Weekly Magazine | Creative Soul Care
Your weekly magazine is here—real stories, real faith, real encouragement. Just for you!
Dear Friends,
Some weeks call for a slower pace. This is one of them. This issue is devoted to creative soul care, and we hope it gives you permission to pause, breathe, and tend to the inner life you so often set aside for everyone else.
One thing that helps so many of us stay connected with God is journaling. Sitting with a notebook and a favorite pen and just pouring out your heart to the Lord with everything you happen to be carrying. Some days the words are joyful and filled with gratitude, and then there are days when the struggle is real. He welcomes it all.
Creative soul care isn’t just a luxury when you have time; it’s a lifeline that helps you in your everyday faith. If you’re like me and enjoy journaling, we have a year-long intentional journal below for you to print and use right away.
As you enjoy the articles in this issue, remember that Jesus wasn’t someone who rushed from one thing to the next. He took time to pray and listen to others, and knowing He did that can help us remember that it’s okay if we do the same.
Let’s slow down together.
Encouraging you in God’s truth,
Drawing Closer to God Through Journaling | Andrea Tice
What happens when we finally put pen to paper and tell the truth? Andrea shares how journaling brings clarity, emotional healing, and deeper fellowship with God. Through honest reflection and prayerful writing, we learn to release burdens and hear His voice more clearly.
BONUS DOWNLOAD: Be sure to look later in this issue for your Intentional Year Journal—a beautiful, purpose-filled resource designed to help your faith flourish all year long.
An Appointment for Soul Health | Sandy Mayle
If your soul could speak, what would it say? Sandy invites us to imagine placing our inner life on God’s examining table. Through solitude, self-examination, and learning to speak truth to our own souls, we discover rhythms of maintenance and restoration.
Spending Time Alone with God | Sharon Gamble
Why is it so hard to walk away from our responsibilities, even for a day with Jesus? Sharon shares her practice of a monthly “Time Alone With God” and explains why stepping away is not selfish, but obedience to the greatest commandment.
Also:
The NIV Illustrating Bible helps you interact with Scripture by giving you room to journal your thoughts, reflections, and insights right alongside the Bible verses that inspired them. The large size and spiral-bound format allow the Bible to lay completely flat, giving you the ideal surface for writing and drawing. It’s the perfect way to engage with God’s Word and deepen your faith.
Drawing Closer to God Through Journaling
Finding Clarity, Healing, and God’s Presence on the Page.
By Andrea Tice
“What is making you anxious?”
As a facilitator of journaling workshops for military veterans, I ask questions like these to help participants begin the process of self-reflection. As participants begin writing their thoughts and feelings on paper, for many it is the first time they begin to see the tangible burdens on their hearts.
In a recent workshop, an older gentleman raised his hand to answer. As he began to open his mouth to speak, he promptly closed it. His whole body crumbled, and tears began flowing from his eyes. He covered his face with his hands, unable to speak.
He carried burdens in his heart that he was able to write on paper, but could not speak out loud. For some of us, our feelings and emotions can be difficult to verbalize.
When we put pen to paper, we can come face to face with what may be buried deep within. We can experience life twice—both in the moment and in reflection of that moment. Through the practice of journaling, we are given an avenue to gain clarity and direction to who we are. When we journal in fellowship with our Father, we are given an opportunity to cry out to God as we seek His guidance and reflect in His presence.
