Yesterday, I shared about some of the Bibles that I find helpful in my quiet time.  Today, I'd like to share some of the journaling tools that I use on a regular basis.

Reading the Bible is a great thing, but unless it moves you towards application/action you're missing out on what God is trying to do in your life.  Journaling helps me to apply and take action on what I've read in Scripture.

Here are some of the tools I've found helpful in journaling.



1. A Moleskine Journal
While you can journal with any journal or notebook, there is nothing like a Moleskine journal.  While Moleskines come in a variety of shapes and sizes, I prefer the Hardcover Pocket Ruled 3.5" x 5.5".

As I read the passage for each day, I'll mark in both my study Bible and my Moleskine. I use the following identifiers:

   Underline: I underline key verses that speak to me.
   Star: I mark key verses I want to memorize with a Star.
   Box: I mark key verses that I need to take action on with an open box.

Once I've finished my reading for the day, I'll begin to take notes in my Moleskine.

First, I write the verses I read at the top of a fresh page in my journal.

Second, I'll date the page at the top for quick indexing.

Third, I'll go back and look at the key verses that God brought to my attention while I was reading.

Fourth, I'll choose one of the verses to meditate on for a few moments.

* I meditate by writing the verse word for word in my journal, reflecting on each word as I write it.
* I read the passage again slowly, one word at a time, focusing on the meaning of each word.
* I listen in silence to what God is saying to me through that particular verse.
* I finish by writing what I hear God saying though the passage & how it applies to my life.
* If there is a specific action step I need to take, I write it & mark it with an open check-box.  I will later add this as a task in the to-do list of my calendar.

Fifth, I'll write any prayer requests that are on my mind.

Finally, I'll spend the last minutes of my quiet time in prayer, both listening and talking to God.

I have found my Moleskine journal to be key in helping me to clarify what God is saying to me through my daily quiet times.

2. A Good Pen
You may laugh at this one, but a journal is only as good at the pen you've got in your hand.  I'm a huge fan of the Pilot G2 Limited. I use the standard Pilot G2 gel pen for everyday writing, but prefer the G2 Limited for my quiet time as it doesn't bleed like the standard G2, and it has a more substantial feel in my hand.  There's nothing worse than being in the middle of writing down a great thought and having your pen junk out on you, with the G2 Limited I haven't had a problem.

So there ya go...my journaling tools.  How about you?  Have you tried journaling?  What works?  What doesn't work?