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Photo 1: Gather all of my supplies. Ideally, these would be kept all together in a basket that would make it easy to grab everything at once. The more convenient – the more likely to be used.

Photo 2: For 2020, I’m doing my journaling time a little different. I have one particular topic that the Lord has laid on my heart. I have spent months compiling a list of verses that pertain to that topic. This is not a hunt and peck – take out of context list. These are verses that, as I’ve been going about Bible reading, listening to sermons, enjoying podcasts, etc. have been brought up and are appropriate to my topic. You may want to do a monthly topic where you would only need 30ish verses.

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Photo 3: I write the verse in the middle of the page as the hub. This can be done in a nice, leather journal with fancy pens or in a spiral notebook with a Bic. 😉

Photo 4: I begin defining words using whatever means I have available. BlueLetterBible.org is a great free resource for looking up words in the original Greek or Hebrew. A word can’t be for us what it never would have meant for the original receiver of it. It’s important to know what they meant by “love” and not what we mean by it.

Photo 5: For instance, when James said to be reasonable, it included the idea of “willing to be persuaded.” To be “full of mercy” meant to be constantly engaged in mercy.” Those stood out to me.

Photo 6-7: I then make personal notes or observations. What about that verse speaks to my situation or concerns. Is there a command or correction I need to heed? A promise? A word of comfort? Did something just stand out to me differently during this reading of the passage?

Then, because I am a writer by nature, I turn these thoughts into a devotion or blog post. But you could certainly stop here and pray. Ponder. Meditate. Listen.

Happy Bible studying, sweet friends. You are loved.

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