SOAP for your Soul

Contact with God: Sowing the Good Seed into the Secret Garden of your Heart
Through prayer and meditation on God’s Word we try to improve our conscious contact with God and we only ask for knowledge of His will for us and the power to execute it.”

This step involves prayer and reflection, in the morning, during the day and in the evening. In the morning when we wake up, we think about the day ahead. We ask God to guide our thoughts, and free us from self-pity and dishonest and selfish motives. Ask God for wisdom and inspiration for decisions to be made. Surrender ourselves to God, trusting Him for the day, relaxed and calm, abiding in His rest in the day. Our lives do not become a struggle. In the evening we look back on the day in a positive way. We ask God to forgive our trespasses, and for wisdom to know what we can do to rectify matters. But beware not to become over-analytical and to be full of worry and unfounded guilt. We trust God through the Holy Spirit to make us aware of any thoughts or behaviors that hurt ourselves or others.

LET YOUR WILL BE DONE TODAY.

Live life to the fullest, one day at a time.
ENJOY YOUR NEW LIFE. A LIFE OF SURRENDER TO GOD AND HIS WILL AND PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. THIS IS A PRECIOUS GIFT FROM GOD. ALSO REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL NEVER BE ALONE. GOD PROMISED IN HIS WORD: “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU, NOR FORSAKE YOU.” (Heb. 13:5)

Create your own Heart’s DeLight WordArt Journal! a Wonderful way to sow the incorruptable seed of the Word into the Secret Garden of your Heart. Combine your Bible Reading Plan, Devotion Time and just spending time with the Lover of your Soul with Art Journalling. As you meditate on the Word and apply it through art, you will internalize the seed, and allow it to take root and bear fruit in your life.

See http://www.enewhope.org/nextsteps/journaling/ for inspiration!

As we read God’s words, we begin to see how God responds to things. Doing daily devotions re-patterns the way we think and transforms the spirit of the mind. Then, when we face similar situations as Jesus did, we begin to respond in the same way.

Journaling is an excellent way to both record and process what God has spoken to us. It’s also a useful tool to use at a later time to reflect on and review some of the “gems” that you have received. Without writing these down, you may forget those blessings and some very important lessons! While journaling is a very personal time with the Lord, you may want to share some of your daily devotions with your small group or mentors. Through discussion, you may be able to look deeper into what God is speaking to you, gain new insights and even encourage others.

SOAP for your Soul:

S is for Scripture
Open your Bible to the reading found under today’s date of your Bible bookmark. Take time reading and allow God to speak to you. When you are done, look for a verse that particularly spoke to you that day, and write it in your journal.

O is for Observation
What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write this Scripture down in your own words in your journal.

A is for Application
Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or corrections for a particular area of your life. Write how this Scripture can apply to you today.

P is for Prayer
This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this Scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Now, write it out.

It is a good idea to set aside a certain time in your schedule each day and find a quiet place where you won’t be distracted.

It’s not important when you do your devotions, but that you make it a very important part of your day. For morning people, it’s a great way to start your day. For others, it’s 20-minute lunchtime appointments with Jesus. For the night owls, it’s the final act of the day, the time to quiet their hearts and hear God’s voice.

Remember: there are absolutely no rules! Let your creativity flow freely! SOAP is just an idea to get you started.
You can work in any 2D medium, ink, paint, pens, pecils, mixed media, paper, fabric, buttons – anything!
Some of you will write more…somes will draw more pictures. Look under “Photos” WordArt Journal TAB for inspiration and ideas.

It’s also a good idea to get a good Bible Reading Plan when you start. See http://www.bible.com/af for free Bibles and Bible Reading Plans, also available in Afrikaans.
“Whether you are brand new to art journaling or are in need of some creative ideas, we have thousands of art journal prompts you can use as a jumping point for your pages and altered art books!”