What have I been up to?
- Boma
- 6 days ago
- 13 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
We are at the end of the first quarter of the year, and things have been quieter than usual on the blog. I have not been idle; in fact, I have been very busy. I wanted to share some of my journey with you and highlight five lessons which I have paired with reflection prompts. I hope you will find encouragement and direction as you read. So, let's get to it: what have I been up to?
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The Website
I have been developing this website and blog in a 'learn-as-I-go' manner alongside being a wife and mum and working full-time. In addition to posting here, I also enjoy creating resources to support the things I write about: the Word of God, prayer, fasting, and silence & solitude. I am a writer by God's design; writing is part of who I am. I once heard someone say they feel deeply uncomfortable leaving home without earrings on. I feel odd if I go anywhere without some means to jot down a thought or record an observation. However, websites require more than an affinity for words or something to write about. There is much more to creating a welcoming space for others to come to. Beyond the behind-the-scenes stuff, this online space was always going to expand beyond blog posts. I have never been one to stick to a particular lane.
Gather, Write, Pray
About 6 months ago, I felt a prompt to create spaces for Christians who believe God wants them to write something. This could be any kind of writing—books, devotionals, plays, songs, poems, spoken word, articles, guides, manuals, research papers... or anything else. The leading could have been a lifelong ambition or something more recent. The space is for those who are confident in communicating in writing and for those who are daunted by the prospect. All are welcome. Gather, Write, Pray is germinating into something special. I am excited to see what the Lord will do with it, and in and through those who access it. The sessions are quite spaced out in a manageable way, but require prayer and preparation behind the scenes. In addition to the online meeting spaces, I have also begun developing resources to support us in our writing.
Bible School
Towards the end of last year, the Lord led me to sign up for Bible School, which has been wonderful, but adds more to my plate. There are lessons to attend, books to read, things to apply, and essays to write. I am learning to give my schedule and tasks to God throughout each day, and to let Him direct my next steps and help me to organise my time. He is much better at it than I am! Since the decision to embark on Bible School was made so close to the start of the term, there was little time for me to consider how I would juggle it all. I have been finding my feet for much of this first quarter.
God knew how this year would unfold and has a way of preparing us for what is ahead before we even know what is coming our way. I did not fully appreciate why I was being led to create a journal to help me reflect as I entered 2026. However, the Start the Year Well Journal helped me enter this year more intentionally and purposefully. I thank God for that.
Journals
I had primarily created downloadable or printable resources. However, in 2025, I was thrilled to publish the Guided Birthday Journal: Reflect, Rejoice, Renew. It was a steep learning curve, but the whole process was a blessing. It is now available in both paperback and hardback on Amazon. All glory to God.
Read more about the Guided Birthday Journal in How to Spend Time with God on Your Birthday.
The Guided Birthday Journal was not the first physical journal I had worked on. It was the first to make it to print out of several ongoing projects and yet-to-be-started ideas. Over the course of many months, I worked on these as time allowed and prayed that I would complete them. This year, God has begun answering those prayers.
I woke up one morning in early February this year and just knew I had to create a printed Verse Mapping Journal. This was not one of the projects I had been working on. It was not even something I was thinking about. After all, I already had printables verse mapping templates and guides in two designs available in my store. However, as I opened my eyes that Monday morning, I knew what I needed to do. As God would have it, I had already booked a day off work, intending to rest after an incredibly busy start to the year. This meant that after school run, I had a few hours to work on the idea. I was able to make a good start that day and continued working on it over the coming days.
The pink one
This Verse Mapping Journal: Guidance and Templates for Reflective Bible Study is now available on Amazon. It is more than a physical version of the printable one. The verse mapping template has been redesigned to give more space for your notes. I added a section on the importance of studying the Bible and encouragement to pray the Word as you do. It includes a helpful worked example of verse mapping using John 3:16-17. You can use the 26 four-page templates with any verses you like, but I have included a list of Bible verses and passages to inspire your verse mapping. I added a section on the importance of studying the Bible and encouragement to pray the Word as you do. There are also some aesthetic changes and images to enhance your experience.
Like the Guided Birthday Journal, it has a floral design. My husband said he would like to try verse mapping. This led me to consider those who might not lean towards a pink and floral design.
The cream one
I created another verse mapping journal with a cream cover. I changed the font, but the template is otherwise the same. This version also includes a new section with advice on avoiding some Bible study pitfalls. It has a different set of 26 scriptures to inspire your verse mapping. This time, I chose Scriptures linked to spiritual formation and added space to build a list of verses you might want to study in the future, complete with tick boxes. The verse mapping example included is based on Matthew 4:4.
Verse Mapping Journal: Exploring God's Word One Verse at a Time is available on Amazon.
The one for mums
By now, Mother's Day was approaching, and I was inspired to create something tailored to mums that would encourage and equip us to study the Bible in any season of motherhood. I knew it would not be ready in time for Mothering Sunday, but that was okay because I was developing something suitable for any day of the year. It would make a thoughtful gift for occasions such as baby showers or celebrating a mum on her birthday.
Verse Mapping is for everyone. Of course, the method does not change because a woman or a mother is studying the Bible. However, A Mother's Heart Verse Mapping Journal contains additional content specifically for mums. It is also the first journal with colour pages inside.
As well as guidance and tips for verse mapping, it includes a section on how verse mapping can help mums study the Bible. There is a six-page section on Mums in the Bible which includes examples of their faith, wisdom, and influence as well as cautionary tales. None of the women and mothers in the Bible was perfect, but we can learn from their choices and character. This journal also includes a lovely poem and two prayers. This time, the verse mapping example uses Jeremiah 17:7-8.
Old Projects, New Mindset
Between creating these three verse mapping journals, I went back to some existing projects and began working on them. When I began working on the first verse mapping journal (you know, the one with the pink and floral cover), I noticed all the unfinished projects I had. They stood out to me as unfulfilled potential and wasted effort. I felt frustrated, deeply challenged, and highly motivated to do something about this. I believe this was Holy Spirit-inspired. I prayed about it and wrote a master list of my projects and ideas. I created a table to record their stage of development and left space to record when they were completed.
I did not just pray that I would complete them. I prayed about why I had not. Yes, I am busy, but there was more to it than that. I asked for insight into why I had not completed them and wisdom to know what to do about it. I repented for not stewarding well the ideas my God-given creativity had produced. I prayed for help identifying whether any projects needed to be shelved or redirected. I also asked the Holy Spirit to help me prioritise everything. I declared that I am a finisher.
Remarkably, the very next Sunday, the message at church was about the dangers of settling or stopping before getting to the place God was directing us to. Many of us start well, then, for a range of reasons, don't quite get all the way to where we were initially headed. If I needed confirmation or encouragement to work on these unfinished projects until they were completed, I had it.
My Prayer Journal
So far, this path has led me to publish My Prayer Journal: A 52 week journey of reflection and prayer. Each two-page spread includes a short Scripture and reflection prompt, followed by a prayer prompt. I love this journal because it invites us to cover something fresh each week and encourages reflection on Scripture and life. It also helps us to pause and focus on prayer.
While reviewing the draft I had begun two or three years ago, I had an idea to add something extra, which I believe adds a lot of value to the journal as a prayer and reflection tool. I prayerfully developed and searched for quotes about prayer to include throughout the journal. I paired these with reflection questions to help us consider their meaning and the implications for our approach to prayer. This means that by the time you have filled the pages with your prayers, you will also have a broader and deeper understanding of prayer.
I can genuinely recommend My Prayer Journal as an impactful addition to your walk with the Lord. I say that humbly, because it is an honour to create journals that aim to support spiritual practices and draw you closer to the Lord. Although the bulk of the content was finalised a couple of years ago, I still remember considering each prompt and answering them in my head and heart to make sure the wording was right, the Scripture was suitable, and the prompts would be beneficial to your walk with God. I have scheduled time to use my own copy each week, and I hope you find ways to incorporate it into your prayer life, whether weekly or otherwise.
Read more about prayer journalling in What Is Prayer Journalling? Benefits, Ideas, and How to Start
Lessons From This Season
I have learnt a lot these past few months, but these stand out the most:
Execution Matters
Inspiration and ideas can be exciting. They can even be comforting. It can feel good to know that we have something within us that will one day come out. It can feel like a safer state than pushing through to bring it to life. However, God wants us to continue all the way to execution. Execution matters. God has not given us ideas only for them to remain buried (think of the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14–30). We are supposed to run with the vision.
Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. —Habakkuk 2:2
Remember, though, that execution is not the same as controlling the outcome. Our role is to obey.
***Reflection prompt: In what area do you need to move from procrastination to execution?
Learn God's voice; trust God's timing.
What if I had said that I booked that day of annual leave to rest, and since rest is Biblical (it is), this prompting to create something I had no thought to do must be a distraction? What if I thought so long about the timing and circumstance (from my perspective) that I did not move forward?
Many people God called to do something were busy doing something else when He called them. Moses was tending sheep when he saw the burning bush (Exodus 3:1). Elisha was ploughing with oxen when Elijah threw the mantle on him (1 Kings 19:19-21). Peter, Andrew, James, and John were actively fishing, mending, and washing nets when Jesus called them (Matthew 4:18-22). Being busy or occupied doing good things does not mean God won't redirect your efforts or give you something additional to do. We must never be too busy to hear God's voice or to follow Him.
***Reflection prompt: Meditate on John 10:27. Does busyness override God's voice in your life?
Don't limit God to what is comfortable
I have always wanted to write, so although I had to push myself to begin writing online. Sharing my writing took courage, but writing itself can still be a comfortable space that makes sense for me. Creating journals and other resources takes more than writing. It stretches my creativity and causes me to learn and develop a wider range of skills and knowledge than I could have imagined. I could have stayed comfortable, but I have learned that God has so much more for us on the other side of our comfort. One of my favourite things about God is that He is our Shepherd. Shepherds use discomfort to lead sheep. You can read more about this in this post about Relationship Goals. Discomfort does not mean you are in the wrong place; it could simply mean God is leading you on.
***Reflection prompt: What would change if I became more comfortable with discomfort?
Learn how to handle frustration
Our emotions are not bad; what we do with them can be. I recently heard someone say that frustration plus procrastination equals devastation, but frustration plus action equals acceleration. We can experience frustration when something is wrong, missing, or not progressing as expected. It is a sign that something needs to be addressed. Frustration presents us with a range of choices. We can avoid, dismiss, or suppress the emotion. We can give up, believing the obstacles in our way are permanent or insurmountable, or that the goal is not worth the effort. Conversely, we can also decide to push through until we break through, or we can review where we are and what we have been doing and make changes that will enable us to progress.
***Reflection prompt: Where have you experienced frustration recently, and what can you do to address it?
God's ideas are better than 'good' ideas
Over the last few months, I have seen more deeply that God's ideas are always better than mine or anyone else's. I thoroughly enjoyed creating these four journals. Reviewing and reviving existing projects has taught me to trust that God can make anything live. The lessons I have learnt go beyond this website and these journals. They have increased my wisdom for my day-to-day life, just when I need it the most. Yes, execution matters to God, and He instructs us to steward well all He gives us. But God cares about us; He has our best interests at heart. His aim is not to use us up in the fulfilment of His will. No, we are blessed beyond measure as we follow the path He lays out before us. This does not mean we will not experience challenges or hardship. He gives us the ability to endure or stand. God is good, and so are His plans for us.
***Reflection prompt: Do you trust God's ideas and see them as good, even when it does not make sense or when other ideas seem better?
What Have I Been Up To and What's Next?
Well, that is just some of what I have been up to. I will continue to work through my list of projects, committing them into God's hands, so you can expect to see those pop up from time to time. I will also continue to blog as I can, writing some brand new posts and finishing ones I previously started. I trust God that each will be shared at the right time. I hope to be able to get back to regular devotional writing as this is something very close to my heart, but I trust God's direction.
I have a question for you now: What has God given you to do?
What Has God Given You to Do?
I believe God has given each of us something to do and has connected these to time (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).
What you are created to do does not have to look anything like what God has put within me or anyone else. It is possible that two people could be led to do something similar, but because each brings their unique design to it, there will be differences. Just walk along a high street or through a shopping centre and see how many shops there are in the same category yet with distinctive identities that appeal to different people. It is a reflection of God's unlimited diversity.
I recently shared a post titled This Is Your Birthing Season. I believe that it is indeed time for many of us to push through with things we have been carrying. There is a time to develop things in private, and there is a time for them to be brought into the light so they can fulfil their purpose. I encourage you to write down, dust off, and run with whatever God has inspired you to pursue.
Blessing in Action: What have I been up to?
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted" —Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
My prayer is always that God puts these posts before the right people at the right time. So I believe that you are reading this today for a reason. Whether you are reading this close to when I posted it or much later, I believe you are right on time.
Perhaps as you read about my journey over the last few months, something left unfinished, recently or many years ago, came to mind. Or perhaps you have an idea you have not yet acted on or a project you have not fully committed to.
Take a few moments to gather the thoughts that arose as you read.
Take to the Lord in prayer whatever came up as you read.
Ask the Lord to direct your next steps and to help you to trust Him.
Over the next few days, be aware of inspiration and opportunities to act and then follow through.
Don't worry about the outcome, focus only on your obedience.
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