This unique, feature-rich, and accessible journal is designed to be part note-taking, part reflection, part action-driven, part reference, and part devotional! Whew! And its simple interface makes it inviting and something you won’t be able to live without after a while of using it.

In the beginning, there are quick instructions and what “SOAR” stands for – study, organize, apply, and review. That is followed by an example of a four-day spread filled out so you can start using the journal immediately. Then comes a dynamic Table of Contents that you fill out that week’s message title for quick reference later.

How does it work?

As mentioned, the unique journal is set up as four pages per week. The first spread is devoted to the service and the message – and it starts right when the service starts.

Need a place to jot down prayer requests? There’s space to write that down.

Worship songs you love? Flip to pages 214-215 to create your own “playlist” so you remember to download those songs when you get home.

Announcements you need to act on? There is a dedicated place to write those important notes down so you never miss a church activity.

Then comes the message from your pastor. The Soar Journal provides an ample amount of room to take notes about the sermon. Then take the next step with the simple icon suggestions (you can make up your own, too, but these are a great start). 

Icons included are:

• A checkbox for a note to reflect upon
• A circle to indicate something to take action on – then fill it in when you’ve completed it
• An exclamation point to highlight a key point
• A cross to indicate scripture so you can memorize it or go back and read it after the service

These icons make it easy to organize your thoughts on the following two pages (the real muscle of this journal).

The Muscle

Pages 3 & 4 are incredible and, if used, will guarantee a greater connection to the key points of the sermon and ultimately with the Lord.

Page three should be completed before you even leave your seat after the service so everything is fresh in your mind. This should not take long, maybe two or three minutes of thought. This page is titled “Immediate Review”.

You will create a one-sentence-summary of the message you just received from the pastor, which helps you summarize and synthesize the sermon into one key, actionable idea that you will refer to throughout the upcoming week. This is powerful!

Then you are asked to think of and write down three action steps you will take in the upcoming week to act on that week’s message. This is living intentionally!

Next is a box to transfer prayer requests to in order to remind you to pray during the week (and it eliminates having to flip back and forth to the previous pages).

Then there is a place for additional scripture and a scripture memory verse.

On the fourth page, there is the daily journal. Monday – Saturday with a place to jot down a few notes about how you implemented the ideas of the message that day. There are also checkboxes to prompt you to read scripture, memorize verses, and pray for those requests.

It is a powerful tool that we highly recommend to anyone seeking to become more than a Sunday-Morning-Chrisitian.