A DAILY CHOICE

Every day we face two choices:

1 Choose today as my day alone and in my way.

2 Choose today as God's. 

So, which will it be?

(Photo Credit: Stacy Duplease 2011-2013.) 

NaNoWriMo

November is NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. Only, for me, it's National Book Writing Month because the book I am writing is Non-Fiction. It's a Christian Living Book.

At any rate, I'm supposed to write 50,000 words in the month of November.

I will put some of my writing here on this blog. So, stay tuned.

WELCOME

Welcome, reader and fellow traveler of a hurting time in life. This is the story of my journey as I prayer journal through a very difficult and painful time in my life, as I try to heal and find my new path and way of life. This is my odyssey with God as I grieve a loss of a dream, ask lots of questions, search for answers, prayer journal, cling to the Word of God, and listen.

In time, I will use these prayer journal entries to write devotionals, Bible studies, and Christian Living books. After all, I hope my journey through pain and healing as I learn how to live with a new perspective with no idea what the future holds—will help others to learn how to do the same themselves. Because, let’s face it, all of us have hurt at one time, know someone who is now, and we will probably hurt again. This is meant to be a series of reflections to help us walk through the healing process.

~ S. D. 

A new patriotic blog

Check out my new Bible study, prayer, and journaling blog about the USA.

Stacy Duplease

Christian, Writer, & Patriot

Email: hisfiction@gmail.com

Psalm 91 and the USA: The Safety and Protection of God in the USA Blog & Website:

http://Psalm91Safe.blogspot.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

Hello: A Change in Direction

Greetings, everyone! How are you?

I am FINALLY able to breathe and write a blog post here (Whew!). I have been wanting to do so for weeks now. But, my time has not been my own. Everything crazy that could have gone on since my trip to Colorado has been going on, and that has meant I've been treading water and trying to not drown in the sea of busyness.

When I was in Colorado, I went to a writing conference. I thought I was headed one way with my writing. However, through LOTS of prayer, I realize that I needed to go another direction than my writing about journaling or about prayer journaling. 

I am still journaling and prayer journaling--every day. That is something I will always do--every day for the rest of my life. 

However, it's the state of our nation and the faith of our nation that has my most prayer and concern right now. I have been feeling inspired by God to write a fantasy series, which will be a parable about God's judgment, which could very well lead to the end of the United States of America. The first book or more will be based off of the Book of Isaiah. 

The series will be a fantasy series and will be fiction and is called, THE LAND OF KEVITT SERIES.

Book 1 is:

HERALD: THE LAND OF KEVITT SERIES, BOOK 1

As you know, I had three family members come to Jamestown in 1607 and I have had family here in the U.S. ever since. Therefore, this is something I am more passionate about and has changed and influenced my life since I found out in June 2012. I think as individuals, and as a nation, we have forgotten the real reason our founding fathers found this nation--and not all of the myths people wish to be true. 

The election of November 2012 brought a dark time in my life that I am still trying to recover from--where I see the mistakes that we have made as a Christian nation (myself included). They have been of biblical proportion and denying that there is a problem or ignoring the problem will not make it go away. The problems with our once great nation are getting worse by the day and cannot and should be ignored by any of us. 

Over the weekend, I started to read the book, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL by Dr. Ben Carson, and I recommend it to EVERY American--Christian or not. I think that every American should read this book in 2013. It is a life-changing, eye-opening, informative, fascinating read. 

So, what I am saying is this: I will no longer do my Google+ communities regarding journaling. HOWEVER, feel free to email me and I would love to keep up a dialog. 

Also, I am staring a new Google+ community: CHRISTIAN WRITING GROUP:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/109060487653004621348

Thank you so much for following me and for all of your interest. I am now going in a different direction. 

God bless. Have a nice day--and HAPPY JOURNALING! 

Stacy Duplease
Christian, Writer, & PatriotLand of Kevitt: A Fantasy Series Blog and Website:
http://landofkevitt.blogspot.com
Email: hisfiction@gmail.com
Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

Venting Journaling: (aka Throwing Up on Paper)

WHAT IS IT?

There are times it's necessary to vent. And, there are also times it's necessary to be quite ugly on the page--just to get it out so you can move on and find the logic in the situation, rather than be emotional about it. I call this type of journaling throwing up on paper. I know it's a terrible phrase. But, the moment you heard it, and I explained to you, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? I really cannot think of one more appropriate. Sometimes you just have to get it out so you can feel better--and that is precisely what this type of journaling allows.

HOW OFTEN?

I do not recommend doing this as a complete journal. But, an entry every now and then is perfectly acceptable. Why do I not recommend it too often? It means focusing on the negatives, rather than on the positives. It means for a quite miserable frame of mind. If you use throwing up on paper as a way to get things on, so you can move one, then that's a whole different matter.

To be honest, I only vent on the page a couple times per year. I really do not need it more than that--if I journal at least five days per week. Journaling frees me and transforms me so I do not need to do this too often. But, when I do, it's a doozy!

WHEN?

I recommend doing this when:

~ Someone really upsets you.

~ You get some bad, stressful, or frustrating news.

~ When you make an error in judgment or a mistake.

~ When you don't know what to do.

~ When you are emotional and cannot think logically.

~ When something eats at you.

HOW?

How do you do vent on the page?

VENT:

~ First and foremost (this is critical), give yourself 30 minutes tops to vent on paper. Set a timer.

~ Next, call the entry venting on paper so that you know you weren't serious about most of what you said when you read the entry later. You just had to get it out.

~ Be as ugly as possible on the page with the intent to purge on paper and get it out.

~ Don't be hateful, though. Don't plan on harming anyone. Be somewhat reasonable.

~ This is a good time to have the poor-me's, if you want--and ask the what'if questions.

~ Be thorough. Get it all out.

~ The moment the timer goes off... STOP. Do not write one more word.

RE-FRAMING IT PHASE:

~ Then, turn it around. Do a new entry about the main gripe you had that had you throwing up on the page. Approach it with grace. Be tactful. Be logical.

~ Find the lessons learned or the lessons to learn from the situation. Make sure to get them down.

~ Then, list three blessings from this situation.

~ Finally, move on. Try to forget what had you venting. However, if it still eats at you, repeat this exercise again.

Whenever I do this, I feel so much better. My emotions and the situation no longer control me when I am finished. In fact, I take back control because of it. And, I am able to move pass it. There is something very healing and powerful about venting on the page.

~ Stacy Duplease

Journalkeeper 

Your Story

Your story matters.

Journal.

~ Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper

How's Your Week?: A Journaling Exercise or Prompt

So, how has your week been? Has it been what you hoped? Have you accomplished what you hoped? Or have your plans been led astray?

Has it been a good week or a rough one?

You have the rest of today and all of tomorrow to salvage anything you missed or desire. Take advantage of the time. 

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author