Press In

Ready to Press into His Presence?

he Press In: 40-Day Journal, Bible Study, and Prayer Challenge is going to open your eyes to God’s presence in your life and allow you to see His hand on your life in a more personal way. Journaling, as a spiritual discipline, is not one more thing to do, but an incredible avenue and opportunity to enhance the daily prayer and Bible study in your life. By traveling down this forty-day journey of journaling, Bible study, and prayer, my prayer for you is you will experience God in a fresh, new, and intimate way.

As we recognize, in writing, God’s hand on our life, we grow in our walk with the Lord. I like the phrase, “walk with the Lord,” because it is personal and active. We deal with so many trials, challenges, temptations, and difficult situations on any given day. To sense God’s presence and guidance, as if He is walking alongside us, gives hope, increases faith, and provides the ability to move forward with confidence, peace, and joy as we lean on the promises of God and remember His faithfulness in our lives.

Our Daily Invitation to Draw Close to God

Jeremiah 29:11–13 tells us, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart’” (NIV).

What a promise, and yet, what a challenge! Keep in mind God encourages us by saying we will find Him IF we seek Him with all of our heart.

I spent about a decade knowing I should pray more and read my Bible more, but it was not happening. I knew God wanted me to spend time with Him, but I had difficulty doing so. I finally just felt led to pray for Him to give me the desire to seek Him. At that point, I was not diligent in praying, studying the Bible, nor journaling, and the fact I felt I should do it made me feel guilty for not doing it. I knew He desired for me to spend time with Him. I also knew He wanted my desires to be His desires, so I was grateful He gradually gave me the desire to spend time with Him. The Lord used journaling as the catalyst to enhance my quiet time with God. It allowed me to have a record of my prayers and His faithfulness in answering my prayers. Journaling provided a record of my time in God’s Word, as well as my reflections and interactions with His Word.

For those who think journaling is another term for writing in a diary, please know it is not the intention of this book. You can find books on journaling to focus on helping you better understand yourself, helping you be more introspective, and learning how to document the daily happenings of your life similar to a diary.

The goal of this book is to help you grow closer to God and recognize His hand on your life, as well as learn how to record and remember His faithfulness, so you can move forward in His strength as you press into His presence.

What you will find with this approach to seek God and His purpose is a better understanding of yourself. As you track God’s faithfulness and purpose in your life, you will develop a record of your life as well as a heavenly perspective to view it from, rather than just an earthly perspective.

Getting Started

During the next forty days, start journaling what is on your mind and heart and commit them to prayer and Bible study. If you approach this process with a humble heart, asking the Lord to help you, He is faithful to do so. Do not worry about perfect handwriting, spelling, or grammar, or if you are journaling “the right way.” You will find there are many ways to approach journaling, so do what fits your style best to get started. I encourage you to at least begin dating your entries and, if possible, to use a journal you enjoy and want to keep. Each day, you will read chapters to help direct your approach to journaling, so you can gain confidence and intention in your approach. Please keep in mind, although there is some structure provided for those who find it helpful, I want you to have the freedom to explore other avenues of journaling as the Lord leads.

This book is divided into five sections to focus on the following:

1) Benefits and Blessings of Seeking the Lord

2) Setting the Stage: Getting Started

3) Practical Tips, Strategies, and Examples

4) Drawing Closer to God

5) Learning Who We Are and Whose We Are

By committing to forty days, you will establish a habit of journaling, so that you can continue this practice of seeking the Lord on a daily basis. Remember, the focus of this book is not on journaling in and of itself, but rather seeking the Lord through journaling, Bible study, and prayer. As in all areas, activities we engage in can become chores or just another item on our to-do list if we are not careful. Ask the Lord to give you a hunger for His Word, a desire to seek Him, and a longing for His presence, so the time you spend with Him is not something you feel obligated to do, but something you cannot wait to do. Ready to press into His presence?