Theme	Journal Directive
Week 1	Who are you? Tell me about you and your family.	I am the Holy Spirit. Tell me about your family. Ask others what they can tell you about this question. Did you know that you are adopted? What do you think of that?
Week 2	What is important to you? This tells me and you about you.	I am the Holy Spirit. Was I on your list of important things? I want you to know that you are always on the top of my list ... always! Talk to me, write to me, let’s get to know each other better.
Week 3	Physical signs of spiritual realities are all around us.	I am the Holy Spirit. I want to be close to you. I want to reach you in ways that you can know my touch and my love. What is my voice, what is my touch, what is my power, what is my call for you? Talk to me. Tell me.
Week 4	Beginning to belong to God and to God’s Family.	I am the Holy Spirit. You have always belonged to me in my love. I invite you to ratify your membership in the “People of God.” How do you feel about this? What do you need to know before you are sure that you want what your parents started at your baptism? Talk to me, I am here with you.
Week 5	Beginning to belong to God and to God’s Family. (2)	I am the Holy Spirit. We are part of the same family, and I am really happy about that. Are you happy about it too? Are you proud to be part of this family of the People of God? What is it about this family that you most like? Like the least? Tell me about how you see us in this family.
Week 6	What are the things that were important to Jesus? (Values)	I am the Holy Spirit.  I was with Jesus when he came to earth, and I helped him to discover the true values of the Kingdom of the Father that he then preached to all.  Which of those core values do I most share?  Why? Tell me.
Week 7	The "attitudes" of Jesus and preparing for the 4th Sunday of Advent.	I am the Holy Spirit.  I am the same Spirit of God that you heard about in the Gospel today (Luke 1; 39-45) and who inspired Mary to sing her song of praise (Magnificat).  I want to help you find the same kind of joy in your life. Talk to me, tell me, what would truly make you happy?
	Fire is a sign of the presence of God. It was one of the signs of our Baptism.  Fire / light / warmth / power / life-giving signs of God's life in us.
Week 8	Memories of Jesus and hearing Jesus call me.	I am the Holy Spirit.  I was present when Jesus called his followers many years ago. I was in their hearts and minds and helped them to respond to Jesus. I am still doing the same thing today. What have you heard me whispering to you over the past few weeks? Stop a minute, you heard me, just think about it, and remember. Write down what you heard me say to you.
Week 9	What kind of Jesus would I follow?	I am the Holy Spirit.  One of my jobs is to make sure that you get to meet Jesus and hear his special calls to follow him.  Do you know Jesus well enough to know if you are willing to answer his call?  What more do you need to know about him to be ready to become one of his disciples?
Week 10	What "favours" would I not do?	I am the Holy Spirit.  Tell me, what favours you are you NOT willing to do for me if I ask?  Even befoe you were able to ask me, the Father, Jesus and I decided that we would do everything for you, and Jesus was born and died for you.  And we would do it again right now if you still needed to know how much we love you.  Believe me!
Week 11	What do I believe?	I am the Holy Spirit.  How many times have you recited the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed? Is what you say based on how much you trust me? Trust is a hard thing for so many people these days. So many times you have been betrayed and disappointed when you loved and trusted. Will you let me help you get past those hurts? Tell me about the times you have been betrayed and why you find it hard to trust.
Week 12	Is it OK if my faith is not strong?	I  am the Holy Spirit.  You are wondering what it means if you are not sure about some statements you make in the Apostle's Creed.  I just want to assure you that there has never been any human being except Jesus who really understood it all completely.  What Creed declarations do you have the most trouble with?  Tell me, and talk to me about it.
Week 13	What does it mean to be "holy?"	I am the Holy Spirit.  Did you notice the "holy" part of that name? That needs to be part of you and your name too.  In the early church people referred to each other as  "saints".  That means the same thing.  Know that you are holy and that you are becoming holy.  Tell me what help you need from me to continue on that journey to being truly "holy".
Week 14	What did Jesus do for me?	I am the Holy Spirit.  The middle part of the creed is the story of why you can always be reconnected to God.  It is the story of why you are saints / why you are holy people.  It is the story of what God in Jesus did for you.  Take some quiet time and think about what you would do for the person you love the most ... and think about what Jesus did for you.
Week 15	Now the hard part; how do you live your response?	I am the Holy Spirit.  It will be impossible for you to understand what the love of God in Jesus did for you and remain unmoved.  You have a choice; try to ignore what you know, or try to live a response to that love.  I will be there with my gifts to help you in that response.  Reflect on each of these gifts of mine to you.
Week 16	Looking for real happiness?  Look no further	I am the Holy Spirit.  Some people think that being a follower of Jesus is going to be very tough and that means a hard and unhappy life.  They could not be more wrong!  With my gifts walking as a follower of Jeus will bring you joy and great happiness.  Think about what is going to be needed to make you truly happy  in an enduring manner.  Tell me about that and I will start to show you how you will find it.
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