DEEP #4: Journaling and spiritual formation . . .

Christian spiritual formation or discipleship is the process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others; spiritual formation calls for an intentional development in the practice of self-selected ruminating disciplines through engagement with  . . .

• Bible reading
• Meditation as reflection and rumination
• Prayer - especially the “Prayer of Examen”
• Worship as response to God

When the active processes of spiritual disciplines are applied, one’s Christian formation invigorates six “R’s” -  read, reflect, ruminate, record, respond, and renew. Ongoing Christian formation is an experiential and interactive development of intentional engagement with Word and Spirit through “ruminating disciplines” . . .

Ruminating disciplines have a way of paying attention to our lives . . . a way of knitting the vast ball of our experiences into something with shape that attests to the state of our soul. They comprise a great and time-honoured way in being able to catch and process our life through rumination, especially through applying the “spiritual discipline of journaling”.

So, how does journaling work? . . . 

How do people journal? . . . 

Normal people like me that is? . . . 

Take three and a half minutes to “take-in-the-testimonies” on the video clip . . . 

Ruminating naturally leads to reflective-recording . . . 

When journaling we’re further enabled to listen and reflect on experiences in the Holy Spirit’s presence; though to read and reflect, you've got to write it first . . .

  

• Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2005, p.56-58.
•  Simon Chan. Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1998, p.155-158, 180-185.
•  John C. Douglas, "The Effectiveness of a Rule of Life as Growth Processing Framework in the Development of New Zealand Evangelical Church Leaders’ Spiritual Discipline Behaviors)." doctoral dissertation, Denver Seminary 2013.