Can families journal together?

Yes! If you have children in elementary school or above, consider using the Journal as a spring board for family devotionals. There is no better way for your children to grow in their faith than in a spiritual discussion with you. You can use the Journal in the following ways:

1. Open your devotional with a prayer asking God to open your hearts and minds to his Word.
2. Have everyone read the daily passage out of the New Testament silently (or outloud) and complete their SOAP individually.
3. Have each person share which scripture was significant to them and what they think they need to do about it.
4. Close with a prayer in which everyone reads the prayer they have written in their journal.

What does SOAP mean?

The vast majority of your journal is made up of the daily pages. You will make entries as you follow the Bible Reading Plan. Use the acrostic SOAP to organize your thoughts.

• Scripture = Write a verse from your daily passage that has special meaning to you.
• Observation = Write down what you see in the verse you have selected.
• Application = Be still and allow the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind a personal insight or application.
• Prayer = Write out a prayer.

Why is the reading plan on the bookmark different from what is in the front of the Life journal?

Kevin chose a reading plan for East Lake that would allow us to read through the Bible in one year, while not jumping around from book to book. It is his hope that this plan will be easier for you to follow and understand.

Where can I find the reading plan that East Lake is using?

There are bookmarks in the lobby that have the first 3 months reading plan on them. Feel free to pick up as many as you need! If youd like to see the whole years reading plan, go to the 1-Year Reading Plan Page.

Do I have to follow your reading plan? I started my own already and would like to finish it.

Following a reading plan will give you a systematic approach to reading Gods Word. Our plan has an Old Testament and New Testament reading for each day of the year. You may choose to read either Testament, or to read the entire Bible. However, if you are already reading the Bible using your own plan, do continue that! The important thing is that you are reading in a way that makes sense to you, and that you are reading Gods word every day.

What happens if I miss a day of reading or journaling?

Thats ok, you can just start back on the plan and skip the days you missed if you want to. If you have time to go back and read the passages you missed, you might find that helpful with your study. But dont get discouraged if you miss a day. Just pick it back up and start again!

What if I want to start journaling now?

We suggest to just start wherever the daily reading currently is rather than feeling like you need to go back and start at the beginning. You will get a lot from the reading wherever you start and you can always start at the beginning next January 1st.

What are the Scripture memory cards for at the end of the Life journal?

If you come across an especially meaningful verse, write it on one of these cards and commit it to memory. Memorizing key verses will transform your mind and impact your heart. This is one of the greatest spiritual practices you can implement. You may want to obtain some 3x5 index cards also for this purpose.

I want to journal, but I want to get a different kind of journal one that reflects my own style of writing. Is that ok?

Sure again, the important part of this process is that you do it each day. We are offering materials that we hope will make journaling and daily Bible study easier for you. But you do not have to use them. Find a way to make this process your own, and use it!

I have finished all the pages in my Life Journal. Can I buy another one?

We have a limited supply of Life Journals remaining for sale at $7.00 each. Ask at the Information Desk on Sunday to purchase one. In March, we will have a customized version of the journal just for East Lake called The Journey. We will let you know when they are available for purchase!

Is there a way for me to get an overall introduction to journaling?

On December 30th Kevin gave a message about the reasons for spending daily time with God and how to do it using a journal. You can listen to it at our podcast page.