Types of Journals - Creativity Journal

I like to think of myself as a pretty creative person! I have WAY more ideas of things to do than time to do them.  So I have different ways to keep track of those ideas - and sometimes work out ways to accomplish some of the ideas that spring to mind.

These days Art Journaling is pretty popular. It's a fun way to play with ideas for my paintings - or just to have some fun with my art supplies finding out what they can do. Playing in a Creative journal or an Art journal can be very freeing and it can help you develop your ideas into something more.

Some people like to use various background treatments like layers of paint and collage. Some people just like to sketch a simple item. Some people like to do mind-mapping. Some people get creative with various types of pens, coloured pencils or markers.  Whatever you use on your pages, you usually do your creating without making a plan in advance - working it out as you go.

Click here to see my Pinterest board on Art Journaling. These are sample pages that others have created that inspire me as I create my own pages and I use them as a spring-board for my own creations!

I like to use a regular sketchbook. Others like Moleskine notebooks. Some like lined or quad-ruled grid pages. Whatever makes you comfortable!

Some days I will just list a whole lot of words or phrases or ideas and challenge myself to see how much space I can fill.

Other days I will work with my art supplies and sketch or paint my ideas. I use quotes or a pre-chosen colour scheme or a special new technique as a jump off point.

Then I will write on the page using pens of various colours.
I will often keep a record of all the colours of watercolour paint I have in my studio. Or I will sketch objects from magazines and art books to practice my sketching skills. Anything goes! It's your creative outlet!

The whole idea is to get the ideas out of your brain. To have fun with colour and texture. To come up with something that looks interesting. To expand on the ideas you have.

Being creative helps you to be MORE creative. So get out your art supplies and your fancy pens and pencils and make a fun mess!

Creativity is a messy business!!

Types of Journals - Spiritual or Prayer Journal

With the release of the movie "War Room" this summer/fall, there has been a renewed interest in keeping a Spiritual Journal. I personally love this kind of journal the best!
I have kept a spiritual journal alongside my daily journal for years and it is a blessing and an encouragement to me to look back over its pages from time to time and see all the things God has been teaching me as I have studied the Bible and kept track of book notes I have read.

Everyone needs to carefully nurture their own spiritual life. I personally believe that people are 3 part beings. Spirit - which connects to your Creator, Soul - which includes your mind, will and emotions, and Body - your physical being. If you ignore any of these three, over the long haul, you will not have a balanced abundant life.

A spiritual journal can include many things. Here are some types of things I record in my Spiritual Journal. (Some of these can overlap into the Soul area of mind will and emotions)
I often write about:

• notes I take while I am doing my Bible study each day. I find sometimes that verses will "jump off the page" and I write those out. I will take a few minutes to write down what that verse made me think about in my life, a lesson I learn from it, or I use the verse to write out a prayer asking for that verse to become real in my life. 
• notes I take while I am reading good books. There may be some excellent quotes, some interesting information about the history of the times, a word study that opens up the meaning of a passage of Scripture, or just something that reminds me of a time in my life when I faced a similar situation as the author. I will copy these into my spiritual journal and write my thoughts about what I read. These are lessons for life that I want to capture and remember.
• Bible verses I want to memorize or study more.
• Song lyrics that speak to me right now. There are many songs that have really meant a lot to me - they brought encouragement, or reminders of some truth that just fit my situation at a certain time of my life. I will write out the words and meditate on them - often writing out why they were special to me. 
• Ideas that come into my mind as I read - something I should do for someone.  People to pray for.  Ideas for a new aspect of my business or something I can do with my grandchildren. I believe God directs us as we quiet our hearts and absorb His words.
• Words God speaks to me. When I read God's Words and listen for His voice, He may speak to my heart. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice..." I write down what I think God is saying and pray about it more, maybe I will share it with a friend or my husband to ask for their input. Sometimes the words God speaks to my heart are simply encouragement, or words that let me know how much He loves me. I treasure these words and if I write them in the moment, I can re-read them and remember how it made me feel as I heard and wrote down those things.
• Quotes that make me think. 
• I write about troublesome emotions, joyful things that have happened and difficult situations I have questions about.
• I write out prayers. Sometimes I copy prayers others have prayed. And I write out my prayers - it helps me to focus and keeps me from getting sidetracked. I love to go back and re-read the prayers I have prayed. Having a written record helps me see when my prayers have been answered. 

These are just some of the ideas of things you could include in your spiritual journal. It will help you to see how you have grown, it will help you to overcome difficulties in your life and it will definitely see how God has spoken to you, taught and directed you, encouraged you or brought you comfort in hard times. 

Do you keep a spiritual journal? What do you include in yours? Can you share a story of how it has been a benefit to you? Leave a comment below :-)

Keep writing!

Deb E