An Unexpected Gift

I received the Give Me Jesus Journal as a housewarming gift from a dear friend at a time when I could not have needed it more.

Having just moved with my husband and three children from Florida to Pennsylvania, I was discovering that everything I had heard about the challenges of moving to a new state was true. Inundated with surprise expenses, endless paperwork, and so many emotions, I had not been prioritizing my time with Jesus.

Each night I was collapsing into bed, exhausted and overwhelmed. I would grab my Bible and try to read a chapter or so, but it felt like I was simply ticking a box on my to-do list. Often I would nod off after a few verses. Prayer life consisted predominantly of asking God to help me with whatever obstacle presented itself and then spouting out a “Thank you!” when he did. The rest was mumbling disjointedly as I fell asleep.

It is no surprise that I felt completely depleted. I was pouring out my energy and resources into everything in front of me because it seemed tyrannically urgent. I was unconsciously shelving the one area of my life that needed the most attention. Quickly I recognized that something had to give—but what?

A Need for Grace

My overall exhaustion was soon accompanied by physical aches and pains, and I came across an article about the many benefits of drinking water. I decided I would make a valiant effort to add more water into my daily life. Little did I know, God was speaking to me metaphorically through that article.

A gift arrived in the mail shortly after I initiated my self-imposed “Drink More Water!” campaign. When I opened the box, I saw the words “Well-Watered Women” on the cover, glistening in gold. God had my attention. I opened it to find an aesthetically stunning journal, and again the words “Well-Watered Women” captivated me. A card from my sweet friend accompanied the timely gift, and my eyes welled with grateful tears as I read her note to me:

“As I have prayed for you and remembered my own transitions in moving to unfamiliar places, the greatest comfort to me is always this truth: ‘What a friend we have in Jesus.’”

True Living Water

Ah, Jesus! The Living Water, the Well that never runs dry, the only One who can quench the insatiable thirsting of my weary soul! How had I so easily neglected the most vital, life-giving relationship I will ever have?

I explored the pages of my lovely journal and became increasingly excited and reignited to study God’s Word. The resources, instructions, and organization impressed me greatly, and the introduction and exhortation challenged me to think about what type of woman of God I presently embodied (a dry one), and what type of woman of God I wanted to be (well-watered). 

After completing the “Heart Check” section, I enthusiastically began my daily challenge to “Journal the Word.” I love the structure of this section because I feel fully guided yet free to have an authentic, organic study and personal time with Jesus. I love that there is a scripture to inspire and stir my heart at the beginning of the page, but it is by no means meant to be the extent of my study.

No one else is designing my time with the Lord. It is not a “fast food” approach to Bread of Life, and I appreciate that because I can easily resort to relying on someone else to do the work for me when I am in a spiritual slump like the one I described earlier. 

A Heart and Life Check

In many ways, this journal is a wonderful source of accountability. I am prompted to answer questions and go deeper than I might if I were left to my own devices and trying to get a quick fix.

Another way in which I feel held accountable by the journal is its record-keeping feature. I am prompted to write the date and time at the top of each new day that I sit and have a full Bible study with Jesus, so I can clearly see how consistently (or inconsistently) I am meeting with him and delving into his Word. I can also see my prayer requests and how they have been answered or not answered yet. I can praise God for the ways he has provided and keep seeking him in areas that are still uncertain.

With the recent pandemic, I got out of my rhythm of meeting with God. I was still reading my Bible, but I just did not seem to have the mental capacity to do much else. I gave myself grace, decided it was just a small blip in time, and I would get my groove back soon. That was in March. 

I recently grabbed my journal to have time with the Lord and was floored to realize that I had not written in it for six months. I had not dedicated sacred time to study God’s Word without distraction for six whole months! Whoa. That was a wake-up call. But, that realization was a gracious gift to me, not a source of shame.

A Helpful Resource

I looked back through my journal and saw what the prayers and priorities of my life were pre-pandemic, which put many things in perspective. Thanking God for his faithfulness and grace with renewed vigor and joy, I began journaling again. I praise God that he is consistent even when I am not!

I cannot recommend this journal highly enough. Is it the life-hack I use to make spending time with God a cinch? Absolutely not. That is what is so wonderful about it: I actually have to show up and be present with the Lord. No one else is going to fill those pages for me, and I thank God for that.

In this current pseudo-reality of Covid-19, I know I need to detox daily from my online, digital, socially-distant interactions. I need Living Water to do that. No mask is required when I am meeting with Jesus. Socially distancing myself from him is highly discouraged, thank God! What a gift I have in spending time with him, and what a gift this journal has been to my life. 

Your friend, Rhiannon

You can find our brand new Give Me Jesus Journal in the Well-Watered Co. on September 16. Want to learn more about the journal before purchasing? We've got you covered. This webpage covers all the FAQs we've received over the years. We want this resource to equip and excite you to meet Jesus in the pages of your Bible and see him at work in your daily life.