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So, if you know me, whether you are a NorthWood member, good friend, church planter who I’ve trained, man I’ve discipled, or friend, you know how important I believe journaling is.  Each year I read through the Bible and write out my prayers in a wide margin Bible.  In addition, I journal, generally daily, and it winds up being about 200 handwritten pages a year.  Soooo . . . . I began reflecting on 2008, read the journal, read the prayers, looked for the lessons, patterns, obstacles, challenges, successes, failures, joys, frustrations - - - - all of it.  I had been reading it already throughout the month of December so it wasn’t hard.  Then I did something very, very dangerous, I read the “lessons learned” from the back of my ‘07 journal.  Doing this caused me to read it more - just for fun I jumped back to my journal from the mid-90’s and a couple from the 80’s.  This turned into an all day thing.  I read them all and kept a piece of paper near me so I could reflect on what I was reading, what was the big pattern, what were the big lessons, what were the themes I could see in the past 15+ years. WOW! I am glad I journal.  It’s been incredible.  It has caused me to think hard, look at patterns, recognize God’s hand.  I had certain people give me verses and words and so many of them wound up coming true a year or two later.  This was had such an impact I’m going to go back and read them slowly over the next few months. 

At NorthWood we talk a lot about worship or an interactive relationship with God.  As you start this New Year, please read the Bible daily as a living book and write down what God is saying to you.  Nothing will grow you as much or have as much of an impact on your life as that.  Journal the lessons, the heart aches, the challenges, all of it and you will see how God works. 

Starting tomorrow, I’m going to give 5 to 10 lessons a day that are over arching lessons I have learned from years of God working in my life.  I have over 60.  There may be more. Some may be combined.  Not sure.  As I read over my journals from years past, I can see how God has been working.  It’s no wonder God is doing what he is doing today at NorthWood and in my life.  It only excites me when I think about what is in the future based on how God has already worked and what he may be about to do.