Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Review: Grace of Gratitude Journal By Deborah Purdue






 GRACE OF GRATITUDE JOURNAL

By: Deborah Purdue

Illustrated By: Tara Thelen

Published: October 1, 2012

Publisher: Applegate Valley Publishing




Several years ago I started keeping a Gratitude Journal, but like most new habits, it was easily pushed aside once life got busy.  I tried to write down 5-10 things I was grateful for every evening. The journal is still in my night stand drawer. But, late nights and early mornings have made it easy to put off writing down those blessings from the day.

Many people have reported that writing in a journal is healing and helps you recognize the blessings (big and small) in your life. Marking the simple gratitudes like a kind gesture from a stranger, a giggle from your child, a rainbow on your drive home, or a gorgeous sunset to end your day remind you to find the joy in life.  The big moments like your son's concert, getting an "A" on a test, good health, and a date night with your husband can help you see you are on the right track.  All those moments, big and small, can be forgotten in our busy lives. By writing them down you can focus and remember all those moments that make a life. Then when a bad day comes along, looking through your journal can help remind you that whatever it is that is going on really isn't so bad.

In Purdue's journal, she offers forty pages of space to write.  You can date it and as you can see below in the photo, there is plenty of space for writing.

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

The opposite page either has a quote or a gorgeous water color painting.

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

Photo from the Grace of Gratitude Journal by Deborah Purdue

Depending on how many things you write, you could use a page for each day or even each week. I like that it is open ended. There aren't numbers that make you feel like you have to write a certain amount. I also like that it is spiral bound for opening and laying flat while writing or opening it completely to that specific page.

This journal is perfect for the beginner or someone who has been journaling for years. It is a beautiful addition to your journal library.

Deborah Purdue
Deborah Perdue has been a licensed practitioner for the Center for Spiritual Living in Medford, Oregon since 2006. She practices gratitude as an integral part of her spiritual path, and attributes it to being the primary key to transforming her own life. In 1994, she received two Bachelor Degrees (Cum Laude) from Sonora State University, in English (emphasis: creative writing) and Studio Art (emphasis: photography) Deborah Perdue is the owner of Illumination Graphics where she works full time as an accomplished graphic designer with over 20 years experience. Deborah specializes in designing spiritual book covers.

Tara Thelen is an American artist living near Amsterdam. The inspiration for her work is emotion in all its various forms. As an artist, Tara’s drive is to create art that elicits strong, positive emotions – art that leaves an impression and truly touches those who view it. She teaches art lessons to children and teens at Museum Kranenburgh in the beautiful village of Bergen, near the North Sea, where she lives with her husband Paul and their two teenage boys. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries throughout the US, Europe, and the Pacific. For the past six years, Tara has been working closely with Deborah Perdue on various projects, mostly book covers, as well as CD cover designs, posters, and other promotional works. Her artwork in the Journal is integral to the beauty of it!

For more on the journal or on Deborah Purdue, check out the website, http://www.graceofgratitude.com/.

To purchase a copy of GRACE OF GRATITUDE JOURNAL, click the photo below:




Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for a copy of this journal for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase a copy of this review through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com reviews. 

1 comment:

bermudaonion said...

It's important to be grateful - I love the look of this journal.