Sometimes I find it helpful to hear about what other people do in different areas of their life. So today I thought I would share the system that I use to keep my Bible reading notebook organized. Different people will have different systems that work for them, but I thought this might give you some ideas of how you can keep a notebook.
The notebook
I bought my notebook from Staples as part of a customizable system where you pick a notebook and then fill it with pages, dividers, pockets, etc. (My notebook looks like this). My notebook has a cover page and four tabs as well as a pocket sleeve in the back. The tabs are labeled Sermon Notes, Personal Study, Prayer/Memory, and Extra Paper.
Tab 1: Sermon Notes
Under the first tab I keep all of my sermon notes from church on Sunday. I title each page with the passage being preached on, the pastor during the preaching (I have two pastors who preach and sometimes guest preachers, so I like to keep track) and the date. I put the sermon title on the next line. Your note-taking system will vary based on your pastor's preaching style, but I do recommend that you take notes, especially if your mind tends to wander. It can be very encouraging to go back and read related sermon notes if you have a problem in your life or are just having a bad day.
Tab 2: Personal Study
Under the next tab I keep my notes from personal Bible study. The way I do these studies vary based on my mood, the type of passage I'm studying, and how much time I have. I don't always study a passage, either; much of the time I just read. When I do study, a format I often use is going through and defining each important word and taking a few notes on the summary of the passage, then coming up with some application points I can use in my everyday life.
Tab 3: Prayer/Memory
Under this tab, I keep a record of verses I have memorized and a prayer request for each week. When I begin memorizing a verse, I write it out on a sticky note and post it on my mirror. When I am done memorizing it, I copy it into this section to keep a record. I try to do a new verse and prayer list every week, although that doesn't always happen.
Final tab/pocket
Under the final tab I keep a liberal amount of extra paper that I can move into each section as needed, like if I run out of paper in a section while at church. Then I have a plastic pocket where I keep sermon-related handouts and the like with the corresponding date at the top so I know which of my notes they go with. My pastor will occasionally print a handout with quotes related to the sermon on it, and that is the kind of thing I keep in my pocket.
File box
The final step in my organizational system is the file box that I keep in my closet with file folders in it. In addition to other things, I have folders labeled 'Bible Reading' and 'Sermon Notes'. When my notebook runs out of space, I transfer some of the papers into the appropriate file folder in chronological order.
So there you have it: my Bible reading notebook and organizational system. I hope you find this helpful and get some ideas for how you can manage your own system.
What do you think? Did you find my system helpful? What is your personal system for organizing Bible notes?
No comments:
Post a Comment