Life Journaling

By Jon Tilburt

I struggle with spiritual disciplines - like those who consider themselves runners and yet rarely run, I consider myself a journaler, although I rarely journal.

In years past, I found great inspiration for journaling while traveling to places like Africa, Ireland and Colorado. In these travels, free from my usual academic pursuits, I would write about my life's journey with God. The vast terrain, the unfamiliarity, the fresh perspective inspired me to write. Looking back on these journal entries, I find thoughtful insights from moments of spiritual growth. Unfortunately, since I began journaling in college, these entries averaged one every two years or so (not exactly a spiritual discipline!). Despite my best intentions, these entries did not spawn much journaling during the rest of my life; and with this laxity, I fear my spiritual growth has suffered.

Unlike those special times captured in my journals where God was close, vivid, and intense, my daily spiritual life often lacks that same fresh perspective. And, while I consider it a minor miracle to drive safely to east Baltimore each day, I wonder, are my daily experiences really worthy of ink? What is there to write about when you are living day to day, moment to moment, or (for some of us) diaper change to diaper change? Like most of us, I am a mature Christian who nevertheless struggles to bring the significance of the Gospel to my daily experience at work and at home; but journaling just didn't seem to fit this daily life of mine.

This fall, I was privileged to participate in George's Inklings Class. The class, modeled on the Life Journaling approach, was an opportunity for me to revisit this spiritual discipline. Using the SOAP format (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer), we met weekly to read Scripture, write and then share our reflections with one another. Each Sunday I was surprised by the way Old and New Testament texts shared common themes, and I was encouraged by the insights and candor of others. Several times I did not know what text I would write about until I actually began writing. And yet, by God's grace, I always had something to write about. So what did I write about? I wrote about God, his purposes and my place in his plan. Because it was first about Him, I always had something about which to write. It turns out that when I journal this way, I learn more about myself than I would otherwise have learned. It also turns out that despite the seeming monotony of everyday life, I found myself journaling about enduring themes in my life's journey with God.

In the three months of the Inklings class, I experienced the birth of our third child, a job change and the death of my 90-year old grandmother - a journey indeed! In these times, God used the spiritual discipline of Life Journaling to sustain me in considerable uncertainty.

I currently do not trek the globe on adventures, with breathtaking vistas that inspire my reflection about our Creator (Does Panera after church count?). Instead, he comes to me in the written word and the simple practice of Life Journaling. This practice has rekindled my hope and faith in God's timing here and now, in this life of mine.