Book Review: When I Journal He Speaks

When I Journal He Speaks
By Dr. Michelle Miner
Outskirts Press, 2014
English, 190 pgs

Amazon Product Description:
The Voice of God Is Just a Journal Entry Away!

Experienced therapist, teacher, mentor and one who flows in prophetic insight and wisdom, Dr. Michelle Miner will demonstrate and instruct you both in the value of journaling and how to journal in this interactive book. When I Journal He Speaks shares with you Michelle's journey of learning how to use journaling to hear the voice of the Lord, so you can embark on that same uplifting, amazing road to a closer relationship with God. Maybe you've thought about journaling before, but you don't think you are a writer, or you worry that you don't know how to do it correctly. The good news is there is no right or wrong way to journal-and you can start in any way that feels comfortable to you. You will learn to discern the true voice of God and to have confidence in the knowledge that He is speaking to you. Your journal can become a resource upon which you can reflect to remind you of the words that God has given to comfort and inspire you. If you've ever heard someone say "God spoke to me" and wondered how that was possible...this book is for you. As you become closer to the Lord, you will begin to hear His voice in your everyday life. God speaks-are you ready to receive the gift of His voice?

About the Author:
Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board Approved Clinical Supervisor. She has a Doctor of Christian Counseling degree. Michelle's passion is to see people healed from past emotional, mental, and spiritual wounds, and current struggles with living life in freedom. Michelle endeavors to empower people as they work through their issues, and to encourage them as they find peace, healing, and wholeness in Christ. Dr. Miner owns a psychiatric rehab facility in Louisiana. She knows there are times when life can throw curves, and she endeavors to assist women, especially, to be strengthened in their walk with the Lord. 

Review:
I think this book is useful for many reasons. First, the beginning is about how to hear the voice of God. That's a hard thing for many new believers to understand. The book is to be used as a tool to begin or to improve our dialogue with God. She uses Habakkuk to explain how to hear the voice of God. She says that when we hear a flow of spontaneous thought that we should be aware of it and might be able to attribute that voice to God. But, we need to be still and quiet our minds to listen. We also need to be able to discern God's voice from that of ourselves and our enemy. I often find that if the thought is confirmed in scripture that it indeed was God talking. He also confirms his voice and words through speaking the same thing to other people in our lives. She states that as we focus on Jesus during our prayer times we can listen for the voice and look for dreams or visions and then record them. For best practice, she says we need to just write them as they come, and then examine and interpret them later.  I really appreciate that she also says that you should confirm any moves you feel God is telling you to make with a trusted counselor or friend. It's not questioning God to make sure you understand the directions.

 She gives suggestions about how to start a journal based quiet time. She advocates asking God questions (writing them down, of course) and then listening for the response (and writing them down). I like that she advocates having reference materials and your Bible near. Sometimes God will tell you where to find the answer you need and you have to go get it!

The chapters have short devotions and room in the book to journal as you read through it. This is helpful for beginning the practice. Some of them already have question prompts to work through and that seems to be helpful at the beginning of the practice. As you spend more time and go deeper into hearing God's voice you'll be ready to have your own journal and ask your own questions that are important to your own life.

There are a total of 40 journaling exercises. Each one is pretty heavy on the author's personal thoughts and personal responses from God. I wish there was more scripture throughout the journaling pages but there is a lot. I just would think that each exercise would have references within them. The days are quick and easy to read. They start pretty "easy" and move "deeper" as you're more comfortable with the process and with hearing God's voice.

You can find this book for sale on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review on this blog and a major book distributor website. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.