• Start
    Here
    • Start Here
    • About Barb
    • Barb Raveling’s Books
    • Renew Your Mind Seminar
    • Leader’s Guides & Resources
    • Contact
  • Renew
    Your Mind
    • Renewing of the Mind Project
    • Renewing of the Mind Tools
    • Grow Closer to God
    • Transformation 101
    • Renewing Your Mind Bible Study
  • Bible
    Studies
    • Free Bible Studies
    • Leader’s Guides & Resources
    • Online Bible Studies
  • Live In
    Peace
    • How To Live in Peace
    • Anger
    • Worry/Fear
    • Depression & Discontentment
    • Insecurity
    • Stress
    • Boredom
    • Other Emotions
  • Pursue
    A Goal
    • How to Start a Habit
    • How to Pursue a Goal
    • Goals and Productivity
    • Ministry and Blogging
  • Lose
    Weight
    • How to Lose Weight
    • Weight Loss Resources, Classes, & FAQ
    • Taste for Truth Christian Weight Loss Podcast
    • Christian Weight Loss App
    • Weight Loss Bible Study
    • Weight Loss Blog Posts
  • Break
    A Habit
    • How To Break a Habit
    • Habits Blog Posts
  • Podcasts &
    Coaching
    • Coaching with Barb
    • Christian Habits Podcast
    • Taste for Truth Christian Weight Loss Podcast
    • Podcast Interviews

Barb Raveling

Tips, Tools, & Bible Studies to Renew Your Mind

Subscribe

  • Home
  • Podcasts
    • Taste for Truth Christian Weight Loss Podcast
    • Christian Habits Podcast
You are here: Home / Transformation 101 / Truth Journaling

Truth Journaling

March 20, 2012 By: Barb Raveling

This post may contain affiliate links. View our disclosure policy here.

Today I want to dive into our first renewing of the mind tool. It’s called truth journaling, and many of you are already familiar with this tool from my Bible Study Freedom from Emotional Eating.

Truth journaling is a practice that sprang out of a little self-improvement project I started ten years ago. I was trying to get over a nasty habit I had of dwelling on my husband’s faults and, true to form, I was trying to change myself in my own strength.

My idea was to think positive. Every time I had a negative thought about him, I would write it down and replace it with a positive thought. It didn’t take me long to realize that many of my negative thoughts were actually lies.

I switched to replacing lies with truth, and I called it truth journaling.

God has used this discipline to transform me in more ways than I can name. Not just in habits and negative emotions, but also in my feelings towards Him. Truth journaling is what got me excited about spending time with God and delving into His Word. I’m hoping it will do as much for you as it did for me.

How to Truth Journal

In a nutshell, this is how you truth journal:

  1. Write out your thoughts. Don’t take time to think, just spill them out.
  2. Go back and number each sentence.
  3. Then look at each sentence – one at a time – to see if it’s a lie or truth.
  4. If it’s true, write true. If it’s false or only half-true, rewrite it so it’s all the way true.

Here’s an example of what this looks like in real life with eating: Alone in the House with Ice Cream and Rhubarb Bars. With writing: Getting Back on Track. And with relationships: What if you Can’t “Just Get Over It”?

If you want to see more examples, I have all kinds of examples at my old blog under the truth journaling category.

Truth journaling is the practical application of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 which talks about taking each thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. Each sentence is a thought and when you look at that sentence to see whether or not it’s true, you’re actually taking that thought captive to Christ.

It’s a physical taking off of the lies and putting on of the truth just like we talked about in the Renovation of the Mind post. And the interesting thing is that it actually changes our desires. More on that in another post.

If you’re already familiar with truth journaling and want to get started right away, you can either do it in your journal or print out a Truth Lie Chart (click on Truth Lie Chart) to use.

P.S. Here are a few other article on truth journaling:

Click here for Truth Journaling: the List Method (a different way to truth journal).

Click here for How to Truth Journal.

Click here for a video on truth journaling.

Related Posts:

  • How to Stop Being Angry – 12 Tips
  • 34: 10 Tips for When Your Spouse Won't Change
  • 10 Lies that Make Us Give Up on New Year's Resolutions
128 shares
  • Share91
  • Tweet

Comments

  1. CJ says

    March 21, 2012 at 5:54 am

    I re-read your blog – it never even occured to me to truth journal prior to…. well, to truth journal the thought. I always truth journal after I had already done something. And then you brought up a good point too: Start working on your emotions. If you only journal about the food, you’ll be in danger of turning to some other bad habit to escape your emotions… yes, very true. I’ll sometimes lie to myself that I conquered that lie – but instead went to consuming my thought with mindless internet browsing instead of dealing with the emotion.

  2. Barb says

    March 21, 2012 at 7:32 am

    Yes, it’s always better to truth journal before we give into temptation but at least for me, I don’t always have enough self-control to truth journal before. If I have enough control, before is always best because it makes me not want to do my temptation and I don’t do it. But if I don’t have enough control, I do it afterwards because that will still help me change my thinking for the next time I’m tempted. And yes, it’s so easy to turn to things other than God for help. I too struggle with mindless internet browsing – it’s a constant temptation as a writer because you’re always on the computer and it’s easier than writing – and every time I do it, I know I’m missing out on going to God for help (and He’s a much better helper than the internet).

  3. Dan Black says

    March 22, 2012 at 7:07 pm

    Since we live in a world of in perfect people, who make mistakes, we could all benefit from having a truth journal for the relationships we have. To intentionally forgive and think positively toward the person is so important. Its essential in building and maintaining a positive relationship. Great post!!!

  4. Barb says

    March 23, 2012 at 5:52 am

    Thanks, Dan.

  5. Sam says

    November 26, 2016 at 5:02 pm

    I am SO glad I stumbled upon your blog Barb! You have such a wealth of wisdom … I am new to truth journalling but it is such a practical and great way to take my mind captive, and I find it easier to do it by journalling rather than in my mind. Thank you so much for pushing through your doubts to share these great words of wisdom … they will change many lives!

    • Barb Raveling says

      November 28, 2016 at 7:35 am

      Hi Sam! Thanks for commenting. I’m so glad you’ve found the blog helpful and also truth journaling – I know it can be a hard habit to get started but so life changing when it happens. So glad to hear that you’re doing it!

Search Blog

Connect with us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Popular Posts

  • Spiritual Attack: 10 Tips for Spiritual Warfare
  • How to Meditate on Scripture
  • How To Renew Your Mind
  • How to Make Yourself Exercise and Renew with Anna
  • Weight Loss Bible Study: Day 1
  • 35: 7 Ways to Get Closer to God
  • How to Overcome Insecurity with God’s Help
  • When Life is Boring: 10 Questions & 9 Bible Verses
  • 29: 6 Steps to Breaking Free From Self-Condemnation
  • Christian Accountability Partner: A Beginner’s Guide

Archives

Categories

  • Anger
  • Bible Studies/Worksheets
  • Boredom
  • Christian Habits Podcast
  • Depression/Discontentment
  • Goals and Productivity
  • Grow Closer to God
  • Habits Blog Posts
  • Insecurity
  • Letting Go of Negative Emotions
  • Marriage
  • Ministry and Blogging
  • Other Emotions
  • Stress
  • Transformation 101
  • Uncategorized
  • Weight Loss Blog Posts
  • Weight Loss Podcast
  • Worry/Fear
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (www.lockman.org).
Copyright © 2023 • Custom blog design by The Pixelista • Built on the Genesis Framework
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT