Introducing the Printable Dwell Journal™

Hello Friends! Today, I'm excited to share a new collection (and a little freebie) that I quietly launched a couple of weeks ago: The Dwell Journal™ Printable Collection.

From the beginning, I had a long list of ideas for features I wanted to include in the Dwell Journal™, but putting every single one of those ideas into a printed format would result in a HUGE journal at an equally large price point.

But I didn't stop dreaming or designing. I kept working on pages for my own ideal journal—pages for sermon notes, scripture memory, and gratitude. I also needed a place to keep track of Bible reading and prayer requests, so I laid those pages out as well. And I knew I needed a place for general note-taking and written prayers, so I went ahead and developed those pages too.

The result? A printable Dwell Journal™ collection that you can build into your own perfect quiet time notebook. Each Dwell Journal™ printable will guide you through your time alone with the Lord. Whether you’re using the Dwell Daily pages for your Bible study, the Be Grateful pages to record blessings, or the Pray Often pages to note prayer requests, it’s my hope and prayer that the simple act of writing things down will help you remember the things that matter most. 

Since the printables are sold both separately and as a package, it's simple to put together a Bible study notebook that works for you. Each printable is available in both letter and half-letter formats, so you can easily print, punch holes, and place in a binder. You can print as many copies of the pages as you need as long as it's for personal use, and extended licensing is available upon request if you need to print copies for your entire Bible study group or Sunday school class.

Sound good? Visit the shop for a closer look at the individual pages. AND because I love you, and because you've made it this far, I think it's only fair to tell you that for a limited time, I'm offering the Take Note page (pictured below) as a free download.

The Printable Take Note worksheet for the Dwell Journal™ is a plain and simple lined page to use for note-taking. Sometimes you just need a place to write things down. The Take Note worksheet is perfect for everything from grocery lists to sermon notes. Download it today and get a feel for the printable Dwell Journal™ system.

I hope you love the printable collection as much as I do! What else would you like to see in a quiet time journal? Let me know in the comments, and I'll see if I can make it a reality.

Until next time, grace and peace.

A Simple Bible Reading Plan for Holy Week

Can you believe that Easter is just over a week away?? Even though I've been anticipating its arrival for weeks, it's hard to believe that it's finally here. I'm so excited! Seriously, Easter is my absolute favorite time of the church year. I love the songs. The pomp. The circumstance. The sheer joy of the resurrection.

But before we can celebrate the resurrection, we have to remember the death. 

Apart from celebrating Christmas and Easter, the church I grew up in didn't really pay much heed to the church calendar. But I need to walk through and reflect on the events of Holy Week. I need to experience the jubilation of Palm Sunday and the rising unrest that followed on Holy Monday and Tuesday. I need to feel the shock of the betrayal on Spy Wednesday and the horror of the arrest on Maundy Thursday. I need to remember the awful reality of the death on Good Friday and the grief that set in on that Holy Sabbath Saturday. And then, maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to really celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

And so this year, to help prepare my heart for Easter Sunday, I've worked out a simple Bible reading plan for Holy Week. Each day, starting on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday, I'll read the corresponding day's events in the Gospel of Luke, as well as a supporting passage from the Old Testament. 

I'd love for you to join me! I've included the entire plan below, but I've also created a little printable that you can tuck into your Bible and use throughout the week. Scroll all the way to the bottom of this post and click on the "download" icon to access the printable, and be sure to drop me a line if you're using the guide! 

Holy Week With Jesus

a simple and free Holy Week Bible Reading Guide

Using This Guide

I hope you find this brief timeline of events helpful as you move through Holy Week with Jesus. If you're reading with me, leave a comment and let me know, or use #HolyWeekWithJesus on social media so we can encourage one another!

Begin each day with a prayer for understanding and clarity. Ask the Lord to reveal himself to you through your reading. Next, read the appropriate scriptures slowly. Take a few minutes to process what you’ve read. Reflect on what it teaches you about the character of God as revealed through Jesus Christ. What did you learn about God? What did you learn about yourself? Reflect on your reading throughout the day. Let it seep into your soul and transform you from the inside out. 

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem with his disciples riding a borrowed donkey. He arrived to much celebration, but it was the beginning of the end of his human life.

• Read Zechariah 9:9

• Read Luke 19:28-40

Holy Monday

On Holy Monday, Jesus asserted his authority by throwing out anyone and everyone who was doing business inside the temple complex. The Jewish leaders were less than impressed with the display of power.

• Read Isaiah 56:1-8

• Read Luke 19:41-48

Holy Tuesday

On Holy Tuesday, temple leaders challenged Jesus by putting him to the test. Literally. They raised a number of theological debates with him and questioned both his teaching and his God-given authority.

• Read Psalm 118:19-27

• Read Psalm 110

• Read Luke 20

Spy Wednesday

On Spy Wednesday, Jesus continued his teaching, which only riled up Jewish leaders. The tipping point came when a woman honored Jesus by anointing him with really expensive oil. This didn't sit well with Judas, who went straight to the religious authorities and offered to deliver Jesus into their hands.

• Read Luke 21

• Read Mark 14:1-11

Maundy Thursday

On Maundy Thursday, after celebrating the Passover with his disciples, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, where Judas betrayed him. He was arrested and tortured while Peter denied him.

• Read Isaiah 50:4-10

• Read Luke 22:1-65

Good Friday

On Good Friday, the Jewish leaders, with the help of Pilate, subjected Jesus to a mock trial that resulted in a death sentence for the one who would be called the King of the Jews. He was hastily crucified and quickly buried before the Sabbath began that evening.

• Read Psalm 22:1-18

• Read Luke 22:66-71 and Luke 23:1-56

Holy Saturday

On Holy Saturday, not much happened...that we know of, at least. Since it was the Jewish Sabbath, all activity came to a grinding halt, and Jesus' followers had to wait until the next day to properly prepare his body for burial.

• Read Isaiah 52:13-15 and Isaiah 53

• Read Luke 23:56

Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday, a couple of women went to Jesus' tomb to anoint him for burial, but when they arrived, he wasn't there. The tomb was empty, and an angel greeted them with the news that Jesus was alive. The women hurried back to tell the others, and Jesus surprised his grieving disciples by showing up in their midst.

• Read Isaiah 52:7-10

• Read Luke 24

Hooray! It's a Resolution Renewal Sale!

Hi friends! I hope all is well with you! The other day I wrote about trading a "Read the Bible in a Year" plan for a more moderate approach, and it made me start thinking about those of you who may have committed to spending more time in God's word this year than you have in the past, but find yourself losing steam as time goes on. 

If that about sums up your current position, then let me encourage you for just a few minutes.

The quality of time that you spend in the Word is far more important than the quantity of Scripture that you're able to digest in one sitting. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to slow down and savor your time in the Word each day rather than trying to speed through it just to check it off the list.

Some days, you might read three or four chapters at a time. Others you may only make it through a couple of verses before the Lord stops you in your tracks. Neither way is better than the other. They're both a valuable and necessary part of growing in your knowledge of the Bible and the God who reveals Himself to us through it.

My heart's desire for you is that you will fall so deeply in love with the Word of God that you look forward to reading it each day. That it would be a constant source of life flowing through your heart. That you would come to really know the Lord whose love is spilled over the pages.

Rather than throwing in the towel because you've failed to keep up with "the plan," why not renew your resolution to spend time in the Word? It's OK to reassess and change your approach. There are no resolution police here! 

To help, I've marked down all items in the LAJ Shop for a Resolution Renewal sale. No coupon code is necessary, but the sale prices will expire at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26. Maybe you'll find something that will give you that extra little push you need to keep on keeping on. Until next time, grace and peace.