How to Keep a Spiritual Journal, Revised Edition: A Guide to Journal Keeping for Inner Growth and Personal Discovery

by Ron Klug

This revised edition of a thorough guide offers steps for anyone interested in keeping a spiritual journal, from recommendations for notebooks to ways to work through common frustrations and writer's block. Ron Klug relies on his experience as a workshop leader, journal keeper, and author to create a book that is both helpful and wise.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Writing, Self Help, Christianity, Journaling

143 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sarah Lyall-Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book and I'm looking forward to starting a spirtitual journal. I have journaled since I was in 3rd grade, sometimes a lot (the high school years), sometimes not much at all (the grad school years). This book covers everything you would want to know about Christian journaling all while weaving in numerous relevant bible verses.

Topics covered:
1) Why Keep a Spiritual Journal?
2) Experiencing the Benefits of Keeping a Spiritual Journal
3) Getting Started
4) The Daily Record- Basically a chapter that holds your hand and tells you what to write in case you are drawing a blank
5) Maintaining Momentum
6) The Journal Of Your Personal Goals- really good info on goal setting from a spiritual perspective
7) The Journal and Time Management
8) The Journal: An aid to the devotional life
9) Looking Backward
10) Going Deeper- Some cool prompts like writing the unmailed letter to process emotions
11) Problems along the way
12) Harvesting the Journal - going back and reading your insights
13) A Lifetime Plan for Journal Keeping

The book also has a bible reading plan in it and further reading.

I totally recommend this book to anyone who has ever thought of journaling. As a therapist, I recommend journaling to patients on a regular basis.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book that gives a broad overview of journaling- something I needed.

[Zinnada Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I'm currently into writing, I love promoting ideas. This book does that. It's a good tool to have.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, easy read. Mostly skimmed. It's a solid resource book when needing writing inspiration or journaling tips, but nothing ground-breaking. Enjoyed the practical advice but it was so wide-spread on the subject matter while still needing to be an overview that I was often left wanting more (but that could have just been because I'm interested in this subject). I did enjoy all of the quotes and references to other great writers. Ultimately a great introduction to the topic but not necessarily anything more.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite the overview of journaling in many diverse forms. There were some chapters that were especially helpful and quite a few that I skimmed over quickly. It is a bit more of a reference book - somewhere between a textbook and a conversation, as weird as that sounds.

[Susan Kendrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s definitely dated but just practical and straightforward. It’s a mix of personal record keeping, goal setting, and spiritual meditation. If you’re stumped about starting to journal, this is a good basic manual.

[Joshua Booher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I agree that this book missed the focus.

First, he used a VERY loose definition of spirituality. It seemed that basically anything was included as "sprituality" (therapy, goal setting, personal refelction, etc.) His only truly "spiritual" practice discussed was simply a modified Lectio Divina.

Second, the book had very little original material in it. For each section, he seemed to primarily summarize the ideas and work of other writers.

The only good I got from this book was a plan to journal. However, since my wife has been journaling for years, I didn't necessarily need this book to begin.

My main purpose in reading this book was to learn to journal to conduct more regular perosonal Theological Reflections The Art of Theological ReflectionI am not sure that this book helped my movement in that direction.

I am sure this book has its place. However, the title is misleading and the quality of the book was not what I expect from a) a revised book, b) a writer who has spent a large portion of his adult life in the publshing world, and c) someone who has spent 40 years journaling.

[Susan Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Focused more on the act of writing and less on the purpose of writing.