Praying in the Desert {Bible Journaling Through Real Life}

Sometimes, I just don’t want to talk. To anyone. (hashtag introvert). I’d rather be alone in silence, staring into the trees behind our house, watching the waves crash, running for an hour, designing something…anything that doesn’t include words. And that applies to prayer, too. Sorry, God, you made me an introvert and sometimes I don’t want to talk to You, either. Usually it’s when I’m mad, or when I’m so tired from the daily tasks that turn into a seemingly never-ending list, that I would rather zone out than turn inward.

Thank goodness there’s an answer for that “problem”. Saint Paul tells us that the Spirit prays on our behalf when we don’t know how or what to pray (Romans 8:26-27).

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the ^[a]saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

All the groans you thing you hear? That’s the Holy Spirit here with me. I’m basically out of words after only one week into the school year, after taking in the news about the crisis in the Church, after wrestling with marriage things and parenting things, after staring down some big kid attitudes without tantruming right back at them. All that’s left is space for those groanings from the Spirit, because I’m weak.

My introverted soul is like a desert, where words are like flowers (rare) and prayer is like rain that nourishes. But a torrential rain would devastate, with floods and mudslides. I need a sprinkle. A mist even, like the dewy marine layer that settles over the coast where I live and creates a beautiful, peaceful quiet for the soul to stir.

In my life right now, there simply isn’t time for spending in quiet, contemplative prayer. I’m channeling all the “ora et labora”, “find God in the ordinary” sorts of spiritual lessons in my life. If I read the Bible, it’s usually from the daily Mass readings when I click through from my email, reading the Blessed Is She devotions. I wasn’t reading the Bible regularly, not journaling, not putting words to paper. But the beauty I’ve seen in some women’s Bibles has moved me. I was drawn to the journaling Bible recently, because it’s so beautiful, the footnotes are incredible (really, do you read the footnotes? You should. You’ll learn so much. I’ve had “mind-blown” moments reading the footnotes), and I loved the idea of Bible journaling. It’s such a beautiful way to keep a conversation with God going, like a scrapbook of prayer and thoughts. Like a collection of love notes, with the Lover being the the Lord who speaks to my desert, introverted soul through the verses, and my few notes plus the beautiful pieces I add from the journaling kits and stickers being my soul’s response to the Love poured out to me in Word.

And if I’m perfectly honest, I wanted to try Bible journaling because I was so captivated by the beautiful things I’ve seen other women do. Yes, I’m motivated by art and beauty. Why not be? Beauty is one way God speaks to humanity.

Lately, I try to spend some time with my Bible and this kit, and let the beauty of the words and the art nourish my soul. The kit is so stunning to look at, and there are carefully chosen verses already worked into a mini study for me, so all I need to do is look them up, ponder, and then add a touch of beauty from the stickers and tags.

I wish I could spend more time each day with these words and the beauty in the kit, but as I said, it’s not the season for me to contemplate. It’s a season of action and movement. But the few minutes I do have? Giving me life. Beauty. Moments of reflection to prepare my heart and mind for the day, more inclined to God’s will and vision for my life.

It might feel like a spiritual desert, but it’s sure a beautiful one when I sit with the beauty to be found. Thanks to Ingrid for this stunning kit and her letting God work through her talents. Find her shop here if you’re inspired as I am.