NOTE: This post is going to bounce around like a pinball machine or a dot-to-dot puzzle so PLEASE be patient and just try to follow along. You have to connect all of the dot-to-dots to get the whole picture. Get some coffee, this is gonna be a long one.
Right now I am doing the study Armour of God by Priscilla Shirer. After sharing some situations with a few people throughout the past year, the suggestion that I do this study came up more than once from different people at different times.
#uhhello
Truth is, as I type this, I am at battle with several things. Actually, the truth is, I have been in battle with a few things almost my entire life. (Specifics are not necessary but if you ask me I will tell you.)
Another truth is...WE ARE ALL either in a battle, coming out of a battle or will be in one soon whether you want to admit it, share it, or hey, blog about it. We all have junk, crap, stuff and big ol' messes and it is our my responsibility (I am not the boss of you so for the sake of this post, I will throw myself under the ol' buss and say it is MY responsibility) to use my mess as my message in order to help myself and to help others.
It reminds us that we are not alone because the battle is real.
Man, is it real.

Yesterday I posted a picture on social media of the page that I wrote out and washi tapes into my Bible based on Isaiah 30:21 with a reminder of something too important not to share.

My notes read: carefully consider any areas where my feelings, instincts or previous experiences become factors for my actions...
ut oh.
Sound familiar?
gulp.
So what is the way out when this happens?
STOP and re-align. (DO NOT PUT OFF THIS STEP)
Remind yourself of the truth and then MOST IMPORTANTLY, ask God to give you the courage to hold up that truth as a banner over your life. As you do, and as He does.."Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it" Isaiah 30:21
All of the above is an example of how I personally document my faith on a daily basis (aka quiet time.) I take what I am learning, reading and/or studying and creatively put it into action by either writing it down in a margin, on a piece of paper, a post it note or on an art journal page.

There is good news and bad news about the "Good News" (no pun intended)
The good news is that I have created a daily habit of getting into the word and that was my goal with Documented Faith. The bad news is that it is all over the place. In my Bible, on the margins, on folded pieces of paper, in art journals, etc.etc. etc....and when I need to go back and review, remind myself or look for something based on whatever I learned.....I am not really sure where I put it. All of the things, my notes to self, the stuff I was learning and all of my God Light Bulb Moments are in different places.* (remember that little star)
Throwback to February 7, 2016 which was Superbowl Sunday, I was in a prescription medicated "snooze-la-la-land" state as I laid in bed during recovery from surgery one BUT God plopped this into my head:
365
Even in my medicated-to-heal snooze mode, I typed it into the "note" section of my iphone and then later in February I transferred it into one of the little journal spots in my binder. 
You guys, I am not kidding when I tell you that 1001 times during this year I have TRIED to figure out what 365 meant. When something would spur a thought, I would THINK, "hmmm....Is that it? and even worse, I have been antagonizing over the fact that this year is almost over and I still had not figured out what 365 meant.
Here is the problem...
I was trying to figure it out myself instead of asking.
I did not ask....and I did not listen.
#duh
You guys, never once did I ASK GOD what HE meant by it.

I know I knew to ask but I forgot to remember, so...I never did. I am human so that is 99% of the problem but also because all I have ever learned, read and studied is written down, painted on, stitched on or doodled...all over the place.
#scattered

So going back to that little star * above and my need for a place to hold and even better, organize my notes and reminders reminders like these on a regular basis and I need to be able to look back at them and even share with others...and they need to be organized so that I can find them when I need them.
Insert a HUGE LIGHT BULB MOMENT that just came full circle TODAY (11/3/2016) because I have been ASKING God and I have been very specific. I was so busy trying to figure everything out, doing it on my own and not asking or listening that it took me 268 days (yes, I counted) to understand what 365 meant. Now, of course I related 365 to the number of days in a year, but now I see it as EVERYDAY.
In 2017, I hope that you will consider joining me in Documented Faith 365. Make sure that you are subscribed to my newsletter so that you get updates on this and other things going on inside my overflowing creative brain.
