Journaling as a Spiritual Practice: Encountering God Through Attentive Writing

by Helen Cepero

Whether you are a longtime journal keeper or someone who has never kept a journal at all, this book will help you go below the surface of your life with God. It is not about the art of writing, but about how journaling can form us spiritually. Every chapter combines descriptive text, illustrations from journals and the author's own experience with journaling practices integrated along the way to help you bring your own life and world into sharper focus. God wants to surprise you with the beauty of your own life, growing and alive, filled with movement, light and shadow. This is the book to do just that.

Genres: Journaling, Spirituality, Writing, Christian, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity

161 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2008

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The phrase "Attentive Writing" in the title is well said. This book takes time, due to the writing prompts. Reading it alone would be still be good, but writing along with the reading is especially beneficial.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this broke down into sections. There are writing prompts that you can stop and do or it can be read from cover to cover. Good book for beginners or those who have writer's block.

[Janet]

Too much god for my liking. Don't know what I expected with god in the title!

[Candy Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the title and it did not disappoint. The writing style is interesting, the theology is deep, and the prompts are thought filled and beneficial. I could not recommend this book more to

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am kicking myself for not reading Helen Cepero's book JOURNALING AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE as soon as I got the book--several years ago. But I am incredibly glad that I have finally read it. I have not yet gone through the journal entries; I wanted to do the reading so I didn't stall on reading the book. Typically, with a book like this, my reading gets stalled if not completely waylaid because I am trying so hard to keep up with the journaling while I am reading and it simply becomes too overwhelming. This time, I made a conscious effort to go ahead and read the book in its entirety and then go back and complete the journal entries. I am looking forward to doing them. I may come back and add to my review after I complete the journal entries as I am sure they will affect my thoughts on the book as a whole.

I do have to say, Helen Cepero, that I hope you read these reviews and that when you do, you get in touch with me. I would very much like to talk about your mention of Pollyanna in chapter 8.

[Rev. Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A resource for a series of workshops I am developing for our church's Women's Conference - From the publisher: Whether you are a longtime journal keeper or someone who has never kept a journal at all, this book will help you go below the surface of your life with God. It is not about the art of writing, but about how journaling can form us spiritually. Every chapter combines descriptive text, illustrations from journals and the author's own experience with journaling practices integrated along the way to help you bring your own life and world into sharper focus. God wants to surprise you with the beauty of your own life, growing and alive, filled with movement, light and shadow. This is the book to do just that.

[Tom Greentree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful. I’m grateful for Helen’s work here and my daily journaling habit is growing because of her.

“All spiritual practice, including journaling, is meant to tune our awareness, just as you might tune a stringed instrument, so that we can hear the true note of God’s grace playing through the sometimes discordant chords around us and in us. And then it means choosing to let this graced note bless us and others. If we miss the blessing in us and around us, we will never be able to see the holy in the ordinary.” (134)

[Bryan Neuschwander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better bought than borrowed, this book. It'd take me at least a year to work through all the prompts.

Many of the prompts resonate with me--some as fresh ideas, others as familiar to my own limited practice of journaling--and I found the accompanying commentary of the chapters to be both helpfully sequenced and thoughtfully stated.

I'd recommend it particularly for dabblers and explorers, but even veterans may find refreshing insights.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does a wonderful job of describing how to use the practice of journaling to grow spiritually. I chose to read the book straight through while I kept a journal in my daily life. I plan to go back and use some of the writing exercises in the coming months to help me to go deeper into the practice.

[Kirsten Kroeker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been an avid journaler, but this was a new practice of turning my journalling into prayers through reflection, listening and journaling prompts. It was at times momentous and at times mundane as I worked through the book, but overall really appreciated the journey.

[Scott Rushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book can be useful to people at any level of journaling, whether they are beginners or common practitioners. I found the journaling prompts to be helpful, and I think that using the prompts helped me get the most out of the book.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A supportive and insightful guide for one’s journaling practice. I read a few pages each morning before I began free writing. If you are looking for something a little less prescriptive and more connected with religion than The Artist’s Way, check it out.

[Vanessa Siemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for ideas on how to create space for journaling as a spiritual discipline. Lots of great journaling prompts throughout as well as a guide for how to share this with others.

[Mark Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good guide to taking the process of journaling and using it to give you an ongoing talk with God.

The journal prompts are well thought out and make you dig deep to discover more of yourself and your relationship to God.

Very well done.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Journaling as a Spiritual Practice mixes theological language with the language of the creative and the therapeutic. It was not an immediately comfortable fit for me. I read it without pursuing most of the writing - I will try and go back and do a few more of them. Overall, some great insights, but the chapters did not hold together as tightly as I might have wished (they seemed to promise more than they delivered).

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've journeyed with this book for months and enjoyed dipping in and out. It's not a book to "finish", but a companion to praying and reflection. That's my learning style so I'm a big fan of this book and loved Cepero's wisdom, faith and authenticity.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an ok book. Interesting perspective on journaling as a act of prayer, and basic guidelines and prompts to get you started, but somehow I didn't really connect to this book in the way I had hoped. A bit disappointing, I guess.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appreciated the writing prompts.

[Benita Borrowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

inspiring and helpful!