It's only the internet, however, that makes it permanent. IT'S TIME It's the moment of decision. What type of journaling will you do? And how? Take some time over the next 24 hours to purchase anything you need and prepare it to use for tomorrow. I pray the Lord will guide you. Also, remember that you can change all of this at any time. You don't have to keep doing it the way you choose. It can constantly change and evolve. Try it that way for a while. If it doesn't work, try it another way. If you want to get wild and crazy, keep changing it up as you go. 7 Date: Wed, May 2, 2012 at 1:27 PM Subject: Day 3: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Preparing the Cover of Your Journal DAY 3 Day 1, we looked at the importance of biblical journaling and why we should journal with God and His Word as the center. Day 2, we discussed what types of journaling to choose and ideas on how. For Day 3, we are going to take a look at how to prepare your journal for journaling. HOW TO PREPARE YOUR JOURNAL ~ Name it. ~ Date it. ~ Key verse it. NAME IT Give your biblical journal a title. When you name something, you give it importance and show that it matters. Think of Adam naming the animals God presented to him (Genesis 2:20). It does not matter if it is a person, a place, a thing, an idea, an emotion, or a thought, naming something or someone attaches meaning to them. Therefore, it is important to name your journal and give it a title. I typically notice a theme going on in my life--where God is talking to me about something in my life and that is what I use as part of the name. I figure out one word to describe what God is working on in my life. Then, I add the rest of the title. I always make sure to include my name as well. For instance, my biblical journal right now is called, "Listen: The Biblical Journal of Stacy Duplease." DATE IT Put the starting date on the front cover or first page of your biblical journal. KEY VERSE IT Look again at the theme that is part of the title of your journal. Now, find a verse that mentions this theme. Put that on the front cover of your journal, or on the first page, as well. THE 3 STEPS Make sure to do those three steps with every journal you start. It is okay to repeat the theme. God might be working with you on a theme for a day, week, month, year, or even decade. Therefore, it is okay. Just make sure to date it so you know the difference between the journals with the same title and/or key verse. TAG Tag. You're it. It's your turn to prepare your journal. Do the three steps listed today. 8 Date: Wed, May 2, 2012 at 2:37 PM Subject: Day 4: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Preparing the Next Page of Your Journal DAY 4 Yesterday, we prepared the cover of our biblical journals--or page 2 if you cannot write on the cover for whatever reason. Today, we are going to look at what to do on the next page of our journals. PREPARING THE NEXT PAGE OF YOUR JOURNAL The next page of your journal is where you address how you are in the present. Answer the following questions in your biblical journal--starting on the next page after your front cover informational page. Answer at least three of the questions below--preferably all of them. ~ How are you? ~ How is your faith? In other words, how is your relationship with God? ~ When was the last time you were in the Word? What did you study and learn from that study? ~ What do you want to study next--or what is God telling you to study next? ~ What does God keep repeating in your life and pointing out to you? In other words, what is a recurring theme God is trying to get your attention about? ~ What is God saying to you? ~ What are you saying to God? Go ahead and answer those at this time. Then, answer the following: ~ What do I hope to get out of this journal? TOMORROW Tomorrow, we are going to start to look at different ways to study the Bible through use of your journal. See you then. 9 grace jbs book 1 copyright Date: Thu, May 3, 2012 at 9:33 AM Subject: Day 5: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Questions and Other Thoughts About Biblical Journaling DAY 5 JOURNALING EXERCISES Answer these questions in your journal for today. Then, read the rest of Day 5. ~ Why were you attracted to this blog or book to begin with? In other words, what caught your eye? ~ What do you hope to gain from this book? ~ What are you thinking about your journal so far? ~ Why are you wanting to do some Biblical Journaling? What do you hope to gain or learn? ADDRESS THE LORD As you journal, remember that your audience is the Lord. Write your journal as a letter to Him. What you write is a prayer to Him. Biblical Journaling is an act of prayer and worship. It's drawing nearer to God and immersing yourself in His Word. SYNONYMS OF BIBLICAL JOURNALING Prayer Journaling Journaling to God Letters to God Journaling Journalkeeping Memoir Writing Digital Scrapbook Journaling (if you make your journal pretty). Scrapbook Journaling. Spiritual Journaling Conversing with God HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOUR BIBLICAL JOURNAL? At least 5 days a week. Preferably/ideally several times per day. HOW DO YOU MAKE BIBLICAL JOURNALING A HABIT? There are times you might think I make an extreme suggestion. Please take me up on it, though. There is a reason--and I have no doubt that in the long-run, you will see why I make the suggestion. This is one of those times. How do you make anything a habit? Start small. So not try to bite off more than you can chew, as the old cliche goes--and is appropriate here. You do not want to burn out in your first week or even month. ~ Put it on your calendar/planner/schedule every day. I recommend a digital/internet calendar in order to accomplish this task to its fullness. ~ Start with biblical journaling for 15 minutes per day at the minimal. Go out one month from today in your calendar and put in at least 15 minutes for biblical journaling each day. Squeeze it in where you can in your already busy calendar. ~ In 2 weeks, add another 15 minutes. I recommend if you are scheduled in the morning of 15 minutes already, add 15 minutes in your afternoon/evening schedule. Go out three months in your schedule. ~ In one month, add another 5 minutes to each morning and evening segment. Go out three months in your schedule. Note: It is starting to become a habit. ~ Again: In one month, add another 5 minutes to each morning and evening segment. Go out three months in your schedule. ~ Again: In one month, add another 5 minutes to each morning and evening segment. Go out three months in your schedule. You are now up to one hour a day in daily biblical journaling, bible study, and quiet time. (Yay!) ~ When you are able, go out 5 years in your calendar. Every six months, add another year--until you are out 50 years in your calendar. Make this the number priority in your life. Let only hospital visits or death prevent you from having time with God and in His Word. TAG. IT'S YOUR TURN Why don't you do the making biblical journaling thing a habit in your calendar? Take some time to do so now. TOMORROW We will actually start looking at different Bible study methods. 10 Date: Thu, May 3, 2012 at 10:04 AM Subject: Day 6: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Version 1 of A TRANSFORMING METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY DAY 6 TRANSFORMING METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY The absolute minimal I do in a sitting (daily) are the numbered items in this first section. Beyond that, I try to do what I describe below. To keep things fresh, I try to do something different every day--or I read through the list and see which questions or points God tells me to do beyond the numbered items. 1 Choose book, chapter, verse, or topic to study. 2 What verse or verses jumped out at me? 3 What words jumped out at me? 4 What did I learn about God? 5 What does God say to me about what I read? 6 How will I respond to what I read and to what God said? In other words, what does this mean for me and my life? 7 I carry the key verses with me. I read them as often as possible and write whatever God tells me throughout that day. Also, I write down every time I hear the verse, what God says to me, what I hear similar to the verse, my thoughts, etc. over the next couple of weeks. 8 I do 3 or more below in the Additional Questions and Points section. NOTE: 8 is the minimum or what I call Toe-Test Bible Study. I call it that like I am getting ready to dive into a pool of water--the Word of God in this analogy. I might do a toe-test. But, I will also go through stages to become immersed and over my head in the water/Word of God. Then, there is Knee-Deep Bible Study, which is doing 6 of the questions and points. The Hip-Deep JBS (Journaling Bible Study) is doing 9. The Shoulder-Deep JBS is doing 12. Over-the-Head, Deep JBS is doing 15 or more. If you want to do the Max JBS, do all of the questions and points. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND POINTS NOTE: Mix these up or go in order if you want. Skim all of the options and do the ones that grab your attention the most that day. Also, after you do those, pray and see which ones God wants you to answer. Better yet, pray all along and do whatever God says, when He says as far as these go. Just make sure to do a minimum of 3. ANOTHER NOTE: Periodically, over the next 23 days, I will add more to the bottom of the list. This is not an exhaustive list by any means. * How am I encouraged or inspired from what I read? * How can I be transformed from what I have read? * What will I apply to my life? * When will I apply 4 for to my life? * Emphasize the key verses. What I mean by this is I write out the 1st key verse. Then, I rewrite it, but emphasize the first word and write it in caps. I write how that changes the meaning of that verse and what it means. Then, I do that with the second word, etc. I do this until I finish the verse. (I skip "the and a." Then, I do the same with each of the key verses. * I write the key verses out into a personalized prayer. * Another application of each key verse. * What does this tell me about the will of God in my life? * Every word paraphrase: Change every word of your passage, or of your stand-out verses and of the key verse in particular. * What do I learn about God? * Paraphrase Cut: As you paraphrase the paraphrase or stand-out verse, or key verse, cut down the words of the passage to the ones you find get to the heart of the matter. This is a paraphrase summary approach. * What do I learn about Jesus? * Lengthen the Paraphrase: List out everything the passage, stand-out verses, and key verse says or could possibly mean. This is an exhaustive paraphrase approach. * What do I learn about the Holy Spirit? * How am I living it out? * How am I not living out this teaching? * How can I ensure I don't stumble? * Give the passage your own title and how it speaks to your life today. * List cross-references. * What questions do you have of the passage overall? * Ask at least 3 questions of each verse. Then, answer at least half of them through research, word emphasis, paraphrase, cross-references, commentaries, study Bibles, etc. * List 3 possible applications. Choose at least one to apply. * What are the life principles learned? TAG. YOUR TURN. Pick a verse and do this today. Has God put one on your heart? Do that one. Do you have a favorite verse, do that one. If you want a suggestion... What about Psalm 1:1? Yes. Just do one verse. Again... You do not want to do too much too quickly. Take one step at a time. Be careful not to do so much at first that you immediately get burn-out. 11 Date: Thu, May 3, 2012 at 11:04 AM Subject: Day 7: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Imagine the Treasure You Will Have DAY 7 Now that you have done Day 6, I wanted to stop for a moment and take it into consideration. If you journal 5 days a week, at a minimum, and you do so for 52 weeks per year, then you will have 260 of those per year. In other words, you will have 260 of the Transformational Bible Study Method biblical journal entries. Can you imagine what a treasure you will have at that point? That is 260 times you took the time to put God and His Word first. That's 260 times God spoke to you, you spoke to God, and you responded to what He said. That's 260 different monuments you put up to remember what God has done in your life. Wow. ~ Journal your thoughts on this now. Let's get even more crazy, and blog our minds, a little more at this point. If you continue with this: In 2 years, you will have 520. In 5 years, you'll have 1300. In 7 years, you'll have 1820. In 10 years, you'll have 2600. Another wow. ~ Journal your thoughts on this now. JOURNALING EXERCISE ~ Can you see the importance of Biblical Journaling now? ~ What does Biblical Journaling mean to you at this point in time? ~ How can Biblical Journaling change and transform your life? ~ What does Biblical Journaling offer you? What can it do for you? ~ Write any other thoughts that come to mind. TAG. YOUR TURN. ~ Do the Transformational Bible Study Method to 2 Timothy 3:16-17. 12 Date: Fri, May 4, 2012 at 9:37 AM Subject: Day 8: 30 Days to Biblical Journaling--An Introduction: Index Card Bible Study and Verse Pondering DAY 8 I just got back from two weeks (and a little more) of vacation. That meant I had over 800 emails I had to sort through. (Joy! Sarcasm.) I have not been sleeping very well at all. I run 3 times per week. I write. I write a blog post series and convert it into a book. I journal. I do personal Bible Study. I go to a Ladies Bible Study. I am a wife. I support my man and his work. I have family. I have friends. I have a house to clean. I have prayer time. I like to read every day. I have errands to make. I have appointments to keep. Never mind how my hair needs to be trimmed. (I am growing it out and what a pain that is.) I want to memorize the Word. I am in prayer about changes that God is telling me to make in my life. I am about to go on an almost a 2-day prayer and journaling retreat.I have 22 more days to write for this book, "30 DAYS OF BIBLICAL JOURNALING: AN INTRODUCTION." Ugh! I have a lot going on in my life in the present. In fact, I barely have time to breathe, let alone do other things on my To Do List. Never mind how God is calling for a far greater commitment from me and that means a great deal more time for Him and His Word. That's just me. I spent several years trying to get my calendar down to the ONLY the priorities in my life. So, this sounds like a lot... And it is. But, they are the things that are on my priority list. There is no other fluff there, thank God. Then, there is more to take into consideration this week. A friend is going through a really hard time and it breaks my heart. Never mind how another friend has... Well... Fallen from the Lord and that also breaks my heart. Or, there is the friend my husband and I haven't seen in weeks--when we see them weekly. That weighs on us. So... How about you? We will undoubtedly have weeks when we do not think we can schedule in one breath, let alone have a one to whatever hour Bible study. So, what then? How can you sneak in time for Bible Study? Doing daily Bible study and Biblical Journaling is the ideal. Is it even possible? It IS!!! But, how? You might wonder. It is a tool you already have in your arsenal. On Day 6, we learned about the Transformational Method of Bible Study. Step 7 talks about carrying the key verses of a passage with you. How do you carry the verses with you? Day 8 is the answer. INDEX CARD BIBLE STUDY AND VERSE PONDERING The index card step of the Transformational Bible Study Method is what I think is the most important. It is carrying around the verses that spoke to you. It can be a literal index card--or a figurative one. What I mean by that is I do everything on my computer (since it is permanent). I also print out everything as I go on 5.5 x 8.5 sized paper and GBC black plastic comb bind the material. I have a book that grows by the day called: LISTEN: THE BIBLE STUDY JOURNAL OF STACY DUPLEASE and I carry it around with me everywhere I go. The only exception is in the shower. I have a purse that weighs about 50 pounds because I carry the rapidly expanding BJ (Biblical Journaling or Biblical Journal)) comb bound book, along with my Amazon Kindle Fire to write with, and my cell to write with as well. Never mind everything else. But, I also carry the BJ book to bed. The BJ book even has hundreds of tabs sticking out from it so I can find what I want to quickly. One of the index tabs is my daily index card. On it are all of the verses God has put on my heart, and the verses God has repeated one way or another in my life lately. Again... I carry it around EVERYWHERE with me 24/7/365. So, as I floss and brush my teeth, I reflect on the verse. As I am on hold with a phone call, I reflect on the verse. As I stand in line somewhere, I reflect on the verse. As I take a sip of coffee or a bite of food, I reflect on the verse. As I wait for something to open on my computer, I reflect on the verse. As I run, I reflect on the verse. As I cook, I reflect on the verse. As I do dishes, I reflect on the verse. As I stop at a red light, I reflect on the verse. Whenever I think of it, I reflect on the verse. Sure. I might not have the verse in front of me all the time (like in the shower). But, I have read it enough times that I have a paraphrase in my mind. I focus on the verse, the paraphrase, and/or words of the verse. As I repeat the verse over and over, I listen. I open my heart and mind to what God says about that verse. I also stay aware and see if it repeats in my life in any way and how it does. I make sure to mark it down in my journal whenever that happens, where I was, when, what happened before and after, and what God said to me. All the time, as God speaks to me about the verse, I write down what He says. I keep a thorough detailed account and BJ it. I want to see now and later how God uses that verse to shape me and my life. After all, He WILL. There is no doubt. I also talk about my reaction and thoughts about the verse and what God says. I try to apply the verse to my life in every way I can over the next few weeks. I BJ that as well. I cannot tell you how profoundly God has used this in my life. He speaks and often. The key is to be open enough to notice and hear when He does. HOW LONG DO YOU KEEP THE CARRY OR INDEX VERSES? As long as you want. I try to keep at least two weeks of them with me at all times. If I have them printed, it takes a great deal less room and I make the font as tiny as I can and where I can read it without eye strain. I also carry around however many God puts on my heart. Over the last 2 days, for example, God has put 5 verses on my heart. So, they've been added to the list. Once a week, I go back over the key verses from the last month. Every month, I go back over the last 3 months. And so on. But, I also have a system where I will know when God speaks to me about a previous carry verse. I am able to look it up, along with all of the notes and BJ I have about that verse. Then, I add the latest to it. Then, it gets added to my recent/2 week pile again. TAG. YOUR TURN. ~ Create carry around cards of Day 6 and 7 key/stand-out verses. ~ Do a Transformational Bible Study Method on Hebrews 4:12. ~ Put Hebrews 4:12 on a carry card. 13 Date: Fri, May 4, 2012 at 10:10 AM Subject: Day 9: 30 Days to Biblical Journaling: Checking In and There is More to BJ DAY 9 What a whirlwind of activity Days 1 through 8 of this book has been. Day 1 was an introduction. Day 2 was Choosing a Journal. Day 3 was Preparing the Cover of Your Journal. Day 4 was Preparing the Next Page of Your Journal. Day 5 was Questions and Thoughts About Biblical Journaling. Day 6 was Version 1 of the Transforming Method of Bible Study Day 7 was Imagine the Treasure You Will Have. Day 8 was Index or Carry Card Bible Study. Now, here we are. Day 9. Whew. HOW ARE YOU WITH ALL OF THIS? I have hit you with a great deal over the last 8 days. ~ So, how are you? Please journal about that at this time. Why did I ask this question? Well, it is indeed to check on you and get you to stop and breathe long enough to find this out. But, it is also because there is so much more to Biblical Journaling (BJ) than doing Bible Study. (Although, does there need to be anything else? Bible Study is enough.) However, we are alive. (Good to know, isn't it?) We are alive and are experiencing life every day. Make sure to get that written down as well as the Bible Study stuff. Write down your experiences. Your thoughts, feelings, emotions, dreams, hopes, fears, etc. Just make sure to turn it into a letter and prayer to God. This is also BJ. The Psalms are Biblical Journaling at its finest. Throughout, David (and others) reflect on the Word of God and write their thoughts. TAG. IT'S YOUR TURN. So, again... How are you today? ~ What have you experienced this week? Today? Journal about this now. ~ Read a Psalm. BJ your thoughts. Do the Transforming Bible Study Method, but only if you want to do so. 14 Date: Fri, May 4, 2012 at 10:37 AM Subject: Day 10: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Review DAY 10 WHY REVIEW? Every 7 days, it is important to review your Biblical Journaling (your BJ). Why? So you can remember everything God told you, what you told God, your application, and the Word of God you studied/read. Why? So you can take note of the changes made in your life and what has happened. Also, through this, you analyze things. Why? So you can read it all again so it grows even deeper in your heart and mind. It brings you closer to God and helps you to immerse yourself in His Word. Why? To help you grow passionate in your faith and walk with the Lord--through the connection with His Word. ~ Journal your thoughts on what you just read. THE IMPORTANCE OF BIBLICAL JOURNALING It helps you to become intimately acquainted with the Lord and with the Word of God. It is a far more personal way to do so. You are being led by the Holy Spirit through the Word--and the author/writer of this blog post series and blog is not. You are studying the Word for yourself--and are not just taking my word at it. I am a fallen woman in a fallen world and can do and say stupid things at times. It is a very dangerous thing indeed to take my word for something and not check it against the Word of God for yourself. Also, Biblical Journaling is open-ended. You get to choose how you are going to read and study the Bible today. This keeps things personal and fresh. It makes it by far more exciting. After all, you can choose which additional questions through the transforming Method of Bible Study you are going to address and when--through prayer and prompting of the Holy Spirit. REVIEW ~ First, read all of these questions and points for your review. It will help you to know where you/we are headed and what to do. ~ Then, re-read everything from this blog post series and book. Answer the following questions: ~ Go through this blog post series (or the book if you are doing this in book form). Read it again. Allow the material to sink in even more and remember the things you forgot. As you do. ~ What have you read in this blog post series and book that has jumped out to you? Pick at least one point from each day. Ideally, it would be 3. Why did it jump out at you? What does it mean to you and your life? How are you applying each point to your life or way of thinking? ~ What new things have you learned? ~ What has been a reminder? ~ Now, re-read your Biblical Journaling (BJ). ~ What have you read in your BJ that has jumped out to you? Pick at least one point from each day. Ideally, it would be 3. Why did it jump out at you? What does it mean to you and your life? How are you applying it to your life or way of thinking? Make this an additional application, if you are able, than what you mentioned in your Transforming Bible Study Method for Days 6-9. ~ What has God said to you? ~ What did you learn from His Word each day? ~ What have you said to God? ~ What were you carry or index card verses? What did you learn from them? What happened between you and God--and in your life regarding each? Do you need to carry all of them with you this week? What applications has God given you for each card? ~ Make a list of all the things you want to apply to your life. Make sure from Days 6-9, you have at least 3 applications per day. ~ Look at your applications from above when you listed to how you were applying a point from Days 1-9 in your life from the blog post series or book--along with the applications you just listed and your index/carry card verses. ~ Pick 5 you want to apply to your life. List them now. Then, number them in order of importance. Why did you list each of them? ~ Pick the top 2 or 3 from your 5 application list you just created. And start to form a plan of how you are going to apply them, and implement them, in your life. If you did that already, add more. Be very specific. Write your plan for each. Then, put them on your calendar as to what you need to do in order to do so--each day, week, and month--as necessary. ~ Write an overall summary of Days 1-9. ~ Write a prayer to God. 15 Date: Fri, May 4, 2012 at 1:35 PM Subject: Day 11: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Do You Want to Hear God? Day 11 It has been my goal the last 10 days to stay out of your way--and allow God to lead you through the Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit in your life. That is why I have not spoken much about myself or given you much direction. This is still my goal. It is my teaching style. I try to point you toward the truth of something--and allow you and God to work together from there. Who am I to think I have anything worth saying to you? I am a sinner. But, am forgiven and He has been so generous as to have lavished His grace freely upon me. That being said, there is something very important for you to grasp today. This is one of the most important things I can share with you. DO YOU WANT TO HEAR GOD? Please journal your answers to the following questions: ~ Do you want to hear God? Do you long for it? ~ Do you ever seek His face and His direction? ~ Do you want to hear what He has to say to you about your life and His plan for your life? ~ How do you hear God? In other words, how does the Lord speak to you? ~ When was the last time you heard a word from God? ~ Do you ever feel like God is silent in your life? LET'S GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER While I could say this, and tell you it is true, God has been working in your life and speaking to you, ever since you started to read this blog post series and book... I won't go any further. You are reading this for a reason. God put it on your heart. He is using this to shape you and your life. Do not doubt. He is. Why not? Because there is something far more simple and far more profound than that. Do you want to hear God? Do you want to know a way you can absolutely guarantee 100% every single time you do it that you can hear from Him? IS there any such way to hear from Him 100% of the time? This sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Experience even tells you that if it is too good to be true, it is. That is normally true--expect when it comes to God. How can you hear from God 100% of the time? Get ready. Prepare yourself. OPEN THE BIBLE AND READ The Bible is called... What? It is the WORD of God. Every single word within the Holy Bible is a word from God. It really is that simple. If you read the Bible, or a verse from the Bible, word to word, and do not skim or speed read, then the Lord is speaking to you. You are hearing Him. How the Word applies to you, your life, and your situation, from that Word, is deeply personal. He will tell you how to use that Word in your life. The way that happens--is listening through His Word. Can you believe it? Is it really that simple? It is. Do you long to hear God and get His direction for your life? Read the Word--day in, day out, 24/7/365. The moment you stop, you cease hearing from God. Yes. That really is that simple as well. Get in the Word. Do not stop being in the Word. Immerse yourself in the Holy Bible, in the Word of God. As you listen, Biblical Journal. TAG. IT'S YOUR TURN. Do a Transforming Bible Study on Psalm 119:97-120, and particularly Psalm 119:105 (make that one of your key verses). 16 Date: Mon, May 7, 2012 at 12:43 PM Subject: Day 12: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Fulfillment and Meaning There is nothing, and no one, that brings more fulfillment or meaning than the Lord and His Word. Re-read that slowly and repeatedly. Now, why don't you take out your biblical journal (BJ) and answer the following questions?: ~ Do you believe that statement? That there is nothing, and no one, which brings more fulfillment or meaning than the Lord and His Word? ~ How do you live that statement? How does your life show God and His Word are your priorities? ~ How does your life not reflect this? ~ How does your calendar reflect how God and the Word are priorities in your life? ~ How does your calendar not show this? ~ Would others say this is true in your life? ~ What can you do to live it out that God and His Word are the priorities in your life--and are that which bring most meaning and fulfillment in your life? NO GUILT The questions above were NOT meant to stir a wave of guilt. They are not meant to be emotional either. Rather, they are meant to show fact. So, if you feel guilty, stop. There is no point. You worship a God of grace. He does not hold things against you (see Psalm 103:12 and Isaiah 1:18). Never mind how you cannot change the past. The only thing you can change is today and plan for the future. So, do not feel guilty. SO WHAT IS THE POINT OF THESE QUESTIONS? The point is to get a feel as to where you sit today. It is to give you your starting baseline. Today is only Day 12. I guarantee by the time you finish this 1st 30 day study and exercise in biblical journaling, you will without doubt find more meaning and fulfillment in God and in His Word. It is inevitable. In fact, it naturally happens. The more you are in the Word, the closer you draw to God and the more God and His Word are what you depend upon. As a matter of fact, the more you are in the Bible, the more your life will show the fruit of the Lord and Word in your life (See Isaiah 55:11). In other words, time in the Word of God does not come away void. you will get something every time out of it, even if you don't feel like it or think it. Isaiah 55:11 promises this. Stand on this promise. Isaiah 55:11 guarantees the fulfillment and meaning you will get from the Lord and from the Bible. WHAT IF YOU HAVE BLOWN IT? What if you have blown it and have not made time in the Word a full-time 24/7/365 priority? I am glad you asked this question. Let me, someone who blows it far too often than not, that today is a new day. Trust that the Lord will honor Isaiah 55:11--and you will get a lot out of it. Proceed as if this was true (it is, after all). The next thing you know, you will be able to look back and see how powerfully God has spoken to you, worked in your life, and how your heart and mind have been transformed by the Word of God, the Holy Bible. You will then find more meaning and fulfillment than you ever have. Proceed with faith and see what happens. God will show up. Journal your thoughts to what you have just read. 17 Date: Mon, May 7, 2012 at 1:32 PM Subject: Day 13: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Bible Study Resources WHAT DO YOU REALLY NEED FOR A GOOD BIBLE STUDY? You might wonder why this question is finally being addressed in Day 13. It's because I wanted you to start feeling comfortable without Biblical Journaling without adding even more to your plate. It can be overwhelming. There are two resources you must have, without doubt, in order to do the best Bible study you can do: * The Holy Bible * Your Biblical Journal. These are required. Why is a Biblical Journal required (see the earlier chapters and days of this book.) But, I will restate the main principle: If you don't write it down, you minimize your experience with the Word. You get far more out of the Word if you write stuff down and interact with the text--along with the Lord, of course. It's that simple. You also need a minimum of one version (or translation) of the Bible. After all, how can you do Bible study if you don't have one? Although, ideally, you will have access to all of these versions of the Bible: * New International Version (NIV) * New Living Translation (NLT) * The Amplified (AMP) * Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) * The Message (MSG) * English Standard Version (ESV) * New American Standard Bible (NASB) * New King James Version (NKJV) * God's Word (GW) Before you start picturing dollar signs, keep reading. There is great hope. WHERE DO YOU GET A BIBLE? We are very fortunate to live in the age that we do. Fifteen years ago, Bible study resources were quite expensive. In order for me to build up my library so I could maximize my Bible study time, I had to spend, no kidding, THOUSANDS of dollars. Thank God, that is not the case today. That is, if you have access to a computer and the Internet. If not, the library is the answer. You can find the resources I mention today in paper form or over the Internet. Would you believe you can have access to several Bible versions/translations for free over the Internet? Here are a few resources to look up online: * BibleGateway * Bible Study Tools * Blue Letter Bible I think they are the best--and do not cost you a dime. But, that's just my humble opinion. So, look them up and save them as favorites, if you can. WHAT TO BUY (IN TIME) The two items I cannot stress enough to have in your arsenal/library are two different versions of the Bible. Make them both Study Bibles as well. The Study Bibles I recommend are: * The NIV Study Bible * Any version/translation of the Life Application Bible * The NLT Study Bible * The ESV Study Bible * The HCSB Study Bible I cannot suggest enough buying two paper copies of those (and in time, maybe the rest--and you can buy the paper copy or the digital copies of those). Save your pennies. Buy one at a time. Look at Christian bookstores in your area--and online at the same stores, along with Amazon and Christian Book Distributor. All of these run sales and/or have coupons. Holidays are the time frames there are usually the most sales, I've noticed. (Or, request them as birthday, anniversary, and Christmas presents--or a gift card so you can purchase your preference.) If you get the leather versions, without the sales, you will spend roughly $80 each. If you get the hardbound, they are around $50 each without the sales. That being said, you can spend as low as $15.00 a piece. I just bought two new Study Bibles for my Amazon Kindle Fire for $17 each and got one a couple of months ago for $8.50. Ideally, I would buy all of the ones listed in time. Here are some suggestions so you don't break the bank in one year: Buy one a year--after you get the first two. Buy the 1st 2 Study Bibles 6 months apart, if necessary. Do whatever you can--when you can. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE SUGGESTED Again, get with the three sources online I mentioned above, you can use these for free. So, do not buy them--unless you do not have a computer, a SmartPhone, or the Internet. But, you can go to the library as well if you do not have use of any of those. * Concordance (to look up words and cross-references) * Bible Dictionary * Bible Encyclopedia * Bible Commentaries * And everything else on those three Internet sites. Look at each of these websites and experiment. Look all around. I am sharing this with you--so you know what all is out there. MANY RESOURCES, BUT THE BIBLE IS REALLY ALL YOU NEED In the section before this one, I talk about the other suggested resources. Let me be clear about them. The single resource you ever need is the Bible. The Bible is all you need for Bible study. The Bible has no errors. The other texts, including the text of Study Bibles, are written by man and are not the divine Word of God. Therefore, they can have errors. The Bible is the best to look at first and foremost. As you can see, the Transforming Bible Study Method does NOT mention any man-made resources--except for cross-references--which are from the Bible and are not man's thoughts or opinions. Later on, you will learn of the importance of other resources. I always do the bulk of my Bible study using only the Bible and cross-references. I spend about 95% of my time there--if I am doing extensive study on something. If it's the normal everyday Transforming BSM, I use them 100% of the time. So, know that those other resources are icing. They are not the bulk of your meal in the Word of God. I just wanted to make sure that was clear. TAG. IT'S YOUR TURN. * Read Philippians 4 in your favorite two versions of the Bible. * Then, do the Transforming Bible Method on Philippians 4. 18 Date: Mon, May 7, 2012 at 1:48 PM Subject: Day 14: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: John 21:25 Read John 21:25 in 3 versions of the Bible. JOURNALING EXERCISES ~ Jot down notes in your Biblical Journal (BJ) as you go. ~ Can you guess why this verse has been included in this Bible study? The goal I have with this series is to make my attempt of writing as many books as possible about Jesus. But, it is my personal goal to do this with Biblical Journaling as well. JOURNALING EXERCISES ~ If you were to make the last goal in your own life, what would that mean to you, your faith, and your life? ~ What does God say to you about this? ~ Do a Transforming Bible Study of John 21:25. 19 Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 12:49 PM Subject: Day 15: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Listen DAY 15 The single most important thing you can ever do regarding Bible study and journaling is--what? Can you guess? It's listen. Listen to what God has to say to you. What is He saying to you? If we are so busy we don't get in the Word--how can we ever hear from Him? The only way to ensure we hear God speaking is through the Bible. Period. If we are not in the Word of God, we hear what we wish God would say--or we hear what the enemy wants us to think God says. If we are so busy talking, and flapping our jaw (even in our mind), how are we hearing God? I heard it once said about marriage, but it is also true about God. If we would listen three times longer (or more) than we speak, our lives would be so much better and healthier. We can listen to God through Biblical Journaling. We read the Word, study it, think about it, apply it, meditate on it, review and remember it, and analyze our application of the Word--through Biblical Journaling. But, each one of those steps includes listening to the Lord. What does He have to say? What is He telling you? What does He want you to do? In listening, we get rid of the self-centered life and approach to prayer and Bible study. Instead, we seek His will first and foremost--as we know working against Him is never a good approach. It never works. Listening, on the other hand, simplifies things. We get it right the first time--when we stop and listen. Most of the things in this life do not require an instant answer or response. Re-read that previous sentence again. I mean it. The only thing that ever require an immediate answer is regarding the stuff of life and death. Yes. Jump back to the curb if a big semi is heading your way. That requires an immediate response. But, the other stuff in life does not require one. You can stop and listen to God. You can see what He wants you to do. This will prevent you from spinning your wheels and will make it so you do not have to try it the wrong way first--to then stop and correct the course once you hear from God. Instead, seek His will first and then do what He says. Listening takes time. Sometimes He replies immediately. Other times, He has to prepare us for the answer. But, keep asking, seeking, and knocking. He WILL answer. He promises this. So, we need to stop and listen. Daily. Several times each day. Use your Biblical Journal to write what He says to you. VERSES ABOUT LISTENING Here are some verses about listening. Look them up. Then, do a Transforming Bible study on one of them. The verses are: 1 Samuel 3:10 Nehemiah 9:17 Jeremiah 12:17 Jeremiah 13:10-11 Zechariah 7:12-13 Matthew 17:5 John 9:31 John 10:3 John 10:27 James 1:19-24 20 Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:44 PM Subject: Day 16: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: 1 Corinthians 10:12-14 and Stumbling DAY 16 We live in a fallen world and are fallen people. We sin. We make mistakes. We error. We stumble. We are tempted. This is life. It does not excuse this and our poor choices or behavior. But, it is what happens. The question is what do you do when you are tempted, when you stumble, and when you fall flat on your face and do the very thing you know not to do. The question is how you handle it. What do you do with that? Biblical Journaling is the answer, along with some other messages from the Word. We talked about sin and how God forgives you and does not hold your sins against you in Day 12 (See Psalm 103:12 and Isaiah 1:18) as a reminder. Biblical Journaling helps you to confess on paper. Then, you can figure out how to repent (change your direction) so you do not fall prey of that stumbling block or sin again. But, there is something more important we can do. It's take a look at the temptation. The key is to stop the temptation before it turns into a stumbling block and a sin. TRANSFORMING BIBLE STUDY Do a Transforming Bible Study on 1 Corinthians 10:12-14. This will help you with the temptation. 21 Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 1:45 PM Subject: Day 17: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Review DAY 17 It is that time again. Day 10th was our last review. Re-read Day 10, the last review first. Then, do the rest from here. Review Days 11-16 for today. REVIEW ~ First, read all of these questions and points for your review. It will help you to know where you/we are headed and what to do. ~ Then, re-read everything from this blog post series and book. Answer the following questions: ~ Go through this blog post series (or the book if you are doing this in book form). Read it again. Allow the material to sink in even more and remember the things you forgot. As you do. ~ What have you read in this blog post series and book that has jumped out to you? Pick at least one point from each day. Ideally, it would be 3. Why did it jump out at you? What does it mean to you and your life? How are you applying each point to your life or way of thinking? ~ What new things have you learned? ~ What has been a reminder? ~ Now, re-read your Biblical Journaling (BJ). ~ What have you read in your BJ that has jumped out to you? Pick at least one point from each day. Ideally, it would be 3. Why did it jump out at you? What does it mean to you and your life? How are you applying it to your life or way of thinking? Make this an additional application, if you are able, than what you mentioned in your Transforming Bible Study Method for Days 6-9. ~ What has God said to you? ~ What did you learn from His Word each day? ~ What have you said to God? ~ Look at your applications from Day 10. How has your application gone? Review and analyze each of the 2 or 3 you wanted to focus on last time. You will continue to work on these. The applications you add later today will be tacked onto this application list. ~ What were you carry or index card verses? What did you learn from them? What happened between you and God--and in your life regarding each? Do you need to carry all of them with you this week? What applications has God given you for each card? ~ Make a list of all the things you want to apply to your life. ~ Look at your applications from above when you listed to how you were applying a point from Days 1-16 in your life from the blog post series or book--along with the applications you just listed and your index/carry card verses. ~ Pick 5 you want to apply to your life. List them now. Then, number them in order of importance. Why did you list each of them? ~ Pick the top 2 or 3 from your 5 application list you just created. And start to form a plan of how you are going to apply them, and implement them, in your life. If you did that already, add more. Be very specific. Write your plan for each. Then, put them on your calendar as to what you need to do in order to do so--each day, week, and month--as necessary. ~ Write an overall summary of Days 1-9. ~ Write a prayer to God. 22 Date: Wed, May 9, 2012 at 9:32 AM Subject: Day 18: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: The Short TMBS (Transforming Method of Bible Study) and Studying a Chapter or Book of the Bible DAY 18 CHAPTER AND BOOK STUDY What is the best way to study a chapter or a book of the Bible? You might wonder. CHAPTER: If it is a chapter, I recommend doing the template below. But, do it with each and every verse (unless it is over 60 verses. If it is, do it 2 verses at a time.) Then, do the TMBS below to groups of 10. Then, do the TMBS to the entire chapter. You will get different information out of each. BOOK: If it is a Book of the Bible you are studying, I recommend doing the TMBS below in groups of 10 of the entire book. Then, do it in groups of 25. Then, for each chapter. Then for each half of the book. Then, for the entire book. TAG. IT'S YOUR TURN Why don't you try the Chapter approach with Psalm 91 at this time? A TRANSFORMING METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY TEMPLATE (TMBS SHORT VERSION) 1 Choose book, chapter, verse, or topic to study. 2 What verse or verses jumped out at me? 3 What words jumped out at me? 4 What did I learn about God? 5 What does God say to me about what I read? 6 APPLY TO MY LIFE: 7 CARRY KEY VERSES. 23 Date: Wed, May 9, 2012 at 11:26 AM Subject: Day 19: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Why Study the Bible? DAY 19 GRACE JBS Grace Journaling and Bible Study, and the series of Bible studies that are planned, is devoted to the purpose of helping people to do the following: ~ Live a Christ-centered, Word-based life of faith. ~ Grow a deeper, more personal and intimate relationship with the Lord. Journal your thoughts. BIBLICAL JOURNALING'S PURPOSE The purpose of biblical journaling (or Bible Study and journaling) is to get us to make our life focus the Word of God, the Holy Bible. ~ To read the Word. ~ To study the Word. ~ To think about the Word. ~ To apply the Word. ~ To meditate and ponder the Word (through the carry verses). ~ To review the Word. ~ To analyze our application of the Word. Journal your thoughts. WHY STUDY THE WORD TO BEGIN WITH? Why study the Bible, let alone do any of the 7 steps mentioned above? Journal why you are doing this book, are in the Bible, and are biblical journaling. John 8:31-32 provides part of the answer. Do a Transforming Bible Study Method (the short version of the TBSM) of John 8:31-32 in one version of the Bible. Then do the TBSM in another version of the Bible. 24 Date: Wed, May 9, 2012 at 11:36 AM Subject: Day 20: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Round 2 of Why Study the Bible DAY 20 WHY STUDY THE BIBLE? John 15:7-10 provides more of the answer why. Do a Transforming Method of Bible Study, the Short Version (TMBS) in one version of the Bible. Do the TMBS in another translation of the Bible. 25 Date: Thu, May 10, 2012 at 8:19 AM Subject: Day 21: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: A Habit DAY 21 21 DAYS? Can you believe we are 21 days into this blog series and book on Biblical Journaling? Time sure flies, as the old cliche states. The purpose of this book has been to help you to: 1 Get into the Word of God, the Holy Bible. 2 To show you how to study the Word. 3 To help you apply it to your life. 4 To help you develop the habit of getting into the Word every day. 5 To help you to meditate on the Word 24/7/365 through your carry verses. 6 To help you get into all of this slowly... Where you can have time with God and see how He guides you through His Holy Spirit--rather than focus on my words (I am just a human and am a sinner, after all). A HABIT Read point number 4 again at this time. Has this started to become a habit of using the Transforming Method of Bible Study (TMBS) every day? (For the record, I get the most out of the short version and as time allows, I expand.) Journal your thoughts about developing the habit of being in the Word daily and carrying around verses to think on--along with your thoughts on your personal application. TAG. IT'S YOUR TURN: THE TMBS ~ Do a Transforming Method of Bible Study on Deuteronomy 6:1-9. Remember as you do that meditating on the Word is the New Testament version of how to do what Deuteronomy 6:1-9 states. Your carry verses are your response in the 21st Century. ~ Do a TMBS on Psalm 1:2. 26 Date: Thu, May 10, 2012 at 8:20 AM Subject: Day 22: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Ephesians 3:17-20 DAY 22 Do the Transforming Method of Bible Study on Ephesians 3:17-20 at this time. 27 Date: Thu, May 10, 2012 at 8:41 AM Subject: Day 23: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: A Personal Practice DAY 23 A PERSONAL PRACTICE Bible study is a very personal thing. It is a very personal practice. ~ Journal your thoughts about what I just said. Write whatever comes to mind, along with what it means to you. When you study the Bible, it's God talking to you, you listening, you responding, and you talking to God and asking questions as you worship and pray to Him. It is just you and Him. It is God reaching out to you and you reaching out to Him in return. ~ Journal your thoughts again about what you just read. NOT ABOUT THE AUTHOR I hope through the course of the last 23 days, you have learned, and are learning, that while reading what human authors say in Bible study is a special thing, and informative, they cannot and shall not ever replace the very personal practice. I do not know of one author of Bible studies who would want this to be the case. That being said, I hope you see that the Grace JBS (Journaling and Bible Studies) are very different. I might give you methodology (instruction of how to do something), and might ask you questions. In fact, I might even give you a verse or a passage of scripture to read. However, I do my best to allow the Bible study component to remain a very personal practice between you, God, and His Word. It is my hope to get you into the Word on your own--where you can read what it says, and focus less on what I, or other humans, say. It's an attempt to allow the Word to speak for itself--as you listen to the Lord and journal about what transpires. Also, that is why I never write out any verses of the Bible in my Bible studies. I want you to get into the Word on your own--and you can decide which translation to read. It makes it even more personal for you. NOTE: Let me make a clarification at this time. I do other people's Bible studies on a daily basis (literally). I am not saying not to do the same. But, I also do what I call my personal study--where it is just God and me--no other human involved. I do a mixture of each--daily. It provides balance. When I do the personal practice Bible study, I am able to listen to what God says even more--because I am not thinking about what the author had to say. I am thinking about what He, the AUTHOR, has to say (if you know what I mean). Keep doing other Bible studies, including mine--since I try to talk less and steer you into the Word more, but also get into the Word on your own. It makes you listen so much more to the Lord. You have no other choice. If you don't want to get bored with your own personal practice, it requires listening even more. If you listen, He will make His Word come alive to you. It's hard to get bored with the Word--or be tempted to take a break for whatever reason. Your personal practice can help you crave the Bible in a whole new, deep way. HOW PERSONALLY DOES THE LORD KNOW YOU? Do a Transforming Method of Bible Study on John 10:1-16 at this time. 28 Date: Thu, May 10, 2012 at 8:59 AM Subject: Day 24: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: A Review DAY 24 It is that time again. Day 17th was our last review. Re-read Days 10 and 17, the last review first. Then, do the rest from here. Review Days 18-23 for today. REVIEW ~ First, read all of these questions and points for your review. It will help you to know where you/we are headed and what to do. ~ Then, re-read everything from this blog post series and book. Answer the following questions: ~ Go through this blog post series (or the book if you are doing this in book form). Read it again. Allow the material to sink in even more and remember the things you forgot. As you do. ~ What have you read in this blog post series and book that has jumped out to you? Pick at least one point from each day. Ideally, it would be 3. Why did it jump out at you? What does it mean to you and your life? How are you applying each point to your life or way of thinking? ~ What new things have you learned? ~ What has been a reminder? ~ Now, re-read your Biblical Journaling (BJ). ~ What have you read in your BJ that has jumped out to you? Pick at least one point from each day. Ideally, it would be 3. Why did it jump out at you? What does it mean to you and your life? How are you applying it to your life or way of thinking? Make this an additional application, if you are able, than what you mentioned in your Transforming Bible Study Method for Days 6-9. ~ What has God said to you? ~ What did you learn from His Word each day? ~ What have you said to God? ~ Look at your applications from Day 10 and 17. How has your application gone? Review and analyze each of the 2 or 3 you wanted to focus on last time. You will continue to work on these. The applications you add later today will be tacked onto this application list. ~ What were you carry or index card verses of Days 1-23? What did you learn from them? What happened between you and God--and in your life regarding each? Do you need to carry all of them with you this week? What applications has God given you for each card? ~ Make a list of all the things you want to apply to your life from Days 18-23. ~ Pick the top 5 you want to apply to your life from Days 18-23. List them now. Then, number them in order of importance. Why did you list each of them? ~ Pick the top 2 or 3 from your 5 application list you just created. And start to form a plan of how you are going to apply them, and implement them, in your life. If you did that already, add more. Be very specific. Write your plan for each. Then, put them on your calendar as to what you need to do in order to do so--each day, week, and month--as necessary. ~ Write a summary for Days 18-23. ~ Write an overall summary of Days 1-23. ~ Write a prayer to God. 29 Date: Fri, May 11, 2012 at 9:47 AM Subject: Days 25-27: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Slowing Down and Carry Verses DAY 25 GO-GO-GO! (No, no, no!) Wow. We only have five days left of this first study (including today). We are now going to slow it down quite a bit. Up to this point, it has been go-go-go! It's quite a tough way to do Bible study. It's easy to get burned out and skim over so many important facets of the Bible study and application thereof. The good news is the rest of the books in this series will never be so fast moving. There has been a purpose, though, in this fast paced study. The reason why we have done so much is two-fold: 1 It has been to get you in the habit of getting into the Word every day. 2 It has been to get you into the habit of interacting with the text--not just reading it. (You've interacted with the text by reading it, re-reading it, asking it questions, thinking about it, figuring out application, carrying verses and meditating on them day and night (as per Psalm 1:2), and through review. Now that you have started to form the habit, it is time to slow down and take all of the lessons learned from Day 1 to today to heart. CARRY CARDS Why don't you pull out the carry cards you have made for this study? Re-read all of them, along with the journaling you've done on what God has told you because of and through them. Now, pick your top 3 favorites. They are your favorites, after all, because God has spoke to you so much through them and they have inspired/motivated you. TRANSFORMING METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY Day 25: Do the TMBS again on your 1st favorite carry card. Day 26: Do the TMBS on your 2nd favorite carry card. Day 27: Do the TMBS on your 3rd favorite carry card. 30 Date: Mon, May 14, 2012 at 2:13 PM Subject: Day 28: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling--An Introduction: Psalm 33:4 DAY 28 Take a look at Psalm 33:4 and do a Transforming Method of Bible Study (TMBS) on the verse for your homework for today. If you have time to spare, go back through this blog post series, or this book, and see if there is anything you would like to spend a little more time on and do so at this time. 31 Date: Tue, May 15, 2012 at 1:58 PM Subject: Day 29: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: What Has God Said? DAY 29 I have said it before and will do so again. Can you believe we only have two days to go in this study, including today? (Wow, time flies.) Today, we are going to do another type of review. JOURNALING EXERCISES ~ Go back through each day of this book and blog post series and over your journaling. See what all God said to you. Make note of it. All of it. Make sure to write it all down (again) and what God says to you now about what He's told you, the passages of Scripture you've read, and so on. We do not want to forget what God has said to us. This will help. ~ Then take more time to listen. What is God telling you about Bible study? ~ How are you to respond to what He is saying? What is He telling you to do or not to do? ~ Do a TMBS on Colossians 2:6-9. 32 Date: Thu, May 17, 2012 at 9:54 AM Subject: Day 30: 30 Days of Biblical Journaling: Knowing God DAY 30 THE LAST DAY Can you believe we have gone through 29 days already and this is our last day together on this subject: 30 DAYS OF BIBLICAL JOURNALING: AN INTRODUCTION? I've said this many times. But, I mean it even more so today. I hope that we have not wasted or taken this time for granted and have gotten as much as we possibly can out of this writing. I hope that we have learned to listen to God more through this blog series and journaling. JOURNALING EXERCISE #1 ~ Have you accomplished what you hoped to accomplish? ~ Has this journey been what you expected? ~ Where is God leading you from here? ~ What do you think of Biblical Journaling? And, have you seen why and how it adds a whole new dimension to your Bible reading, study, and application? ~ What do you think of the Transforming Method of Bible Study (TMBS)? ~ What are the top three most important things you journaled over the last month? THE WHOLE PURPOSE: KNOWING GOD The whole purpose of reading our Bibles, studying our Bibles, and praying is to KNOW God. Our number one goal is to Know Him. And, we are to seek to know Him far more intimately than anyone on this earth. More than your mate. More than your child. More than your best friend. More than anyone else. Why do we do Biblical Journaling? To help emphasize what we know, what we know, what we apply to our live, and need to apply. It's to know God, and help us keeping knowing Him more, in other words. How do we KNOW God? We read the Bible. That's it. That's the secret formula. That's why we have gone through the last 29 days of the blog post series and book. It's been to help us know God more and to keep knowing God more. JOURNALING EXERCISE #2 ~ So, have you known God more? ~ And, are you seeking to continually know Him more? Journal your responses now to those two questions. Then, explain your answers. LONGER DAY Today is going to be a longer day. if you wish, divide it up into 2 or 3 days. TRANSFORMING METHOD OF BIBLE STUDY (TMBS) AND JOHN 17:3 ~ Do a TMBS on John 17:3 before we continue. KNOWING GOD Go back through this book and your journaling and see how you have come to know God more through this blog post series/book and journaling project. Take notes. Write it down in your Biblical Journal (BJ). Be thorough and take time to listen to God about each thing you write. REVIEW ~ What are your top 15 carry verses? Why did God put each on your heart? ~ What are the top 7 carry verses God has put on your heart in this study? What has He told you about each? What has happened as a result from each? Why did God put each on your heart now? How is He using the verse in your life now? Continue carrying each with you. Continue writing what God says to you about each. Do you want to memorize any of them? ~ What are the top 7 verses or passages you have done a TMBS on? Why are they your top passages? How has God said to you about them? What has happened as a result from each? Why did God put each on your heart now? How is He using the verse in your life now? ~ What are the top 20 things you are applying to your life? How has the application gone for each? ~ Of those top 20, pick the top 10, and make sure to actively work on applying each to your life. ~ What are the top 10 favorite things you wrote in your journal? List why you listed each and what God is doing through them in your life. CLOSE Keep reading, studying, thinking about, carrying verses, applying, and reviewing. WHAT NOW? ~ Keep doing the TMBS every day with a verse or passage of Scripture. Do this at the very least. ~ Take a look at the next blog post series coming up next. ~ Check out this blog post series in the free book format and then in the $2.99 format. There will be even more material in each. THANK YOU Thank you for joining me on this exciting journey. I hope that you have gotten to know God and His Word more deeply and intimately. See you next time. Blessings, Stacy Duplease AUTHOR INFORMATION You can read more about Stacy Duplease and her writing at the following blogs and can contact her through them as well. Website and Blog: www.gracejbs.blogspot.com www.2turtlesdesigns.blogspot.com Email: journalingsd@gmail.com or 2turtlesdesigns@gmail.com I welcome the chance to hear from you. Please write and I will do my best to reply in a timely manner. ~ Stacy BOOK INFORMATION You can find her information for her books on her website and can find the actual books at: www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction