(Continuing making suggestions for cultivating quieter, more disciplined, and reflective hearts and minds)

7. Journal: When you write you are forced to be focused on what you are saying, and it doesn’t really leave it open for you to have your mind darting all over the place. So, if you have trouble praying and not having your mind wander, write your prayers, etc.

Journaling is good because it helps you process what you are thinking. Typically our minds are darting all over the place, so we don’t ever really process. Journaling helps in this department.

I typically will read a passage of the Bible in the morning with my journal next to me and after reading I will write down in a paragraph or so my thoughts of what I just read, then I will write another paragraph of things I am wrestling with at the time.

This has the added benefit of going back years later, reading these journals and seeing how the Lord moved. I have journals way back into 1996 till today…its fun reading those today.

8. Have a Consistent Devotional Time in a Quiet Place: I’ve spoken to some of you about this and I know some of you have trouble finding a good place to have your devotional time, but work hard at finding a spot. It makes a difference, a big difference. The Knight household isn’t easy to do this in with two little rug rats, but my wife does a good time at seizing moments – be it getting up before they arise or spending time in the word and prayer during naps.

I’m not saying you HAVE to be in the word every day, but I think it dangerous if you don’t as you leave your heart and mind susceptible to being influenced by things of the world. Even if its just reading a single sentence of Scripture and contemplating it, praying it, etc throughout the day, this is better than nothing.

Bottom line, stay in the word and prayer as this will force you to be driven to more meaningful things of depth and it will expose your heart and bring you to the Cross and an empty tomb.

Suggestions 9 & 10 tomorrow…