Journaling
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Scriptures:
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Summary: In the second sermon of our series Sacred Practice, Bobbi explores journaling as a sacred practice that helps us pay attention to our lives and notice where God is at work. She introduces us to journaling techniques like, Line-a-Day, the Infinity Prompt, and Creative Sketchbooks. Bobbi highlights how reflection can ground us, bring clarity, and foster emotional and spiritual health. She reminds us that journaling isn’t about perfection but about connecting to your daily life. If we let it, this Sacred Practice can help us become more present and loving in our relationships.
Line-a-day: Bobbi reflects on the power of paying attention to ordinary moments of your day. Journaling as a practice becomes a quiet way to stay connected to yourself and to the sacred within daily life. Over time, it can reveal patterns, values, and memories that might otherwise go unnoticed. Bobbi shares that journaling is not about being profound but about being present to your own story.
Infinity Prompt: Bobbi introduces us to a structured journaling approach called the infinity prompt. In this journaling technique you start by writing out the facts, the story, the feelings, the actions, and the results. This approach is useful for when emotions are heavy or a situation feels unresolved. This kind of writing isn’t meant to fix everything, but it supports emotional integration and offers a way to move toward healing.
Sketchbooks: Bobbi shares a personal story about discovering watercolor painting and how it opened up a new way of paying attention. She encourages us that drawing or painting can be just as reflective as writing, especially when words are hard to find. Creative journaling can be a sacred act, mirroring the contemplative call of Hebrews to “fix your thoughts” and see what’s already in front of you.
But I Hate Journaling: Bobbi acknowledges that journaling isn’t for everyone—and that’s okay. Still, she tells us that the practice may still offer something valuable, especially when it helps clear emotional clutter that can affect your relationships. Journaling might be less about self-expression and more about becoming the kind of person who can show up with love and presence for others.
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Community is shaped by the conversations we share. These questions and reflections are a tool to help you meaningfully engage with the themes of this week's teaching.
Summer Discussion Guide 2025
If your group is meeting this summer and wants to talk about the sermons, here are a few questions that you could use to engage with our teaching.
What specific part of the message resonated with you the most? Why do you think that particular part, or idea, or story caught your attention?
Did the sermon speak into a particular struggle or question in your life or your faith journey right now?
What did the message challenge or encourage you personally? And what do you think the application could be for our church community? Was there anything that could strengthen or stretch us as a church?
How did the exposition of the scriptures used in the sermon provide you with a new perspective of deeper understanding?
It is good to remember that the conversation experience in the group is shaped by the personal stories of those who participate in it and how willing the people are to be open and vulnerable in the group.
So if you’re leading the discussion, feel free to model and encourage person-centred and story-centred sharing by reflecting on how some parts of the sermon resonate with you personally.Additionally, what contributes to a more authentic group discussion is when people can share not about the abstract and theoretical applications, but one or two practical things they are taking away from either the sermon or the discussion.
So, you can end your time together with this question:
What is one thing you are taking away from either the sermon or the discussion we’ve just had?
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CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 133
MUSIC Curated by Kevin Borst
Elevation Worship - God Is Not Against Me
Hope Darst - Peace Be Still
Brooke Ligertwood - Holy Song
Hillsong Worship - What A Beautiful Name
SERIES BUMPER
Sacred Practice
