Journaling with Jesus
How to Draw Closer to God
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Introduction to Journaling with Jesus “…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22 Can you imagine what it would be like to sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with your Savior? Can you picture yourself sitting together on a carpet of clover near a small mountain river? No one is around to interrupt your dialogue. The only sounds are of the water as it flows on its course downstream, the occasional rustling of the grass as a forest creature timidly checks out the intrusion in his world and the call of a bird seeking its mate. What would you discuss? What questions would you have? What would He ask you? How long would He be able to spend time with you before He had to move on? One of the hymns I recall from my childhood is “In the Garden,” by Charles Austin Miles. The refrain dances through my mind when I think about spending time with Him. And He walks with me, And He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there; None other has ever known. It is a joy to spend time with my Savior. Although I cannot physically walk through the garden or sit by a stream to talk with Him, through prayer journaling, I have found a way to draw closer to Him. I have been keeping a prayer journal for over ten years. When I reread some of my earlier journal entries, my spiritual growth is evident. Many of my prayers were not answered, and as the words of Garth Brooks’ song says, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” Journaling has made me more aware of His presence as well as what He wants from me. More than anything, my Abba Father wants a personal relationship based on trust. Imagine being able to communicate your hopes, your thoughts and your feelings more clearly to your heavenly Father. Prayer journaling can do that once you make it a daily habit. I challenge you to try prayer journaling for 40 days and experience a more intimate relationship with your Savior. Once you start, I know you will feel compelled to keep your daily appointment with Him.
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About the Book
“Journaling with Jesus is a creative call to an authentic, intimate relationship with Christ through the art of prayer-journaling. Author Carol Round openly shares her own intimate journaling journey, initially borne of pain, and now bathed in promise—the hope of healing in Jesus. Let her sensitively guide you along your own prayer path through balanced scriptural support, stories from the lives of women transformed through the power of journaling, encouraging explanations about the benefits of journaling, and timely tips about how to start. Allow Journaling with Jesus to take you deep into the heart of God, by showing you practically and inspirationally how to bare the depths of your own heart on the blank page. As you fill your journal with words of honesty, God will fill your heart with the wonder of His love.” —LYNN D. MORRISSEY, author of Love Letters to God: Deeper IntimacyThrough Written Prayer “The initiative of God to restore relationship with every person requires our engagement. The age-old battle to create space to spend time with Him can be supported by the spiritual discipline of keeping a journal. Carol Round understands this. I encourage your pursuit of this commitment as you read Journaling with Jesus.” —STEVE LASWELL, author of The Journey–A Personal Journal and The Journey–Personal Notes from the Father
About the Author
CAROL ROUND, self-syndicated columnist, Christian author and inspirational speaker, began her journey with the Lord in October 2001 when she admitted her need for His guidance. Since that time, she has sought a deeper relationship with Him through reading scripture, Bible study and the personal discipline of keeping a daily prayer journal. After being encouraged by other Christian women, she has compiled her experiences with prayer journaling into Journaling with Jesus.