Journaling Workshop Notes

Journaling Workshop MY Notes:

1.    Get a Journal

a.    Not deep – you just need paper with space

b.    Lines or no lines

c.     Leading thought or not

d.    Scripture starts or not

e.    Recommend blank pages as your second journal so you can FLOW

2.    FLOW

a.    Free your mind

b.    Let go and listen

c.     Open heart and mind

d.    Write it down

3.    Don’t over-promise your writing timetable

a.    Daily - May be too aggressive to start

b.    Morning – can you wake up 15 min earlier

c.     Before bed – 15 min before regular bed time

d.    Weekends – or whatever is less hectic

                                                             i.      If you know you have busy weekday mornings but the weekends are fluid – that may be a good time.

e.    Sunday – after church to reflect the word or prep your mind for the week

f.      Set your plan and let Siri or Alexa or Google help you.

                                                             i.      Hey google – remind me to write on Monday Wednesday and Friday at 10pm

4.    Write in blocks of time – not space

a.    In other words – you may not fill up a page today or you may write 6 pages.

b.    When you are in a flow and you give yourself an amount of time then you will likely stick to your plan. 

c.     If you give yourself an amount of space on a page you don’t have a page you may get discouraged and stop.

5.    Old School or New School

a.    Pen and paper; Smart phone memo pad app?; Journaling apps?

b.    Whichever helps you flow better

c.     Writing tends to be more therapeutic but it may be typing it is better for you.

d.    Actual journals – what I love is you can look back and see where you have come. 

e.    However when you actually type it – it may be ready for a blog or a book with some editing! 

f.      You may not necessarily go back to your notes/journal on your phone as readily as seeing the journal. 

g.     But it’s up to you – totally personal

6.    Journaling thought starters

a.    Write out 4-5 self questions and put them in front of your journal or someplace visible and then pick a question – answer it from that day’s perspective.  Different days should yield different answers to those questions.  Such as:

                                                             i.      What am I grateful for today and why?

                                                           ii.      What did I accomplish in the last 48 hours that was meaningful to someone else?

                                                        iii.      What would I do this month (totally passion driven) if time and money were not factors?

                                                        iv.      On a scale of 1-10 where is my self esteem and why and what does God’s word say to bring that number up?

b.    Use an existing book that has writing or self-reflection elements (like a devotional or Phenomenal Woman Gurl That’s U!?! 8-)

7.    Remove excuses from not journaling by articulating them and thinking through them:

a.    Time; People; Fear; Prior failure; Other?

b.    Your journal is about your SHINE

c.     Your lane – stay in your lane!

In God’s Track Record...not Man

Good morning peeps!

Hebrews 13:6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

On Mondays I assess the previous week in preparation for the coming week and last week was not good. In my self assessment and fruit inspection I believe I did not do all I could have done.  There were several days when it took me a while to get out of my head and keep going. Didn’t work out or walk on those days.  Just barely mustered up energy to get to New Life to (my place of blessing).  You must know the enemy will try to shake u and stop ur momentum and I was on a momentous run of better self care. Sooo it is a new week and a new day and I have a word in my heart I am standing on. When u have done all u can do to stand...U STAND SOME MORE!
Got my gym bag in my car for workout later
Got my journaling and prayers done.
Got my meals prepped last night and in my fridge ready to go!
Got my tasks lined up and ready to be taken out one by one.
Feeling good!  Looking cute!
Got my confidence in check. And oh by the way my confidence is not in my track record but in MY GODs track record. Not in Trumps track record...but my Gods track record. Not in any man’s track record BUT MY GOD!

Make it a great day and stand still and know God is still on the throne!
#thenemyhatestohearupraying
#getyourstrengthback

Renewal. Get Some

Renewed. 

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

This is a great word to me. It’s saying to me when I wait on God to put his strength behind what I am doing for his glory the MY STRENGTH is made new. It is only then that I begin to soar like an eagle because HIS WIND is carrying my wing span.  It is only then that my daily running in my purpose does not make me weary.  It is only then my walking in his call does not make me faint. Wait on his strength. It’s then the muscle memory kicks in and our strength is made perfect.  

Get some renewed strength. Get your renewal today. It’s not an arm day or a leg day. It’s a faith day. Let him refresh you. He is waiting with it just for you my friend. Be blessed and be a blessing. 

KNOWing

Psalm 139:14-16 The Message (MSG) 13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;  you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!  Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation!  You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.  Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared  before I’d even lived one day.

Before we were formed, the Omnipotent God knew us.  He crafted us uniquely in our mother's womb.  

I know him to be a merciful God.  I know him to be an on-time God.

He KNOWS the plans he has for us - plans to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. 

I know him to be a comforter and a keeper.  I

He knows every hair on our heads.  

 know him to be a healer and provider.  

He knows the end from the beginning. 

I know him to be a friend to the friendless; father to the fatherless. 

He knows what is best for us. 

I know him to be a waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper and light the darkness.  

Because HE KNOWS ME....I will STAND STILL and KNOW he is GOD!

That's what I heard - be blessed today and REST in the KNOWING!

Winner Traits: Straining and Forgetting

13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

This past weekend I was blessed to celebrate my 30^th Anniversary of pledging Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. with my Sands at the Kentucky Derby.  I don’t know what I ever thought the derby was but I never imaged it was literally one race.  That’s right, 20 horses – 20 of the elite thoroughbreds have all been preparing to run this one race.  Weather conditions were such that other than the first 3-5 horses out of the gate, the jockey and the horse literally was running blind because of the mud being tossed n their eyes.  Justify was the horse that prevailed the winner!  It was an exciting time and made me think about our own race we are running day by day.

When we accepted Christ and began this journey with him, it was like a newborn in a stable, not yet walking and depending on mother for nourishment and guidance.  We didn’t venture out as newborns, we had to wait to get our legs strong enough to even stand up for the first time. 

As we continue in this race, we are winning some and losing some little qualifier races along the way.  Sometimes we get it right and other times we don’t.  However, we must FORGET those losses that are behind us and focus on the WINS that are in front of us.  Even though there are injuries that take us out of the running, there is always a balm in Gilead that allows us to get right back in it when the time is right.  By his stripes we are healed!

As in this year’s derby the weather conditions are not always conducive to the plans God has for us in the race, but he has sent a jockey (Holy Spirit) to ride with us.  He is whispering in our ear all along the race letting us know – you are more than a conqueror, you are the head and not the tail, you can do this, I will never leave you nor forsake you, go my child go – keep running!  Along the race you may have mud in your face from seemingly being behind, but God is with you and all you need to do is keep PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL!  Here is the most important part – don’t look back!  Forget those things which are behind.  When you look back or dwell in the past, you can derail your forward movement.  At the speed those horse were going, if they had taken their eyes off the track, they could have literally crashed and not only killed their progress but the progress of those around them running close by. 

Keep STRAINING for the prize that is ahead!  The Father is in heaven with the son (our personal intercessor) cheering you on!  You got this!  This is your race, and you are nothing but a winner in Christ Jesus! 

That’s what I heard today – be blessed and be a blessing!

Why My Heads Not Bowed

Love it!  SO TRUE!!!

On Feb 9, 2018 9:22 AM, "Dagne Barton" <dbarton@nlicic.org> wrote:

Hello Peeps!  

In the last stanza of the Phenomenal Woman poem, Maya says you “understand just why my head is not bowed.” For me this is highlighting the fact that there is no need to hang my head when I am just carrying out what the Lord said about me/you. Let me remind you that you are wonderfully and fearfully made – that was said about you before you were even born! Walk it out...head not bowed. 

Look at Luke 1:37 - For no word from God will ever fail.”

In this scripture the angel of the Lord was telling Mary that she was going to conceive Jesus. His last statement to her was... for nothing is impossible with God. He told her a number of what seemed to be impossibilities and then he told her the clincher sentence. He told her who God was! It is outside of the nature of God to fail. What I love is Mary's response. The very next verse says...Luke 1:38- “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

She didn't need to go consult her girls... she did not need to go see if Joseph was okay... she just received the word of the Lord. Her head was not bowed even though she was about to be the talk of the town! In her response, she identified herself. She said, “I am the Lord’s servant.” The King James Version says, “let it be unto me as you have said”. In other words, everything that you said about me that the Lord said about me...let THAT be unto me.

So fast-forward 2000 years later to your situation and my situation. Whatever the Lord is saying about you...that's what's up! It’s not about those lies that the haters are saying about you. Everything that the Lord our God has purposed, let it be unto you. Everything that he has promised...let it be unto you. Everything that he has destined for your life, hold your head up and let it be unto you. It's about you

Phenomenal Woman...Gurl That’s U!

knowing who you are, articulating it in a proper response, and then walking in the grace that he has afforded us.

REPEAT AFTER ME: I am the Lord’s servant...may it be unto me as he has said!!!! Then they will understand just exactly why your head is not bowed!

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

That’s an excerpt from my book that is finally released!  Now available at www.dagnebarton.com!  God is awesome and I am grateful!  Thanks for ur encouragement along this journey!  ♥️♥️♥️♥️

So This Just Happened....

After a year long effort...and many stops and starts....my FIRST Book is published!

Get Phenomenal Woman...Gurl That's U! Today!

Thanks to all of those who supported me and encouraged me!  Thanks to a few Phenomenal Women that I called on to send me a few lines/thoughts that I added to encourage others!