journaling

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Filter your words

I scrap a lot of posts…

There’s no telling how many times I get to 200 words and hit delete. (Maybe I should start a file of my “Almost got posted” words.)

Here are a few reasons I scrap posts: 

  • I’m thinking too negatively about a subject.
  • It’s just a really silly topic.
  • I’m simply spewing unprocessed emotions.

I started this blog to put into writing the everyday happenings and thoughts of my 25 year old self. 

Of course, my mind always wanders back to you, my reader, because I want these posts to be a source of encouragement to you as well.

Years ago, a friend of mine jokingly said she processes everything through her Jesus filter. 

I know she was joking, but I seriously do process everything through that filter.

What would Jesus say?

What would Jesus post on Facebook?

A lot of heartache would be avoided if we’d only think before speaking (or posting). In fact, just today I said the right thing in the wrong way.

Did you catch that?

It was the right thing to say, but I said it the wrong way, so I ended up needing to apologize to a good friend of mine for not being sensitive to her situation. 

Words are powerful.

Everything you and I say is either building someone up or tearing someone down. 

There is a time and place to share unfiltered words and thoughts–and it’s not on blogs or on Facebook or to any random stranger you meet.

For this reason, self-control is just as much about knowing when to speak as it is about watching what you say. 

 

 

 

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Goals for May

Hard to believe May is here! 

We’re 5 months into 2016…

With a new month comes a few new goals. I’m trying something new, which is really helping me build my consistency muscle. 

I’m tackling goals in monthly chunks. 

If I want to do something, I set a goal to accomplish it within a month.

You can do anything for a month, right?

This May I am reading through the gospels and journaling daily for 10 minutes. 

When I started daily blogging, I dropped daily journaling and that’s just not okay, especially because there’s a lot of things to think about right now. 

I need some dedicated space to say whatever comes to my mind and not filter my thoughts. 

My goal in reading through the gospels is simple: I need to spend some time with Jesus and study more closely what He did and said. 

Jesus told His followers that as He is so are we in this world. I want to look at what that means more because there’s a lot of teachings out there on what Jesus said and meant. 

Why not just read the Bible and see for yourself?

Is it wise to poke and prod at what to take literally? 

If Jesus didn’t mean everything He said, we are left with a lot of scriptures to interpret by ourselves, which is dangerous. 

These are the questions I’m asking myself as I read. 

What are your goals for May?

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Journaling for Perspective 

Sometimes I can get stuck in my head…

Trying to sort things out sends me in 10 different directions, each with their own feeling. 

Writing stuff down helps me capture what’s going on and shows me what areas need to be covered with prayer.

There are times when what I see is ugly. The truth is right there in its distorted, disfigured form. 

As I read through past entries, I notice the moments where my perspective turned out to be wrong, which means everything else–my attitude, feelings, and opinions–were wrong as well. 

The good news about perspective is that it can change! 

It’s easy for me to spot the shift because my angry scribbles and stratch outs give way to hope-filled words–even if my handwriting is still a jumbled scrawl!

Most of the time I end up finding the right words to express the things I couldn’t bring myself to say before. 

There might still be a hint of pain behind the words, but the joy is bigger than the pain. 

The idea of someone else reading my journal is a bit frightening to me. 

However, I believe that when the time is right it will all make sense to whoever ends up with my mountain of words. 

He or she will say, “Yes, this chick struggled, but the struggle always led her closer to God, to seeing things from His perspective.”

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Be a thought catcher

I surround myself with paper:

  • I carry a planner because using my phone’s calendar has never stuck with me.
  • My desk is covered in sticky notes and scrap pages and memo pads with scribbled out notes to myself.
  • I even use Evernote, which is a digital notebook.

If I don’t grab catch a thought immediately, it’s a goner.

Do you know how many times I’ve written a great blog post in my head and planned on writing it down once I got home?

Whether you’re the most organized thought catcher that ever lived or you have 10 notebooks and scrap paper falls around your feet when you walk, just write things down!

Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets…”

The Lord was giving instructions and the first words out of his mouth were, “Write this down!”

The point of writing things down is to use that information to teach and encourage others.

None of us lack ideas.

If you’ve ever sat in a meeting, you know that everyone has great ideas–and they normally all come about the time the meeting is supposed to be over.

We just don’t catch the inspiration when the Holy Spirit gives it to us.

Grab your thoughts!

Write them down!

And then go do something with them.

 

 

 

 

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Confessions of a Word Collector

I am a word collector.

I collect inspiring words.

brain depositoryI write them down in my brain depository, which is really just my notebook. (Yes, I used the thesaurus to find a synonym of notebook. I am that person.)

It’s impossible to listen to smart people without writing down their words of wisdom.

I encourage you to become a word collector too. Buy a notebook or use one of the million note taking apps.

Here’s 10 of my favorite quotes from this year. If I got it from a book, I’ll give you the title.

  1. “To foreclose on our emotional life out of a fear that the costs will be too high is to walk away from the very thing that gives purpose and meaning to living.”  -Dr. Brene Brown, Daring Greatly
  2. “How can we be loved if we are always hiding?” -Donald Miller, Scary Close
  3. “Language does not always have to wear a tie and lace up shoes.” -Stephen King, On Writing
  4. “You know what it is about someone that makes them a friend? A friend doesn’t just say things; a friend does.” -Bob Goff, Love Does
  5. “Passion is often found in the crucible of work.” -Jon Acuff, Do Over
  6. “Servants can go places kings can’t.” -Jon Weece, Jesus Prom
  7. “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” -Sunni Brown, The Doodle Revolution
  8. “Grace treats us like we already are what we fear we will never become.” -Beth Moore, taken from Wednesdays in the Word on Life Today
  9. “If you stay in a rut long enough, it will become a grave.” -Christine Caine, taken from one of her many teachings on YouTube
  10. “The ministry of the heart is the sole responsibility of the individual, yet few people ever learn how to consistently influence their hearts in a deliberate way.” -Dr. James Richards, How to Stop the Pain 
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Transitional daydreams

Ever been so lost in thought that it’s hard to come back to reality?

It’s a lot like daydreaming. You see all of these things happening around you, but it’s more like you’re watching instead of participating.

Maybe you’ve been there or maybe you think I’m a lunatic. (I won’t be offended if you think that.)

Either way, I think we’ve all faced times of transition and decision.

That’s where I am right now.

And, for me, it’s hard to know where to go when everything is colliding, when the past, present, and future are duking it out for time and attention.

How do you stay centered?

I find three things helpful:

1. Journaling

2. Reading

3. Praying

I journal a lot about my thoughts, feelings, etc.

It helps to capture my thoughts so they don’t end up controlling me.

Then I read.

I read my Bible, I read books, I read articles and blogs because that helps me gain perspective and see the bigger picture. Reading shows me that I am not alone in my struggles and that there are answers to my questions.

Lastly, I pray.

I talk to God about what’s happening in my life. A few weeks ago I wrote on the importance of prayer and how God is truly interested in our day-to-day lives. Nothing proves that to me more than in these moments of transition. The coolest part is that I’m not talking up to a ceiling, hoping that God is listening. I am confident that God not only hears me but also talks to me.

Without these three things, I would be one confused girl. That’s the truth.

I encourage you, my friend, to recognize what helps you in moments of transition and decision. Don’t wait until the pressure is on to figure it out either.

If you feel brave, share with me what helps you.