My Writing Space by Carol Harrison

  

For years, my chosen writing space has been on my computer at my desk. My style of desk has changed over the years as has the space around it. Rarely have I had the luxury of a separate office. Often, as now, the office space is in a corner of my bedroom. The area around the desk could be called cluttered for it often is. Yet many of the objects on and above my desk inspire me, relax me, and intrigue me. The pictures on the shelves above the desk area include paintings by people I know, old photos, and two book covers for books I have written.

I have a large mirrored word, DREAM, hanging just above my desk as a reminder to let my imagination soar and work towards dreams I may have. There is also a painted word, BELIEVE, sitting on my desk and another that says, REJOICE ALWAYS. Good reminders every day. Small rocks including geodes sit on shelves by my desk. Some little rocks in containers are shiny or little gemstones. Others are plain and smooth with words like HOPE, FAITH, SMILE and WISDOM printed on them. More great reminders for daily life and in my writing as well.

Outside my window, beside the desk area, is a large evergreen tree. Lots of birds make their nests in it. During spring and summer, when my window is open, I enjoy the birds singing. It is a calm, peaceful spot to open the computer and type my thoughts into a new word document. I can type faster than I can write longhand and so for years my go to method meant working on the computer, opening a new word document, and watching a piece of writing transform from an idea in my mind to words and sentences on the screen.

If I wanted to journal or jot ideas down on paper, I liked to curl up in a comfy chair in the living room, letting the light shine in from the large window beside it. Almost three years ago I stopped most of my writing. Oh, I continued to grab a nice writing pen and pretty journal and sit in that comfy chair by the window. I could write longhand journal entries and even the few other bits of writing I have worked on these last few years. I began jotting more family stories in this manner. Later I typed them into the computer and printed them off for the grandchildren for Christmas.

I find morning or early afternoon have proven the most productive for writing over the years. By late afternoon and evening, my mind wanders to other activities and family time. Despite knowing a writing routine might be a great thing, I have never written daily. It allows some spontaneity but also makes me easily procrastinate, which isn’t good. If I have a specific project on the go, I write more frequently than if no firm ideas are in place.

I still need quiet other than something as soothing as bird song to concentrate on writing anything, even journal entries. But what changed my preferred space and method of writing in the last three years? The short answer is I am not sure. Sitting at the computer felt like a chore. I had excuses like poor lighting and a very messy desk as papers piled up on and around the computer which felt like too much effort to sort through.

I’ve run a few pens out of ink, completed more notebooks and journals, and continue to enjoy the pieces of things that inspire me. Maybe one day I’ll sort the clutter, find hidden treasures I’ve jotted down and revert to having my desk once again become my first choice of writing environment. while thoughts become words and completed pieces on my computer. Until then I’ll grab a notebook, good pen, and enjoy my comfy chair for the times I actually think of something to write.

 

Carol Harrison types her pieces on to her laptop amidst the mess of her cluttered desk area in Saskatoon, SK. She writes in a variety of genres, but really enjoys the family stories to tell or write down for her family.

My Inconsistent Journal by Lorilee Guenter

 

It started with a simple notebook and a pen. The earliest I remember consistently writing in a journal was summer of 1986. I had the opportunity to travel with my grandparents, youngest aunt, and sister to Expo 86 in Vancouver. That journal holds observations and reflections of the trip. Over the years I have been an inconsistent journaller. I am most consistent at recording my observations and reflections while travelling.

Over the years, my journals have evolved, and some might say devolved. Lately when I pick up my journal it is a time of reflection. It is a time of asking questions and listening. I have said, "God meets me on the page." This is especially true when I don't follow a rigid journal structure. I write without agenda or time frame. I pause knowing God will show me what I need, when I need it. I pour out my heart, my questions, my concerns, my fears and my excitement in a raw unfiltered manner. Those journals are for my eyes only.

I have at times kept a gratitude journal. When I open those pages, I am remembering and counting my blessings. It is a time of slowing and noticing. It is a time of reflecting and watching my perspective change from grumbling to thanksgiving.

I have had seasons where I journal my prayers. I tried morning pages. I have a book of random quotes. No one style of journaling has been a consistent routine in my day. Even with gaps, I find I always return to my journal, whether it is fancy or plain, to record, reflect and ponder. I expect I always will. The style I use is what I need at the time.

Lorilee Guenter is an inconsistent journal keeper who enjoys learning. She can be found in the garden, with a book, or hiking and exploring nature with her husband. She is facing her fears by taking her stories beyond the journal page and releasing them from captivity.

Breathing with Words by Lorrie Orr

Welcome to 2026! Here's our first prompt for the year: Journaling, at its core, involves recording thoughts and experiences in written form, often as a form of reflection and emotional outlet. There are bullet journals, morning pages, physical notebooks, digital platforms, gratitude journals, and more. Do you journal? If so, what is your process and why do you journal? Have you used your journal work in your public writing?

Like most young girls, I received the occasional diary as Christmas or birthday gifts. There was a page for each day of the year. I always began with gusto, writing down my daily activities with the pen provided. Alas, the daily writing did not last and soon the diary was discarded with very little writing. During my teenage years I wrote long, angst-filled lines on school paper and kept them in a binder. I soon shredded those embarrassing scribbles. Later I began writing in hard-bound journals, not every day, not even every week, but when I felt the need to write. And it is a need. Sometimes I just have to let my emotions flow through my hand and pen onto paper.

Journaling has benefits noted by the science community. Here are three of them:

Clarity

I once heard Elisabeth Elliot say that you don't know what you're thinking until you write it down. Often, as I write, my thoughts untangle and I find I can zero-in on why I am feeling a certain way, or how to solve an issue I might be dealing with. Plot lines and ideas for future writing often come from my journals. Lists or bullet points can be helpful in noting down disparate thoughts without worrying about writing a cohesive paragraph.

Stress Management

Wordsworth wrote "Let your words be the breathing of your heart." I have found that sleeplessness and anxiety are often eased by writing. Science backs this up. In Psychology Today I read, "Regular writing is known to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and it can be used as a form of stress and emotional regulation." I often combine Scripture with my writing as I think about the promises of God. When I write about my feelings, I acknowledge them and bring them to God who is faithful in good times and bad. I can be completely honest about my feelings without concern about what others might think. The pages can be ugly sometimes, and they often end in written prayer as I consider God who is faithful in good times and bad.

Creativity

Journaling is not a daily practice for me unless I am traveling. When we travel I keep a daily record of events. I have found it interesting to look back and remember the activities of the day. I also write sensory descriptions and spend time thinking about how I felt and how to describe it without resorting to cliches. When we visited Provence, we rented a motorbike and zoomed around the countryside. I was bombarded with the scent of the fields - lavender, rose, and fruit - and tried to describe that in my travel journal. When I reread those journals, the scents and sounds are immediately brought back to the forefront of my brain.

Writing anecdotes of interactions with people also stretches my writing ability as I strive for succinctness and precision. I can practice new ways of communicating through my words by writing from different points of view. I use new words to see how they flow in sentences. Once in awhile I sketch alongside my words.

My journals are where I collect words of others that inspire me, and scraps of conversations, or fragments of thoughts.

________________________

Normally, I might write for several days in a row then leave it for a week or two before returning. This Boxing Day morning as I put the finishing touches on this post, I sit in a pool of lamplight. I have just written in my journal of the fullness of my heart after a most lovely Christmas Day. In years to come, Lord willing, I might read those words and think of the happiness of that day.

Are my journals useful beyond holding memories? Yes. When writing blog posts, devotionals, even stories, I'll check back over my journals for ideas or clarification. And as Oscar Wilde once said, "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train." It's fun to look back over the years at the scribbles contained in my journals. God has been constant and caring throughout my life, always present, always loving.

Lorrie Orr writes from Vancouver Island.

More of her thoughts can be found at

Fabric Paper Thread

Substack

 

It’s What’s Inside That Counts by Bob Jones

The journal was ordinary. Leather cover. Lined pages. Lightweight. The inscription on the inside cover made it extraordinary. That Christmas was seven years ago. The gift comes to mind immediately in reflecting on an experience when God reminded me that He was with me.  

 

As our family grew larger through marriage and grandkids, we adopted new Christmas traditions. One year we drew names and were to purchase a gift for that person. Our daughter-in-law, Angie, drew my name. The journal was a gift from her. She inscribed the inside cover with encouragement to keep on writing,

 

“Dad. Another year, another glimpse into your journey. We pray you are blessed beyond measure.”

 

The inscription was signed by Angie, our son and their three daughters.

 

Angie knew that I keep a journal and write every day. Her gift was thoughtful in so many ways, not the least of which was the inscription. I define success as: those who know me the best love me the most. The inscription was love in black on white.

 

Inscriptions or dedications in books can say a lot with a little. When I'm asked to sign a book I inscribe the title page with something meaningful for the person. Their name. The date. And an encouraging comment suited to their circumstance.

 

Some authors are creative with their inscription. The following four inscriptions caught my attention.

 

Lemony Snicket, “The Reptile Room”

“It is very unnerving to be proven wrong, particularly when you are really right and the person who is really wrong is the one who is proving you wrong and proving himself, wrongly, right. Right?”

 

Robb Hobb, “Ship of Magic”

“To caffeine and sugar, my companions through many a long night of writing.”

 

Sean Carroll, “The Particle at the End of the Universe”

“To Mom,
Who took me to the library.”

 

Victor Wooten, “The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music”

“WARNING

Everything in this book

may be

all wrong.

But if so,

it’s

all right!”

 

Think about the name of our writers’ group. Inscribe Writers. Our friendships, collaboration, the Inscribe posts, and the comments made on those posts are ways of inscribing on each other’s lives. We create support for each other.

The Apostle Paul had a similar sentiment in mind when he wrote to the believers in Corinth, “You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone.”

2 Corinthians 3:2 (The Berean Standard Bible)

 

Paul insists he has the best kind of recommendation letter: the Corinthian Christians themselves. The transformation in them, from pagans to followers of Jesus, is all the evidence he will ever need that his ministry as Christ's representative is the real thing.

 

The best recommendation of Inscribe writers is each other. Our stated purpose is to minister to Canadian Christian writers by stimulating, supporting, and encouraging them in the advancement of their writing. In 2023 our tribe will increase as we pour ourselves into each other and those who become associated with us.

 

Words matter. Especially at Christmas when the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” God is with you this Christmas and will be in the year ahead.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Bob Jones writes to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose. You can follow his writing at REVwords.com

Creative Ritual by Carol Harrison

My first thought on reading this month's prompt was, "Daily creative ritual, you mean I should have one?"

I've read and heard about carving out a dedicated time to write many times. Mark it on your schedule. Treat your writing like a business. Make appointments for writing, editing, other creativity and treat them as important. Yet I never seem to actually try doing something like that. 

However, there are things that work better for me than others do. 

Writing in the morning feels like the most productive time of day for me to write. However, I realize I need to be ready to jot down ideas whenever they show up so I don't lose them. 

Other creative endeavors, such as scrapbooking, card making, or making junk journals I leave until later afternoon or more often in the early evening. Weekends provide more time to play with paper. These creative endeavors allow a space to journal family stories as well as allow the imagination to take flight. 

Reading for pleasure occupies moments of time or provides a longer escape when I'm tired or lack focus to continue on writing projects, editing, or even continuing with other creative play. 

Do these loosely held time frames constitute daily creative rituals? Not really but they seem to be the way that works best for me. There are a few things I continue to do but they don't fit into what I consider the creative ritual heading. Yet I find them necessary in my writing process. 

The wall in front of my desk space and my desk itself may seem cluttered to some, but to me it provides inspiration. The pictures are done by family and friends and are a reminder of the creativity of others I know. The bits and pieces adorning my work space include things that I like, are gifts, or reminders to believe and pray. 

I like notebooks and journals and the store aisles containing them are dangerous to wander along if I don't want to add to my stash. Yet I like jotting ideas into notebooks. It is a step up from when I would simply grab any piece of paper and write them down, often losing the paper in the clutter on the desk. Yet my notebooks, although they corral the ideas, don't have a system for easy retrieval. Sometimes what I write becomes a reference for a book or story. Other times I simply journal events, thoughts, and feelings as a way to process everyday life. But even journaling is not a daily event. 

Taking the time for other creative endeavors such as playing with paper and especially

making junk journals helps break mental writing blocks and overcome frustration. Of course reading also helps give me a break from obligations, deadlines, or those frustrating parts of life. I've never needed much of a reason to curl up with a good book and get lost in the story someone else has worked hard to bring to life. 

Continuing to learn is another key element of my writing process. I have so much still to learn and others who are further along in their journey share important facts and ideas through posts or books they've written on the craft of writing. Attending workshops, conference, being part of a writing group, and sharing ideas with others helps spur the creativity and improve my writing. 

I can't say I have a daily creative ritual but I have found ways that make the creativity and writing journey work better for me - at least most of the time. It may change over time as I learn and grow but I doubt it will be time I schedule on my calendar. I just know that I need to be obedient in stewarding well the gifts and abilities God has given me no matter how that looks on any given day. 

 

Carol Harrison lives and writes from her home in Saskatoon, SK. Writing and playing with paper go hand in hand as she allows creativity to bloom in her life.

Roads Signs and Landmarks by Lorilee Guenter

 

Jeremiah 31: 21 "Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road you take. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to your towns." (NIV)

"You follow that road for a couple of blocks and turn right. It is the first right turn, there will be a church on the corner. Then you are looking for..." These are directions I might give for someone to find my place. I would know which direction they were arriving from and could guide them based on that. When I plan a vacation, I study maps and make a plan for what I want to see and the best way to get to the landmarks, galleries and stores. Then I watch for road signs once I am there so that I don't miss what I want to see.

My life journey has a number of landmarks or highlights. There is the moment I made the personal choice to follow Jesus. There is high school graduation, my wedding, university convocation, the birth of two daughters, and more. Each of these altered the course of my life. However, if I only mark these on a map, it might be like saying "from the Empire State Building, go north to the parliament building in Ottawa, go west, stop by the Canadian Mint in Winnipeg, then head northwest to Saskatoon to the University of Saskatchewan." It points out landmarks but, unless you are flying, does not help you get from one place to another.

Put up road signs and guideposts. The more places I notice God's hand at work, the easier it is to return when I start to wander. By making notes in a journal and, at times, adding dates in my bible margins so I can go back to those journals notes about how God talked to me at that time, I have a road map that leads away from anxiety about so many things. There is the time that a job offer came the same week as a layoff notice -- a reminder of God's provision. God has shown up in our finances, our health, our relationships, and more. He always shows up because he is always here. 

But we wander.

Those road signs, those markers of his faithfulness, they point us back to God, back to a relationship with the only one who can satisfy. I want my life to be defined by a seeking to grow in that relationship.

How the Word and You Inspire Me by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Writing is easier than showing up to write is. There’s a Bible verse that’s a perfect prompt for inspirational writers who are reluctant to put ink to paper; but before I share it with you, I want to write about some other things first.

Once I’ve got a Word Doc open, I tend to forge ahead with words. There’s a quote I often note to myself. It inspires me to gather my thoughts and form sentences from them. Here it is:

You can’t edit a blank page.

My, oh, my, this has helped me. A. Lot. Even if a first draft is a complete dud, it is closer to a completed article than a blank page is. Sometimes we just need to show up and spew a bunch of rambling thoughts down. Later, we can look over them with editor eyes and chuck out dull stuff and keep the paragraphs, phrases, or sentences that sparkle.

When we’re stuck, let’s remember: we can’t edit a blank page. 

I love this age of word processors:

• It’s easy to delete paragraphs.

• It’s a snap to shuffle them around the page.

• It’s a breeze to copy and paste new sections into old drafts.

 Yes, once I’m started, I find it easier to get going. 

Like I said, it’s the planting my pants in front of my keyboard that’s the most challenging.   

One of the ways you inspire me here on this InScribe blog is by your honesty. You’re honest about the struggle to sit thyself down at thy computer and write. Humans have a need to know they’re not alone. When we struggle, we are comforted and encouraged to hear we’re normal. Thank. You.

I’m amazed how much more housework and hobbies appeal to me when I have a writing deadline looming. I may think about cleaning a dirty fridge or crafting a junk journal for days without being interested enough to actually start the process; yet, once I have to start a writing project, cleaning and crafting suddenly take on an exciting aura that easily ensnares me.

I’m telling you this because I’m hoping my honesty will encourage you. At the moment I began the first draft for this post, I had a journal project and a cleaning rag begging me to submit to their enticements. I decided I would check my to-do list first. There, written on my day calendar, were the words: InScribe Post. That meant I needed to start it. I like to have the first draft written at least a week ahead. Yikes. There were only six days till it was to go live.

A first draft doesn’t have to be completed in one sitting. Having a few paragraphs down is a huge help toward finishing it later.  Not only can we not edit a blank page—we can’t complete a document that doesn’t exist. 

Now here is where I share the Bible verse that’s a sure motivator for even the most reluctant writer:

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (TLB)  

I hope this blessed you, because you blessed me. Now I need to go and grab the cleaning rag. Afterwards I’ll make a fresh cup of coffee and dive into art/junk journaling. 

I’m nosy-to-know what inspires you to sit down and write? I’m also nosy-to-know what creative enticements keep you away from your keyboard? And most important of all, I’m nosy-to-know which Bible verse motivates you to sit thyself down?

 Blessings as we write our way through 2021 ~ Wendy Mac

P.S. For a chance to win some of my hand-painted stickers that are similar to the ones I used in the pictured journal page, please sign up for my monthly newsletter. I give a dozen or so of them away regularly. Here’s the link: Wendy L. Macdonald

Journaling: An Act of Worship by Lynn Dove

I began journaling when I was a young Mom with my first child.  I was coming out of a very dark time of post-natal depression and someone suggested that I take up journaling as part of the healing and recovery process.  I had kept a diary briefly as a teenager, so I assumed that to journal was just keeping a daily record of events that happened or was about to happen to me, and then comment on how I was “feeling” on any given day.  I started simply enough just stating how I spent my days.  “Today I had a visit from a friend; It snowed today; I went shopping; I made meatloaf for supper…”  It was very bland writing, very matter-of-fact, and had no introspective value whatsoever.  After a month of trying, I was ready to give up on journaling because it brought me no satisfaction or joy in doing it.  It was a chore, nothing more.

As a writer I am always thinking who my audience is when I write.  Who will read my writing?  I was always purposeful to write content that would appeal to a certain reader.  I realized I had a writing dilemma when I was journaling.  There was no audience.  I was the only reader.  Journaling is supposed to be personal.  It is private.  It is not necessarily meant to be read by anyone else except the writer.  It is supposed to be an exercise in introspection but I wasn’t being introspective.  It was merely a play-by-play of my days and I wanted it to be more than that.  I wanted to pour my heart out to someone.  I wanted to write to an audience, and that’s when I learned that journaling can be a spiritual discipline. 

I had never thought of journaling as a worshipful act before and as soon as I started to think about it in that way, it changed my whole perspective and attitude towards journaling.  I changed the way I wrote, the way I shared, and rather my being so self-centred in my approach, I focused on building my relationship with God through the process of writing in my journal.  In journaling my writing is for HIS eyes and He is my sole, or should I say “soul” audience!

Journaling has become a vibrant and essential part of my “quiet” time with the Lord.  There are some days I find myself just sharing my day and then writing prayers to God, or I saturate the pages with Scripture.  Many times I have found myself looking back on events in my life, by reading past entries in journals and realizing how God intervened, encouraged or directed my steps.  My journal highlights spiritual markers and milestones in my life.  There are also entries that show my discouragements and complaints, and many deep valleys that I have journeyed through.  There are times I have felt like the Psalmist in pouring out my heart to God, begging Him to intervene or intercede on my behalf.  I have never been disappointed in God’s response, and my journal entries show proof that God has listened and acted. 

My journal(s), I have over thirty that I have written in, show my family’s comings and goings, highs and lows as well as the more mundane daily happenings over the past thirty five years.  As I get older, I don’t remember dates and past events as well anymore, so I can look back in my journals and read details from past years.  One such time of “looking back” in a journal was so profound and showed how amazing God's activity was in our lives, I had to share it on my Journey Thoughts blog.  It’s the only time I’ve shared with a larger audience some specifics of what I have written in my journal. 

There are countless books and articles written on how to journal, and I certainly do not pretend to be an expert in journaling.  I have discovered that I may journal differently than someone else and that there is no right or wrong way to journal.  I appreciate those who have researched the benefits of journaling for mental health reasons as well as using it as a spiritual discipline.  For me, journaling has become a very personal, intimate act of worship.   

David Mathis, Executive Editor, desiringGod.org : “Those Christians who flourish in journaling not only pursue prayer, and meditate on Scripture in general, but seek to apply the gospel with specificity to their fears and frustrations, their highs and lows, their joys and sorrows. When you open your journal harrowed, try to follow the path of the psalmists and close with hope…Your journal is a venue for freshly preaching the gospel to yourself, in your particular circumstances, without parroting the canned lines of truth you'll default to without pausing to think it over and write it out. Capture in your own words what you’re truly feeling, and then look for God’s words that meet your need.”  https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/five-ways-to-flourish-in-journaling

Lynn Dove is the award-winning author, of the YA “Wounded Trilogy”- a contemporary Christian fiction series with coming-of-age themes.  A wife, mom, grandmother, and free-lance writer with articles published in several magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her blog, “Journey Thoughts” is a Canadian Christian Writing Award winner.  Readers may connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and at lynndove.com