Devotional Journaling.
It's not original with me. But years ago, for the purpose of keeping my head on straight and focused while reading my Bible every morning, and turning the reading time into prayer and worship, I started journaling. It's very simple: Date, passages read, and reflective thoughts that lean toward prayer. All pretty simple. The picture shows three recent days (with the names covered up to protect the innocent). The following is today's prayer entry. It pulled together from my Scripture readings, the pain in my heart for several people, and the trust I have in our great liberating and loving God. Lord, mighty and strong, a refuge in the storm and a shelter in the squall - you see clearly through the fog of human confusion, the stifling smoke of worry, the crushing blanket of darkness of depression - you set captives free, open prison doors and release the entrapped, lift up the oppressed and put the oppressors down. O Lord, mighty and strong, liberating and loving: hear m...