My great friend Scot Longyear has an article up at a relatively new worship source called, oddly enough, WorshipSource. Here’s a snippet:

Worship leaders lead worship. We don’t lead music. You can fake it for awhile. You might even be a fantastic musician and can read a room like a book, but sooner or later you will burn out on worship. You will be frustrated and the people you are leading will be frustrated. You simply can’t take people where you have not been.

Go read the whole thing here and be sure to visit Scot’s blog by clicking here.

If you’re not sure what Life Journaling is all about, check out my article on how to life journal on your PC.

Up until just a few years ago I struggled with the best way to study the Bible. I never knew how much to read, and what was I supposed to do with what I did read?

My family and I started attending eXchange in late 2003 and was introduced to a Bible study method called Life Journaling. It was like a breath of fresh air when it came to studying the Word of God and, once I got the hang of it, I’ve never looked back. Life Journals come with their own one year Bible reading plan and an easy method for converting what you’ve read that day into effective reflection and tangible results.

Initially I journaled using a paper journal but found I could pour out my thoughts more effectively sitting at a keyboard and using a PC (I type much faster than I write). However, it was a little tough reading a bound Bible then moving to the PC platform to pour out my thoughts and prayers.

This article details how to Life Journal using your PC for 100% of the process. No paper journals required.

First, hit up the official Life Journal reading plan for today by clicking here (thanks New Hope). This site is based out of Hawaii so the reading plan doesn’t change each day until 6am Eastern time.

Read through today’s scripture, taking the time for your eyes and mind to catch verses that stand out to you. Copy and paste those verses into Notepad (comes with every version of Windows) as you read so you don’t lose them.

If you’re new to Life Journaling and find the daily reading plan a bit overwhelming, just stick with the New Testament reading for that day. If that’s still too much, just read a paragraph or two (or at least until you find a verse that really sticks out to you).

Once done reading, pick the verse you want to journal on for today.

Next, you’re going to need somewhere to keep your journal entries. There’s all kinds of options, from Notepad and Wordpad (both built into Windows, both free) to Google Docs (available at docs.google.com, also free) to journaling software. I use My Daily Friend (pictured at left) which runs $9.95 and can be purchased here. Use the coupon code eXchange to get $5 off (yes, $5 off) making My Daily Friend only $4.95. That’s cheaper than a single paper journal, and it’s a one time cost, meaning you don’t have to spend $4.95 every time you "run out of paper." My Daily Friend indexes all of your entries so you can easily go back and find any previous journal entry and also password protects your journal so no one but you can read the entries.

Now, taking the verse that stood out to you, use the SOAP method. Below is the official description for Life Journaling in a paper journal using the SOAP method but the directions easily translate to journaling on your PC. You may notice some of the instructions below duplicate some of what I’ve written above but it’s still good to get exposure to the process.

S for Scripture
Open your Bible to the reading found under today’s date of your Bible bookmark. Take time reading and allow God to speak to you. Highlight, underline or place a mark in the margin of your Bible, next to the scriptures that stand out. When you are done, reread the verses you marked, look for one that particularly spoke to you that day, and write it in your journal.
Helpful hint: If you are having difficulty understanding what you’ve read, you may find a study Bible useful.

O for Observation
What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write this scripture down in your own words, in your journal.

A for Application
Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or corrections for a particular area of your life. Write how this scripture can apply to you today.

P for Prayer
This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Now, write it out.

As you become more familiar with the process, don’t be afraid to move away from the SOAP method if you find alternatives work for you. I’m simply presenting a method to use if you don’t already have one.

That’s it! That’s all there is to it. I am not understating how valuable Life Journaling is to me and how much its improved my relationship with God. It’s also made me more aware of what he has in store for me as I’m hearing him speak to me through His Word every day I Life Journal.

Feel free to hit up the comments with questions. I’ll do my best to help!

life journaling, new hope, soap, bible study, shawnw

On Sundays I post my life journaling entry to my blog. The rest of the week I use Journalr, which is free. You can sign up here if you like, or to find out more about life journaling, click here.

Today’s reading is from Matthew 9 (MSG).

12-13Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

This is my favorite verse in all the Bible. The way The Message translation words it is so relevant to today’s culture (not that Jesus has to be relevant to today’s culture, by any means; he’s relevant because he’s the Son of God and the savior of mankind) that, the first time I read it, I was captured by it, and have hung onto it ever since.

Mat 9:12-13 summarizes, to me, the problems with today’s church mentality, and where the church needs to go. The days of Sunday afternoon potlucks and Wednesday night chicken noodle dinners, where the only people in attendance are the same people you see week in and week out, and no one new, have passed. These serve no purpose.

You want to have a potluck? Get everything together, your foodstuffs, utensils, manpower, everything: then find some people who need the food, and serve them. Crack addicts, porn stars, gamblers, cheaters, the poor, the homeless, the downtrodden. They’re all God’s kids. He loves them just as much as those who spend every Sunday in church, and every Wednesday in prayer meeting. A great addition to Matthew 9:13 is Hosea 6:6, which says:

I’m after love that lasts, not more religion. 
I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings.

It’s time, folks. It’s time we get off of our dead butts and do something about those who don’t know the life changing truth of Jesus the Christ. Are you with me?

life-journaling, matthew, jesus, christ, mercy, religion, shawnw

I’m going to start posting my journaling on Sundays to my blog. Most of the time I use Journalr (and occasionally fall back to my paper journal), which is free, so if you think you’d like to try journaling online, sign up.

Today’s reading is from 1 Samuel 17.

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

The above is David’s response to Goliath as they prepare to battle one on one. It’s verse 47 I find interesting. “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves”.

David is standing toe to toe with an enemy that’s quite possibly, literally, twice his size. He has the entire Israelite army behind him, and the entire Philistine army sprawled ahead of him. The constant yells and screams of warriors ready to do battle, armor and weapons clanging, mayhem…

And yet, David knows that it’s not by sword or spear that God’s people are saved. It’s by the grace of God. It’s by his enduring love. It won’t be because David’s good with a sword or shield or sling. It won’t be because there are more (or fewer) Israelite warriors. It will be by God’s generous hand.

Lord, thank you for today’s humbling reminder. You are not made more famous by our doings. You are not made more famous by talent, or aggressiveness, or luck, or temperment, but by who you are, God. You are the Creator God of the universe. I seek your will, Father, and want to do only what you want me to do. Thank you God.

david, goliath, samuel, bible, life journaling, grace, philistines, shawnw

Today’s reading is from 1 Corinthians 10.

11-12These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

13No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

Verse 13 reminds me of “there’s nothing new under the sun.” Often times it can feel as if we’re the only ones who ever went through what we’re going through, and it’s easy to forget that this hardly the case. Christ has endured it all, and much harder to boot, I’m sure.

It’s in times like these where we need to stop looking at ourselves, and relying on ourselves. “How am I going to get out of this?” or “What will I do if this or that happens?” We should take all things… ALL THINGS… to Christ, who strengthens us. It requires a rewiring of our minds, so to speak, so our reaction to hardship is a look to the heavens, then a fall to our knees in prayer and supplication.

Lord, thank you for the reminder that you are my all in all. I often look to my own understanding, which is so limited. May today’s words rest in my heart, Lord, so that I may remember them, and use them, and lean on you and your living Word when times are rough.

jesus, hardship, paul, apostles, the message, self reliance, shawnw