by Frontier Fellowship’s Team
“Brain dumping,” the exercise of taking 5-10 minutes to write down all the thoughts that come to one’s mind, is a productivity tool known to help hone one’s focus and unlock creativity. In her book, Walking in This World, author Julia Cameron describes a similar practice, Morning Pages—“three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing done before the day ‘begins’…Anything and everything is fuel for Morning Pages…”
Tools like brain dumping and Morning Pages can also serve as spiritual practices that encourage us to trust God with our hopes, fears, worries and dreams. As we clear our minds onto the pages of a journal, we are given the opportunity to offer these thoughts to God—praying for different people, activities or feelings that have been poured out onto the pages. We can confess sins, ask for help and lay everything at the feet of Jesus. With minds and hearts more open and available, we can listen anew to what God may be speaking to us.
As we begin another week of Lent, consider using the practice of brain dumping or Morning Pages to engage with Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you. What emotions, thoughts or questions come to mind? Write those things down in your journal as an offering to God. If you’d like to take this practice further with a focus on the frontier, peruse Frontier Fellowship’s partners and regions. Is there a partner or region that the Holy Spirit highlights in your mind or heart? What feelings, questions or prayers are evoked as you consider the places of the world that still do not yet have access to the Gospel?
If God uses this practice to stir your heart toward a particular partner or region, please let us know! We’d love to connect you with a member of our team who can help you discern what the Holy Spirit may be speaking to you through this (or other) spiritual exercises.