Stay close to God’s heart by starting a commonplace book in 2025. You can do this as a journal, a notebook or even my choice, a card file.
In any form, commonplace books are not journals. Instead of writing down your thoughts or activities, you write down quotes, Scripture, ideas and observations. You can write out impressions you receive in prayer. What an easy way to remember these things!
Leaders and writers throughout history have made commonplace books, which achieved widespread use in the Renaissance and the 19th century. They are gaining popularity again today. When you create your own, you join a group of people like Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain.
To get started, simply select a blank journal or notebook. You can also buy a stack of 3″-x-5″ index cards and a card file box.
Your commonplace book contains:
- Quotes from Scripture that seemed to be aimed right at you.
- Statements that seems to come to your mind from God’s heart.
- Wise words from sermons, Bible studies and small group activities.
- Comments made by your spiritual director or a close Christian friend.
- Snippets from books and podcasts that move you.
- Drawings or picture that speak to you.
I have been using 3-by-5 cards for this purpose since the late 1980s. It’s amazing how cards that are more than 40 years old can still feel instructive. I add to the collection whenever I read something that seems directly right at me.
I use the cards daily: one card a day when I am planning my schedule. I also put them on the refrigerator, stick them to a bulletin board and use them as bookmarks.
For example, I placed this remark from an interview with Richard Foster in Mimi Dixon’s book “Worth Celebrating” on a commonplace card this week:
“Now I would like to provide one simple counsel as you go forward in this with-God life. How about us making our lives one grand experiment in bringing holiness and hilarity together in one life-giving unity! Let’s combine seeking after God with an ease and lightheartedness in our spirituality. Maybe even levity and freedom of spirit.
“This combination of a life focused on the divine Center with a lighthearted spirituality is seldom seen in our day. It is an occupational hazard of religious folk to become stuffy bores. So, perhaps we can relax a bit and enjoy being present with God. Maybe we can even have a good belly laugh at ourselves whenever we get too intense!
“I don’t mean this in an outward or showy way. We need to not “try” to be joyful. Instead, we simply invite God to produce deep within us a well of life bubbling up and flowing out. We can ask to experience a deep river of divine intimacy, a gentle river of holy living, a dancing river of jubilation in the Spirit, and a broad river of unconditional love for all people. Such a river of life will surely draw others in.”
Now … isn’t that a quote worth revisiting time and again?
