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.

This ancient collection of prayers offers no dust to the modern reader, but instead a brutally honest and deeply profound outpouring of the heart. Suitable for use in public worship or in private devotions, these are the kind of prayers that overturn every stone in the heart and strip the soul bare before God.

You won't find an endless chatter of Christian chliches in this book, neither will you be bogged down in extranious "thee's" and "thou's". While it still maintains a poetic nature, these prayers will hit home with the modern (or more accurately, postmodern) reader who wants to bask in the mystery of God while still struggling to live a "real" life.

I picked up the book because I enjoyed an excerpt of a Kempis I read in college. I now treasure it as one of my top-ten most life impacting books. Don't read it unless you're ready to have your life turned inside-out. It's a sure-fire laugh and cry, rejoice and repent, powerhouse of a book.