DIY Spiritual Journal

Hello love!

So, tonight I wanted to share with you all something that I've been trying to research for EVER! ---A Spiritual Journal that best suits me and my routine for bible studying!

I dont know about you, but I am totally obsessed with journals & notebooks. Like, I have zillions and I still continue to buy them whenever I see them at a store! But, my problem is I never complete them. I always have BIG plans for what I want to use my journal for, and I stick with it, for a while, but then I lose focus because all of my notes get mixed up. For example, I may be writing out prayers on a few pages, then Im jotting down sermon notes on the next, trying to write down key points from the current book that I'm reading, and so forth. Then finally I just get frustrated because everything is scattered and my OCD-ness just can not handle a scattery journal. So I ditch it. Well, more like put it in the closet with the rest of them in hopes of trying again with a new fresh journal.

So then my next solution to the problem was just to have everything is seperate notebooks; like, one for prayers, one for bible study, one for book notes, and so on. BUT that didnt work either because I would get confused on which journal was which and then I would grab the wrong one on the way to church and it just wasnt like BLAH. So I gave up for a while and simply asked God what could I do to really bring focus and order to my spiritual writing life. & guess what?!

He answered!
& Of course He spoke to me through my creative mind, and gave me a mental picture of what to do.
How awesome is He?

& thats exactly what I did. I created a journal that best fit MY study routine while keeping order and focus within my journal. I'm so excited to share it with you, because I'm hoping that this will help whoever is in need of trying to find the "right" journal for her new and improved spiritual relationship.

Here's a closer look at what I did..

NOTE: Everything that I bought was from Wal-Mart; which is the only super store in my hometown. Target is in a different city about 30 minutes away, but who has time for that in this super cold weather LOL.

I decided to go with a journal style that I've previously used before which is a big, hard back journal that is in the style of a book like type. It's called a "Planahead Journal" and you can find it in your journal/stationary/school supply aisle at Wal-Mart. I really like these because they're CUTE, BIG, & DURABLE! Plus they're college ruled, which is my preference. Wide Rule creeps me out for some reason. I just cant. These journals cost about 10.00 & they come in different colors and patterns. 

 Here is what the inside pages look like just in case you're wondering. How cute are those big flowers?

 So next are the key items that really helped to design my journal; these divider clips. I used these to divide my sections in my journal. I chose these clips because I can move them where ever I want in my journal and I can write what ever I decide I want a section to be. Plus they give you 24 in a pack, so if I decide to change my mind on a title or if one gets damaged, I can easily replace them. They were about $2.50.

 I love how they came in a plastic holder so that I can just sit them up on my desk for easy convenience. 

 And finally, I bought my FAVORITE PENS to write with---SHARPIE PENS! They write just like the marker, however, they're ultra fine point and they do not bleed through. They also come in medium, which write a little bit thicker. I have both, but I prefer to write with the fine point and draw with the medium point. But hey, that's just me. They cost around $4.00.

So after deciding on my divider sections, I wrote each one on its own separate clip and then divided up my journal pages for each section. I decided to go with sections for:

-Prayers

I like to write out my prayers a lot of the times. 

-Devotions

This section is for when I do bible study on my own time

-Book Study

Notes from whatever book I'm reading at the time.

-Sermons, Sunday School, & Bible Study

This is my church note section.

-Ideas

Just a section for ideas that God gives me throughout the day for me to do.

 & Here is the first page of my 2014 Journal. It's not much yet, but over the year I hope to fill this page up with goals, quotes, and anything else I can write down to remind my of my focus area for the year! Speaking of goals, I'm really thinking about revamping the ones I previously made for this year LOL. That is why I did not go ahead and write them down yet. Another post on that later..

I left a few pages in the front blank for my "personal" section. I just kind of want to leave room for me to write about things I can use for a keep sake of everything that happened this year. I want to be able to look back through this journal in the future and see what all this year brought for me! I started my second personal page for "important dates and events that happened this year" just so I can keep a record of everything that happened that I felt was a gift from God. Like I said, I'm really pushing towards being more intentional with everything in my life this year.

So I think that wraps up everything on my new(est) journal. I REALLY believe that this time will be a success and I am really hoping to be able to complete this journal from beginning to end! Hopefully if this method works, I will do one each year! 

I'm SO excited about what God is doing in my life. He is really correcting me and guiding me on the right track as far as "getting my life right." This year is really going to be the first year of the best years of the rest of my life! I already can feel it!

lots of hugs & love,