Value

Google Result 40,900,001

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I just googled the word journaling and got 40,900,000 results. Guess another result can’t hurt.

These six journals contain my entries from Dec. ’99 to March ’12

In an effort to keep shrinking my library, I discarded six journals today. Hard to do? Not really, particularly since they are more than a decade old. And as tempting as it is for me to flip through the pages, instead I dwelt on the value of what was on the pages versus the exact words.

If you journal, you know the value. If you don’t journal, well there are 40 million web results to consider its value. As for my experience, here’s why I value journaling.

  1. Spiritual. This one is first for a reason. In those six journals, my guess is 95% of the content was from the discipline of journaling while engaging scripture reading. During that time frame, I mostly used the acronym SOAP, written about in The Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro, to complete my journaling discipline. My engagement with God and the Bible took on new depth through the words penned on those pages. Pretty sure there’s not a price tag I could put on that.
  2. Emotional. A lot happened in those twelve years including working at three different churches in various roles, moving to a new city, completing a four-year masters degree, handing off a successful piano competition, becoming an intentional runner, and many other personal and family experiences. Allowing pen and paper to process the emotions of such events is beneficial to the one journaling and to those in their world. The value that is most surprising is how those emotions surface more quickly and more healthily due to the writing discipline.
  3. Mental. As one who believes our minds should be in constant growth, the discipline of journaling is a tool that aids that growth. When united with spiritual and emotional focuses, my mind is transformed. After twelve years of journaling, I know things I didn’t know before, I know things I didn’t know I needed to know, and I deepened my value of knowing both of those things.

How I journal, how often I journal, and how it impacts me continues to evolve. That’s reason enough to keep journaling.

Invitation’s Power

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Recently someone shared how being included in an invite to a Bible reading plan on YouVersion had impacted them.

I grew a lot from being part of those groups.  Because I haven’t been able to attend church since October since I started working Sundays, being asked to be a part of a group reading plan meant a lot to me and gave me a way to grow and to stay connected.

Hearing that was great. But it also convicted me. Here’s why.

I’ve gotten so used to inviting folks to things that when I heard my friend say this I realized that I had lost appreciation of a simple invitation’s impact. Invitations carry power.

  • The Power of Worth – “I believe you belong.”
  • The Power of Inclusion – “I want to include you.”
  • The Power of Remembrance – “I thought about you.”
  • The Power of Value – “I think you have something to contribute.”
  • The Power of Connection – “I would like to stay in contact with you.”
  • The Power of Observation – “I realize this might be something you‘d like.”

We’ve all been on the receiving end of an invitation. We can relate to its power as a receiver. What if we balanced the power by extending invitations?

  • Want to go to lunch?
  • Want to go to a movie?
  • Want to join my _______ group?
  • Want to bring your family over?
  • Want to discuss what’s on your mind?
  • Will you be my guest?

These days we may feel powerless. I’m guessing this is a simple way to exercise personal power that we still own.

What invitation power could you share before the end of this day?

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Kate Macate