Happy Sunday Everyone! I hope you've had a wonderful weekend!
In continuation of my "Spirituality Sunday Series" this week, I wanted to share a spiritual journal activity with you. I've been doing this daily for about a month now, and I have found it very beneficial for my spiritual and mental health, so my hope is that you can also find some value from it. You might recognize this as the "Prayer Process". I actually posted this prayer practice last year, and just recently I thought why not journal this process? Journaling has a variety of health benefits, and one of my favorite things about it is that you can go back and reflect on what you wrote. This reflection time and adding to the journal daily, can encourage us to carve out more time to nurture our spirituality. Now, let's talk about how to implement this spiritual journal activity.
Prayer Process:
First off, let's review the "Prayer Process". This might be a refresher or something completely new to you. Either way, having a friendly reminder or educating yourself on this powerful prayer process could be beneficial for your spiritual health. Simply just talk to God about the items below.
Gratitude: Begin by thanking God in a personal dialogue for whatever you are most grateful for today.
Awareness: Revisit the times in the past twenty-four hours when you were and were not the best version of yourself. Talk to God about these situations and what you learned from them.
Significant Moments: Identify something you experienced today and explore what God might be trying to say to you through that event (or person).
Peace: Ask God to forgive you for any wrong you have committed (against yourself, another person, or him), and to fill you with a deep and abiding peace.
Freedom: Speak with God about how he is inviting you to change your life, so that you can experience the freedom to be the best version of yourself.
Others: Lift up to God anyone you feel called to pray for today, asking God to bless and guide them.
Finish by praying the Our Father.
Journal Activity:
Now that we are familiar with the "Prayer Process", let's discuss how we can turn it into a journaling activity for the week.
Monday:
Kick off the week by writing down all the things you are grateful for.
Tuesday:
First, read your gratitude list from yesterday, and add anything else you are grateful for today.
Next, reflect on the times in the past week when you were and were not the best version of yourself. Write about these situations and what you learned from them.
Wednesday:
First, start off by reading your journals from Monday and Tuesday, and add to them if applicable.
Next, Identify something you experienced this week and explore what God might be trying to say to you through that event (or person). Write down your thoughts.
Thursday:
First, start off by reading your journals from Monday through Wednesday, and add to them if applicable.
Next, write down anything you want God to forgive you for. This could be wrong against yourself, others, or Him.
Friday:
First, start off by reading your journals from Monday through Thursday, and add to them if applicable.
Next, write down how you think God is inviting you to change your life, so that you can be the best version of yourself.
Saturday:
First, start off by reading your journals from Monday through Friday, and add to them if applicable.
Next, write down anyone you want to pray for today, and ask God to bless them with strength and peace.
Sunday:
First, start off by reading all of your journal entries from the past week, and add to them if applicable.
Next, write down your key takeaways from the week.
Now, write down at least one realistic step you can take to nurture your spiritual health this week. (Examples: It could be doing a random act of kindness, reaching out to someone who is going through a tough time, carving our more time to journal and pray, incorporating some more deep breathing and meditation to be more present in the moment, affirming a coworker, etc. It can be absolutely anything that will make you a better you!)
Please feel free to comment here with any thoughts or questions regarding this spiritual journal activity.
Thank you for stopping by! Have a healthy and happy week!
