A Melodious Sonnet

Journibles: A Rich Devotional Resource (Book Review and Blog Tour)

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There are some people that are very good salesmen, even if they don’t intend to be. (Or maybe they do…I don’t know.) Anyway, when Chautona Havig shared a review of the Journibles collection on Youtube one day, I watched it and decided I wanted to try it out one day.

Imagine my delight when I saw that it was coming up for review soon, and I’d be able to get a hardcover version! I was thrilled to receive the welcome email, and eagerly anticipated the little package in the mail for the following few weeks—until, one day, there it was!

If there’s anything better than book mail, especially with a book you just can’t wait to dive into, please tell me. But that totally made my day one afternoon after work!

Journible Tour Banner

Some links in this review are affiliate links. They help keep this blog going, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

About the Journibles:

WHY THE 17:18 SERIES?

In Deuteronomy 17, Moses is leaving final instructions concerning the future of Israel. As a prophet of God, Moses foretells of when Israel will place a king over the nation (v. 14). In verse 18, the king is commanded to not simply acquire a copy of the law (the entire book of Deuteronomy) from the scroll publishing house, but to hand write his own copy of the law. Thirty-four hundred years later, educators are discovering that students that physically write out their notes by hand have a much greater retention rate than simply hearing or visually reading the information. Apparently, God knew this to be true of the kings of Israel also. From such understanding came the conception of this series of books.

HOW TO USE THESE BOOKS

Each book is organized so that you can write out your very own copy of Scripture. You will be writing the Bible text only on the right hand page of the book. This should make for easier writing and also allows ample space on the left page to write your own notes and comments. From time to time a question or word will be lightly printed on the left page; these questions are to aid in further study, but should not interfere with your own notes and comments.

Check out the available books here.

My Thoughts:

I think I tend to be a little ADHD about my personal Bible time. For some reason, it always seems like I have four or five different studies all running concurrently, so it is always hard to decide what to do when. Hence, I don’t tend to make a huge amount of progress in any one thing in any particular week, but I switch around some and find inspiration from many different directions. Unlike other studies I’ve done in the past, the Journibles are very much book-based studies. I’m not sure I’ve ever done an in-depth study of any particular book, so it’s a different approach for me.

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Despite the difference, though, I’ve found there’s a lot of richness missed when one just reads the scriptures. I’ve read through the Bible cover-to-cover before, probably at least four times, but I rarely ever took notes. It was just a reading exercise, and when I did my allotment for the day, I was done.

Journibles’ purpose is different, though: They intend to slow you down and make you think not only about the chapter as a whole, but see each section in it and each verse and word inside of that. It’s a very effective system.

I’ve only actually spent several personal devotional periods in my Journible so far. However, each time has been rich with meaning. I’m not quite through the first chapter of Proverbs yet, as I’m taking time to comment along the way, but even so there are several things that have jumped out at me that I haven’t noticed before.

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Although I haven’t used my Journible (Proverbs) as much yet as I thought I might, I know I’ve learned a lot even in the time I have dedicated to it. There’s power in praying over the Scriptures, asking the Lord for His inspiration from them each day. There’s also power in writing them out—“claiming” them, in a sense, as your own. Each word requires precision and care, and that responsibility really helps you focus on the true meaning. I think the only reason I haven’t done more is my aforementioned ADHD in Bible study, but in all, I am thrilled to have had the chance to try this resource out—I expect I’ll be using them more in the future! It looks like it would also make a great group study tool, too—fairly intensive as far as prep work is concerned, but you would have some gems of thoughts as a result, I think!

Note: I received this book for free from CelebrateLit, in exchange for my honest review.

Check out the other blog tour stops and the giveaway here!

Let’s discuss: What are some of your favorite Bible study tools? Do you journal as part of your Bible time?

11 Bible Verses I Pray Nearly Every Day

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I’m not sure where the idea originated for me, exactly. Dad’s been doing it for years—he has a list of verses he rotates through and prays over us children every evening.

I think the idea may have clicked when I saw it being used in a prayer list made for girls on one of the Facebook groups I’m in. The subject was prayers for our husbands, and each day the admin shared a prayer to pray as well as some verses pertaining to the prayer. What amazed me was the fact that these verses—ones I’ve been familiar with since before I can remember—also could be used as powerful, specific prayers! I loved it!

Since then, I set up a prayer notebook/Bible study journal, and whenever I find a verse that would be good to pray for others, I write it down.

There’s something special about praying scripture over other people. I don’t know what it is, exactly, but it comes alive—you can see your hopes and dreams for them expressed within the words of scripture. It’s an invigorating experience. And, truthfully, helpful too, in figuring out how to direct certain prayers for different ones!

11 Bible Verses I Pray Nearly Every Day

photo courtesy of www.christianpics.co

So today, I’m sharing my favorite verses that I pray for different ones I know:

My Brothers

This is the essence of what I want for my brothers—that they can be physically, mentally, and spiritually strong, the Word of God can be part of their daily lives, and that they will have victory over the evil one. It’s an amazing verse to pray for all young men (and women, too!)

“I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:14b)

This one is a little newer to me, but it’s also a precious verse. It’s great for praying for yourself, or others—just change out all the me’s for him or them!

“Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4-5)

Church Family/Missionaries

This one is close to my heart, because of the spiritual attacks we’ve seen over the years against the church, and the struggles I know missionaries experience every day. I know there are quite a few different verses you could use when praying for the strengthening of the church and of the Lord’s servants out on the field, but right now this is my go-to:

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

I also really appreciate this verse—what a promise to all of us! Yes, what power we have to tap into if only we will believe and obey!

“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” (Psalm 2:8)

Friends

For several different people, I’ve been reminded of different verses that apply to their situations. One of the most notable examples was when a dear soul I’ve known for years was facing a major struggle. The Lord laid it on my heart to pray this verse over her for a time. Remove her mountain, Lord!

“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20)

Others apply more broadly to different situations. I especially use the last phrase of this verse.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Many of these are also applicable as prayers for me—I tend to use them somewhat interchangeably.

“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.” (Psalm 3:3, 4, 8)

Myself

Because sometimes I need this reminder.

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8)

I pray these two nearly every single day.

“Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” (Psalm 143:8)

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalm 119:18)

Have you ever prayed Bible verses as prayers before? What are some of your favorite prayers from the Bible?

Keep Going!

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This afternoon, as I peeled onions and chopped broccoli as meal prep for tomorrow, I was thinking about my writing. As much as I love writing, I’ve been feeling rather burned out lately.

“Why don’t I just take a break?” I thought, as the pile of broccoli pieces slowly grew under my knife. “A break from having to write anything for even a week would be such a luxury!”

But then, I realized that if I did so, it would stretch into much more than a week. I’d rationalize it with, “I need more time to recuperate!” “I’m too busy right now!” “I don’t have any ideas!” And soon, another three years would slip by, unheeded, until a day in the future when I’d wake up and miss the joys of stories blossoming under my fingertips. I’d mourn the years wasted when I could have been learning something—even something little every single day, like I am now—and instead just have let that part of me lie forgotten.

Keep Going!

I can’t do that.

Yes, some days it’s like pulling hen’s teeth when I stare, unblinking, at the hour hand reaching around to 11 pm on my desk clock that reads “Good Morning!” It seems like strange irony at that hour, let me tell you! All I want to do is get to bed so I can have that promised morning, but I know if I let myself slip one day, it could be a long, long time until I get back.

So even though I’ve been feeling burned out creatively, I’m going to open that document tonight and write another 100 words. I don’t have to do more. But I’m going to do that much. Because, even with just that amount, the words of my story are dropping into place, one at a time. And before I know it, I’ll be typing “the end”, and looking forward to starting another story (or edit this one!).

Yes, the journey might be long. But the results, the routine, and the fact that I am doing something I love, all make it worth it.

How will you make progress today on something you’ve been wanting to do, even if it’s small?

“I Get To!” (Life Update)

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One thing that’s become clearer and clearer to me over this past week is the fact that I need to work on developing better daily and weekly rhythms. No longer am I working three-hour days; when I work, I’m doing nine-hour days! That makes a significant difference in the amount of time I have in a given week—not to mention the fact that after I get home from an 8-5 day, I don’t have a whole lot of extra energy left to do much else (yes, mothers, you are allowed to laugh).

My weeks are definitely going by a little faster than I was used to, but I’m loving it, too. 🙂 And I definitely don’t have any grounds to complain!

In the three days per week left to me to do things, I’ve been working at a myriad of jobs. Last night, I finally sat down and took five minutes to write out all the things that I really need or want to get done in the next month:

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  1. Finish my aunt and uncle’s wedding video (I got the files for this 2 1/2 years ago…it’s about time I finish it, methinks!)
  2. Sand, stain, and varnish my new (old) wardrobe (this has been in progress since soon after we moved here—my sister and I need it for our room, and preferably the sooner the better!)
  3. Catch up on book reviews (I’ve finished quite a few books lately…and am set to do more soon)
  4. Get the category sorting function on my new website figured out (this has been waiting for several months now)

Most of these jobs are ones that will take several days apiece to do—and that’s not counting the ones I need to complete on a weekly basis (like bread making) or roughly once a month (like uploading new book reviews to the website).

But wow. I look at that list and think, “how many people out there have time to even think about jobs like this?”

Two or three weeks ago, I came across an interesting point about the Indians that lived in the Pacific Northwest: “Because food and wood [were] easy to gather, the Northwest Indians [had] much leisure time. Their lives [were] full of playacting, dancing, and singing.” (From A History of Us, Book 1 by Joy Hakim.)

I have to wonder, statistically speaking, how many people these days do not have time for things like this—or “relaxation” as we know it at all!—simply because it’s a daily fight for survival. It’s a struggle to even find a little food to feed their family.

None of those jobs listed above would be on my to-do list if I lived in a country where food was scarce. If anything, they would be a someday/maybe dream. That fact makes me feel very thankful. My food almost always appears, ready to eat (thank you, Mom!).

I live in plenty. So even if I struggle with a very first-world problem of figuring out prioritization and how to get the most out of my days, I know that I am blessed. Of course, there are the negative aspects of having too much plenty, but that’s a completely separate topic!

For now, I’m choosing to focus on the fact that I get to do these things, when for many people it’s an impossible dream. That it’s a privilege. Remembering that cuts down on the overwhelm factor quite a bit.

But, seriously—getting overwhelmed over something as trivial as what I should do with my days?

Okay. I’ll stop. But thanks for sparking the thought, Mr. History Book.

Let’s discuss: What are you working on right now? What are you thankful for today?

River Walk

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When we moved over here a month ago, I asked Mom, “Do you think I’ll always think of the East Coast as the most beautiful side, and miss it? Or will I eventually think the West Coast is the most beautiful, and if we move back to Canterbury, I’ll end up missing the West Coast?”

She answered, “I don’t know.”

I think I’ve now found my answer now:

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A month into being here, I think I can pretty comfortably say that I’ve fallen in love with West Coast scenery. Before we moved here, I already really enjoyed it—there’s a certain charm to the rugged beauty of this place, but I knew I didn’t like the rain. However, I’m finding I haven’t minded the rain at all (so far, anyway—better wait until I’ve gone through a couple winters to make that an absolute statement!). And we still do get a good amount of sunshine, which is lovely!

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But the colors here…I think at this point I’d really miss them if we would go anywhere else. Yesterday afternoon, we as a family had time for a quick walk, and we’ve been wanting to find out exactly where a creek is that we’ve seen signs for.

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So we took off to explore for that, and turns out it’s just a 10-15–minute walk away, around the corner, down a hill, and around another corner.

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It ended up being a lovely little creek that gushes under a rickety old wooden bridge (rickety, as in when I walked across it, several of the boards were bouncing under my feet!). It also has that special enchanting gurgle as it tumbles over several series of rapids on its way down to join the river.

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After exploring the creek, we retraced our steps, crossed the railway line, and headed down another road. We found what we assume is a fishing access road that follows the creek for a ways as it winds out to the riverbed. It wasn’t a very long walk from there to the river.

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The scenery along the way, though. Gorgeous. Even though we were less than a mile from town, we were immersed in the country. There were animals, green, green grass, trees galore, the river off in the distance, and the mountains behind that…. Ahh, it did my soul good.

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Skirting the gravel piles, we walked down a short four-wheel-drive trail and then headed west along the rocky riverbed. It wasn’t far until we hit the creek again, where it spread out and hurried over rocks and around hillocks of grass and small shrubs to merge with the river that flowed at its toes off to our left.

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Then a patch of sand, another bit of rushing water (perhaps a side-channel of the Grey river?), more sand, more rocks, and we hit what appeared to be one of the main channels of the Grey river. That water was moving much faster, and appeared to be just as big if not bigger than the river that flows past our town to the south. It had gouged out a cleft for itself in the rocky riverbed, and formed a swift-moving current through which it ran down to where the two rivers intersected. On either side, for quite a distance, smaller trickles of water fanned out, all heading downstream.

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The boys had heaps of fun wading in the rushing water, but the current was strong, so they mostly all stayed together to keep from being washed off their feet!

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Then they headed upstream to find driftwood to send down the chute.

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It truly was a lovely evening! And although pictures aren’t perfect, and don’t come anywhere near to doing it justice, the memories made will live in our hearts forever.

Thank you, Lord, for my family. For the time we can spend together. For laughter, and a beautiful creation, and most of all, for Your gift of love that we can share with each other.