Last Christmas, somewhat on a whim, I mentioned I wanted one of the Cultivate What Matters Write the Word Journals.
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This seemingly came out of nowhere, even for predictably impetuous me. While I have a strong Christian background, I had never been the sort to dig into and read the Bible every day. I grew up Methodist – we were quietly Christian. We didn’t do loud or exuberant or demonstrative. We relied on our faith, but I never memorized verses. For whatever reason, I never decided to learn a faith walk that involved turning to the Bible on a regular basis.
When I went on the Mission Trip last year, I was simultaneously overwhelmed and perplexed by the Dominicans I saw who basked in the Word. They read the Bible religiously (for lack of a better word), and it meant something to them. When 2017 was coming to a close, I thought that regular Bible-study may be interesting to try. How would this affect my life?
I saw the beautifully-bound Write the Word books on the Internet, and when my sister-in-law asked what I was wanting for Christmas, I asked for one. I blindly suggested “Faith” as my theme, even though there are many others to choose from, such as Gratitude, Hope, Joy and Renewal. It turned out that Faith was what I would need, unbeknownst to me at that time.
So January 1, I cracked the binding and started this new journey.
Truly, I could not have stumbled onto a better program for me. What I learned went far beyond just reading the Bible. It turned into an exercise on why daily, thoughtful meditation matters.
Here is what I loved about the Write the Word Journal:
- There aren’t 365 pages! I could skip a day or two (or three) without feeling guilty or as though I wasn’t living up to my goal. In fact, the pages can be done completely out of order.
- It asked me to write the verse(s), in my own handwriting. I don’t know about you, but for me, I process better when I have to write. Sometimes when I simply read, I skim. Slowing down and writing each word made me see the verse better.
- There was one short page asking for my thoughts and reflections. Again, this is no pressure: one page! Some mornings, I only had a half of a page in me (yes, even as a writer). And while the scripture was a great starting point to begin thoughts, I found that I usually wildly veered off onto other things that were in my heart.
- The box to write what I was grateful for that day was powerful. As mentioned, we try to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in our kids. But we also have to do it for ourselves. I just finished my Write the Word Journal, and when I look back over the gratitude boxes, I smile. Things that made my gratitude list: my warm bed, my coffee, Mr. Family Trip (many times), snuggles with my kids (many times), friends (many times, specifically by name), sweating at the gym, and cold mornings.
- This forced a meditative practice on me. This is a good thing. So many studies have shown how great meditation is for the mind, body and spirit (read 10% Happier if you want to learn more in a fun, easy-to-read way). My mind is definitely wild, with a million mom- and writer-thoughts a minute. So having a structured moment was key for me. Having this at my fingertips, carving just ten minutes out of my day to stop and think about the greater goal for my life, ended up being cathartic. It also helped me steer my life in the direction that fits with my passions and talents, even if that hasn’t always been easy to walk. Sitting down each morning and writing just a few sentences helped me see clearly what actions I needed to take to become the person I am meant to be. I was bogged down less in the weeds.
Now that the year is almost done, and I have finished my first experience with a Write the Word Journal, I can see what it did for me, how influential it was.
I haven’t shied away from the fact that 2018 was rough. Starting around June, we were challenged with tough emotional moments and hard decisions that seemed to keep coming. My journal entries are at times exhausted, at times angry, frequently searching, yet clearly on a journey that I can now see, one year later.
At church two weeks ago, the pastor shared a powerful image: that God gives us a guarantee of strength, we just have to know how to use it, like a SCUBA tank. If we don’t learn how to breathe, how to rely on it throughout our dive, we drown.
The Write the Word Journal was, for me, learning how to breathe every day, not just on Sundays.
I highly recommend this product. I personally feel as though it got me through the year not just in survival mode, but also in a way where I felt happy overall (yes, despite the unpredictable nature of life).
But even if this type of product isn’t what you are drawn to, I encourage you to start journaling. It can be a Google Doc you sit down with before starting work. Just ten minutes each day to sort through the thoughts and feelings, to steer your life with clarity.
Learn to breathe every day.
FYI: recently released, as well, Write the Word Journals for Kids.