Why Journaling Groups Feed Your Soul and Build Friendships

God’s mercies are new every morning…and so is our appetite.  “What’s for breakfast?”, we ask with excitement or boredom, or with deep hunger when there’s not enough food.  This need never changes.  We seek food, we find it, we eat it, and it fills us…or overfills us. It satisfies or it leaves us wanting more or wanting something else or wishing we hadn’t eaten that much or wishing we hadn’t eaten THAT!  

Jesus knows all about our relationship with food.  He knows it is necessary for sustaining life.  That is why it’s so interesting that He calls Himself the Bread of Life.  Just as the body demands food, the heart, soul, and mind must have Jesus - not just once but every day, throughout the day. Jesus beckons us to Come to Him through reading the Bible and praying, and He will fill us. 

Nourish with Scripture

Grace Capital Church (GCC) can help you get started and stay on track with being nourished by Scripture.  In the GCC lobby, a Bible Reading Plan is available free of charge.  The plan can be found in the first few pages of the Daily Journals which are on display behind the Info Hub - Just Ask.  Accompanying it, GCC offers a phenomenal opportunity to delve more deeply into the  Word of God.  Journaling Life Groups meet weekly to discuss the day’s readings where each member shares what passage stood out to them and why.   

There’s something very unique and special about the Journaling groups. They focus on Scripture in its purest form.  They do not follow a curriculum or discussion outline, and this open-ended environment often results in the Holy Spirit being unconfined in group conversation.  It is a time devoted to talking about how God spoke individually to each person through His Word.

Bill Pelletier, who is part of a Thursday morning group, reflected, “journaling with others has enriched my understanding of the Scriptures by hearing how others process God's word.  Hearing all the different life experiences and perspectives people bring to passages adds a deeper meaning.”

Astonishingly, God often reveals Himself during discussions by leading several individuals to excerpts that blend with one another, creating an unplanned common theme among group members. Vincent Moser, whose group meets at Panera, noticed the “Holy Spirit operating through my peers.”  He shared, “I love when I can see the bigger picture coming together through each person's journaling.”   

A sense of camaraderie and friendship is fostered, as well.  “The process of journaling brings out discussions on every area of life shared with others who are walking with the Lord and sharing the same struggles and victories,” Bill explained.  

Carol Clifford, who has been in her group since 2020, said, “I enjoy journaling with this group because of the honesty and openness.  This is a great group for anyone to join because we learn as we share with each other.” 

In a society where running from task to task is an unspoken expectation of others or a self-imposed standard by which we live, finding time to spend in fellowship often falls by the wayside. “My life has been blessed by being prayed for, encouraged, guided, building close relationships, and having opportunities to be a blessing to someone else.  This is the main place where I experience Christian Family,” said Bill. 

Even for people that consider themselves shy, like Vinnie who joined his group almost two years ago, relationships can develop.  “The journaling group has helped me to open up to the people I'm fellowshipping with,” he said.

Like the manna God provided to the Israelites He freed from slavery, our daily sustenance comes from the Lord.  The honey-tasting wafers raining down from the sky enveloped God’s people, wrapping them not only in provision but also in the reminder to taste and see that the Lord is good.  We can do the same. By coming to the Bread of Life, Jesus, who is the Word in human form, we can be fed to the core of heart, soul, mind, and body. 

So, pick up a Daily Journal at the Info Hub this Sunday, sign up for a Journaling Life Group at the GCC website, and enjoy rich fellowship as, together, you listen to and grow in the Lord.  Journaling groups are always open!

Join the community! We want to hear from you. Comment below to one of these questions:

• Are you or someone you know food-insecure and looking for assistance?  Tell us about it.
• Are you or someone you know feeling distant from God and looking for prayer or encouragement?  Tell us about it.