new journal

I have begun to use a wonderful book...daily.  31 Days of Praise, by Ruth Myers. It's a little book. It's not new, it's been around the block for awhile and used by others. I have even had the book for awhile.  But sometimes God waits till I am ready and then leads me to the very thing He knows will engage my heart.  Such is this little book.

My home church is having another Women's Retreat in the fall.  We will be using this little book, and we will be doing some visual journaling again.  I wanted to have something to show the women, a way, one way they could apply what God is saying to them.  I took an old journal that I had not completed, covered some of the pages to use as my 31 Days of Praise Journal.  And don't you know, there are exactly 31 two page spreads.  Yes there are!  I did not change a darn thing about it.  

I am preparing the backgrounds ahead of time so when it comes time to journal on them they are ready. I may add a few elements as I work in it, but did not want to spend the bulk of the time painting backgrounds. I added elements with no though in mind as to what that day was going to be about.  I want to leave that as a surprise and see what God does.  I even think I am going to progress in order...usually I jump around in my journal...we'll see.  

My prayer as I read and journal my way through this book, is that God will show me more of Him. That in immersing myself in Him and His word, my heart softens, yields, and grows more open to Him.  That I learn to praise Him for who He is and not just what He does.  That I become more aware of Him walking beside me daily.  

He does you know.  

He never leaves...it's me who wanders...flickering here and there, sampling other things that I think will satisfy me.  

day 1

Flickering Mind

Lord, not you,

it is I who am absent

At first

belief was a joy I kept in secret, 

stealing alone

into sacred places:

a quick glance, and away-and back,

circling

I have long since uttered your name

but not

I elude your presence.

I stop

to think about you, and my mind

at once

like a minnow darts away

darts

into the shadows, into gleams, that fret

unceasing

Not for one second

will my self hold still, but wanders

anywhere,

everywhere it can turn. Not you,

it is I am absent.

You are the stream, the fish, the light,

the pulsing shadow,

you the unchanging presence, in whom all

moves and changes.

How can I focus my flickering, perceive

at the fountain's heart

the 

sapphire I know is there?

Denise Levertov