Journals Books

WOW! I picked up this book at a writer's conference. I have kept a journal for years (well, 30 years to be exact), and found much inspiration in Klugs book.

The chapter "Caring for Your Soul" outlines the step-by-step process of meditating on scripture and journaling about the verses the Holy Spirit illuminates within you. "Begin reading slowly and stop when a word or phrase seems highlighted for you, when it 'shimmers' with meaning, when the Holy Spirit is addressing you through these words." I think this would be especially helpful for new Christians or for more mature Christians who feel stuck for some reason.

There is also a chapter, "Harvesting Your Journal," which contains suggestions for reviewing, summarizing, and indexing your journal(s). The Resource list suggests Harveting Your Journals by Rosalie Deer heart and Alison Strickland. I'm definitely going to get that book.

This book should be in every Christian's library.

I've been journaling on and off for years, more on than off for the last few years! Ronald Klug does an outstanding job of explaining the importance of keeping a journal, ideas to get you going, suggestions of things to write about, etc.

Keeping a journal has been one of the most satisfying and helpful things I've done in my Christian walk. When you go back to read it later, you can really see God's working in your life!

One of the things that Klug addresses that I've never seen anywhere else is the "problem" of what do to with notes you might be taking on books you're currently reading. Do you incorporate them into your daily journal, or keep a separate notebook? I'm journaling every day and reading my Bible and other books every day, and this is something that I've done different ways and I haven't found any one solution to be entirely satisfactory. I thought it was wonderful that the author even addressed the "problem"! I want to be able to find notes on a particular book I'm reading easily, and if they're scattered throughout the dailyness of your writing, that is harder to do.

He suggests keeping notes from other books you are reading in a separate notebook from your daily journal. And he suggests indexing them so you know what's in that notebook! An excellent suggestion and one I hadn't tried before. Just leave the first page blank and you could write which books' notes are contained in the book, and you could even add page numbers. I think this is a great idea!

As for brief quotes that you might be struck by, or particular scripture passages that you're learning about, you could include those in your daily journal.

The author says that he writes in spiral notebooks of lined paper. When he's finished, he puts them in a binder so that he has them all in order. While I prefer the small hardcover spiral-bound books that you find in Christian bookstores for journaling purposes, having them all together and in order is an attractive option! I also prefer using colorful Gelly Roll pens that are archival safe and permanent.

However you do it, Ronald Klug emphasizes that however you keep your journal is right for you. Whether you write it or dictate it or type it, whether you write in it twice a day, twice a week, or twice a year - it's a valuable tool for spiritual growth.

Please check out my other reviews of Christian books!

Happy journaling!

How To Keep a Spiritual Journal by Ronald Klug is a great source of inspiration for journal writing. It is the most comprehensive book on the subject o f journal writing that I've ever read. Mr. Klug gives many examples from his own journal writing, and he gives many approaches as well as ways to "get going" when you feel stuck. I read, and re-read the book and have loaned it and recommended it to friends who then bought their own copies. I find it a great resource. The most important thing Mr. Klug says about journal writing is that your journal is your journal, and you write it for your own reasons, so there's no one approach you MUST use. That's what I like about journal writing. I think you will find this book very encouraging and supportive for ANY reason that you want to write a journal.

I've been trying to write my memoirs for years, have read all the books. But there was something about HEARING this good guidance, and listening to the examples of everything she said to do, that made it real for me. This was the best aide I've found - and I found a lot of them.

I'd always wanted to write my family's history but couldn't get started....didn't know how. This took me step-by-step and showed me how to make it interesting. A terrific guide.

Patrika: I read your book this morning, and it summed-up in 200 short pages what I had to garnish from probably 50 - 60 previously read books on writing and publishing. I enjoyed every page of it. What's more important, is that it answered several questions that I had about current trends in the publishing industry.

Thanks again for being the pioneer "Author's Advocate", it's good to know that someone understands and is willing to help.

Mike White

________________

Valdez V. Fisher, Jr.
The Young Baltimore Author who Just Won't Quit

Perhaps by now you've heard of Valdez V. Fisher, Jr. He's the 31 year old author of the self-help/motivational book I Ain't Bitin' My Tongue. Fisher, determined to get the word out, has launched a staggering 12,000+ emails since the inception of his book in 2005. The emails have been directed to anyone and everyone he felt could be of assistance in his endeavor, from the media to politicians. His youth targeted book addresses such critical issues as self-esteem, parenting, wealth management, education, selective role models, choices, and post traumatic recovery. When asked "What makes you the expert on these issues?" he responded "I never claimed to be an expert. I am merely a young man who has made many mistakes, and would like to prevent my peers from falling prey to the same pitfalls."

Fisher has loved writing since he knew what a pencil was. From age five, he began writing poetry, and letters to celebrities. Donald Trump, who Fisher deeply admires and looks up to, was not only favorably mentioned in his book, but written dozens of letters over the years. Although he has never personally responded, he recently sent Fisher a polite "cease and desist" through his secretary, acknowledging Fisher's many contact attempts, and wishing him the best of luck with his book. Fisher framed the letter.

Fisher is a ball of energetic fire that rejection cannot extinguish. The only exonerees from his regular help-seeking and informative emails are individuals who take the time to respond. Fisher stated in a recent interview on Maryland's WJZ TV 13 that "he can accept no for an answer; however, no response at all is viewed by him as a potential possibility." Without a public relations firm behind him, or so much as a literary agent, he was able to persuade actor Lance Warlock of the movie Halloween II, to write the foreword to his book. Halloween is a classic horror film, written and directed by the legendary John Carpenter, and Debra Hill. In addition, he has regular contact via phone, email, and Internet instant message with New York Times best-selling author Omar Tyree, who has told Fisher he would grant consideration to writing the foreword to his next book.

I Ain't Bitin' My Tongue is one of the most unconventional books of its genre. Although pregnant with truth and delivering vital points, it manages to remain absolutely hilarious all throughout. Fisher delves deep into his personal life, and begins his prescriptions for greater levels of personal fulfillment with an open invitation through the time capsule of his existence. He truly did not "bite his tongue." The award winning poetry of Fisher can also be found in his book. Through it, he takes readers further along a journey of learning experiences and triumph.

Fisher's book is available worldwide at your local bookstore, or by visiting amazon.com, [...]. He loves reader feedback, [...] For public appearances including book signings, please contact:

[...]

This book is all you expect and more. The poetry is beautiful, and Valdez speaks with wisdom far beyond his years. I found the book enlightening, and well written.

This was one of the best books I have ever read. Very, very humerous, but true.

I like the idea of keeping a "gratitude journal." You can note in it the little and big things that you appreciate. It sounds like a wonderful way to shift focus away from the negative things that drag down your spirits. Instead of thinking about all the problems that threaten to overwhelm you, take a few minutes each day to think of good things.
Filling in the pages of the gratitude journal forcesus to start thinking beyond the big things in our lives. We would get beyond the obvious such as being grateful for a comfortable home or a caring spouse.
Finding some things to note down every day would expand our view. It would force us to really look around at the smaller things that make up our lives.

This is a journal that helps you log and apprciate the good things in life. Stay on top of it and refer to it often!

I like this journal a lot. It is big, easy to write in, handy writing prompts, and just the right amount of free writing space.

This is one of the most informitive books, great nutritional guide, allot of information qa must read for everyone

The Integrative Nutrition Journal
I am so pleased to write a review about the Integrative Nutrition Journal by Joshua Rosenthal, a guide to a happier, healthier life. I am a Holistic Health Nurse in private practice and I also am currently a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (a coursework I would highly recommend for all people who want to be well and feel more joy in their life).
The journal is an excellent vehicle to express your inner feelings as they relate to nourishing yourSelf, body, mind, and spirit. It is a wonderful template to access those things that are paramount to health and healing. I highly recommend you buy one for yourself and one for your best friend, now! Shine On, Donna Cetroni

For me, this journal took the concepts of a food diary and a personal journal and brought them together to really create a whole health and personal growth tool. I love the Circle of Life exercise and the Wish List. I also really like the approach of beginning each day with gratitude and intention and ending each day with a loving thought. Overall, this journal has inspired me to keep in closer touch with my choices and my goals without the boredom I typically encounter when I attempt to keep a "food diary".

I have this book and it is side-splitting funny. It is written in Caribbean English and has many cliches that takes you back to the islands. It contains a few hilarious stories of "man and woman ting". A definate pick-me-up for those who miss the Caribbean. Do not read it in public you may end up laughing out loud. I long for more literature like this. It is well worth buying and sharing.

I have this book and it is side-splitting funny. It is written in Caribbean English and has many cliches that takes you back to the islands. It contains a few hilarious stories of "man and woman ting". A definate pick-me-up for those who miss the Caribbean. Do not read it in public, you may end up laughing out loud. I long for more literature like this. It is well worth buying and sharing.

I have this book and it is side-splitting funny. It is written in Caribbean English and has many cliches that takes you back to the islands. It contains a few hilarious stories of "man and woman ting". A definate pick-me-up for those who miss the Caribbean. Do not read it in public, you may end up laughing out loud. I long for more literature like this. It is well worth buying and sharing.

I LOOOOOVE THIS BOOK! It's the best book ever! And I'm not just saying that because my sister wrote it! It made me see Thurber in a light not uncommon to that which shines down upon saints. When I had to write my paper on the Cat and the Canary, I knew exactly where to locate the articles due to the FANTABULOUS index.

I laughed, I cried, it moved me. Plus, the cover is a lovely forest green that matches my favorite skirt, with embossed gold leafing and an easily readible typeface--very unlike those modern dissertations on Thurber you read nowadays, with size ten Balmoral font. A lovely choice, if you're interested in purchasing it.

Sarah Elearnora Toombs, I thank you.

I LOOOOOVE THIS BOOK! It's the best book ever! And I'm not just saying that because my sister wrote it! It made me see Thurber in a light not uncommon to that which shines down upon saints. Sarah Elearnora Toombs, I thank you.

I LOOOOOVE THIS BOOK! It's the best book ever! And I'm not just saying that because my sister wrote it! It made me see Thurber in a light not uncommon to that which shines down upon saints. Sarah Elearnora Toombs, I thank you.

If you buy this book...God is calling you home. You will certainly become holier than in the present n0w. Remarkably informative with insights of the Master from the student of Meister Eckhart & Thomas Aquinas. These sermons are the ones you hope to hear and n0w God has placed in your sight. Go for it! The best money can buy with a whole lot more!

The Classics of Western Spirituality is another series of resources from the writings of those who focused on the spiritual life. Each volume has a general introduction to the writer, and often each writing is also introduced.
In the volume, Johannes Tauler: Sermons, the very helpful general introduction by Josef Schmidt of McGill, gives us information not only about Tauler, but also the context in which he lived. You will be introduced to the three central features of medieval Christian mysticism and Tauler role in them. Schmidt also shares some objective observations about the "heresies" in Tauler's and others writings at the time. In addition, Schmidt gives a brief summary of Tauler's life and theology, and how he differs from Meister Eckhart and others.
A very helpful book for understanding medieval spiritual in the Christian Church.

Johannes Tauler was one of the famous trio of 'Rhineland mystics' who flourished in the 13th century in Germany, the other two being Meister Eckhart and Henry Suso.

Tauler was, like Eckhart and Suso, a Dominican preacher whose calling involved both contemplation, prayer, study, but most importantly of all, going from place to place and preaching the word of God to all people in need of spiritual nourishment.

After Eckhart Tauler is certainly the most noble and great of the Rhineland mystics. While deeply influenced by many of Eckhart's ideas and notions, especially the 'ground' where the soul unites mysteriously to God, Tauler distanced himself somewhat from Eckhart after his condemnation for heresy and cautiously re-phrased or re-stated many of his ideas so they were more in line with the Church orthodoxy of the time. Tauler combined Eckhart's mysticism with excellent spiritual discernment and an extraordinary talent for pastoral care, and his warmth and impartiality in his preaching to both the lowest and highest in society attests to his great humulity, decent sense, and groundedness which is often lost by many mystics.

Tauler also had powerful mystical experiences of his own, revolving around experiencing God in the ground of his being, and while Tauler often uses extraordinary language to describe his experience, he is always careful to emphasize it cannot be achieved without the moral life of virtue and being grounded in the sacramental life of the Church, something Eckhart tended to de-emphasize more in favour of a profound sense of total oneness with God via a vigorous process of emptying the mind of ego, self, images and will.

Tauler's approach however is far more realistic and practical, and he counsels no-one under the age of 50 years will achieve these sorts of unitive experiences, and even only then if they are purified morally and in very good standing in terms of inward holiness.

This in my view, makes Tauler one of the fouyr greatest mystics of medieval times, along with Eckhart himself, the writer of the Cloud of Unknowing, and the Flemish mystic Ruysbroeck.

This journal is, simply put, a home movie of a time and place during the Gold Rush of California that truly is one of a kind. If you are at all interested in how the Forty-niners lived and dealt with the issues that arose in one of the last frontiers of this world, then why haven't you read this book? My favorite parts deal with the Indians, alcohol, temperance, the costs of things at that time, and how dogs become a necessity of a gold miner's life for home security and frienship.I'm not related to the publisher, so I'm not going to profit from my raving review, though I wish I could. I never put it down until I was done. I, too, am from Calaveras County, but you could be from anywhere in the world and appreciate this diary.

One of the best journals of the early gold rush that includes a series of letters written by Doble before and during the Civil War. Poor spelling, no punctuation as Doble recorded his day-to-day experiences as a miner. His descriptions of life and times, of bonanza and borrasca, of the wagon trains arriving, and especially his description of his cabin, are classic. I have lived in Volcano, and spent many hours searching out the places described. After reading of his anguish over the death of his good friend, I went to the cemetery and found the tombstone placed there by him.

Living history as many of the places described in the book remain, but written from a perspective long lost.

My father and I got excited when we ran across this book documenting the exploits of John Doble in the gold country of Pine Grove, California.

Doble's Journal documents his search for gold specifically in the Pine Grove, Jackson areas. One could take this journal and retrace Doble's steps to find the best areas to prospect.

I definitly would add this one to my prospecting reference library.

This book is written by the mother of the Late Christa McAullife.It was a wonderful book!Interesting and a inside look at the excitement they felt being chosen then the tradgedy they felt after the Loss of her.It basicly is a bio about Christa.

Unlike most books about Christa McAuliffe this one discuses Christa's life before the selection as teacher in space as well as after the selection process and it is written by the person who knew her like no one else, her mother. We learn of Christa's childhood and her spirt and joy that stayed with her during the course of her whole life. Nothing could take this away from her and with it she enriched and touched the lives of every student she had. Corrigan's book using letters and family history paints a touching portrait of Christa no one else could. Everyone should read this book and it will uplift you farther than you ever thought possible and give you a whole new out look on teachers and what the power they have to uplift. No matter what your backround is you will benefit from having read this book.

This book is honest and touching. Rarely do we receive the privelege of being allowed into the heart of a mother who has lost a son or daughter. So much is learned from Corrigan's novel.