As our tiny team gathered last week to talk about the future of Val Marie Paper, one thing was clear. We want to encourage y’all to create a deeper connection with the Lord. Doi, right?

But we soon identified one major hole. We are sending you out into the world with a product and not keeping you accountable or educating and encouraging you in how to use them. I kind of just assumed every journal that went out landed in the hands of someone who tore open the packaging and knew exactly what to do with it. I assumed you didn’t get overwhelmed by a new format, no matter how simple it seemed in my head. I assumed you knew when to use it or what those little circles were at the end of each line.

If you have a journal that is half blank or still unopened, forgive me for not equipping you better. And then, get that sucker out. It’s about to change your life.

We dreamed up a Facebook group that is not just another Facebook group. Heaven help us. I know you aren’t clamoring to get in another one, but I promise this is different. We’re calling it the VMP Society because, hey, we had to make sure you knew how to find it. It’s not about VMP though. It’s a sisterhood of women in the pursuit of “a life energetic and blazing with holiness.” We want change. That’s why you bought your journal in the first place, but there are two different people involved in any purchase, at least for me. There’s “I’ll buy this and it will change my life!” Val and then there’s  “Have to actually follow through” Val.

Buying products and not using them is sooooo common! I’ve got half-used journals. Scratch that. I used to. I’m a minimalist and usually toss them out if they sit for too long which only made me feel worse. All that to say, don’t beat yourself up about it. It happens. But now you have some accountability so I’m challenging you now to utilize it if you want to get the most you can out of our journals!

Subconsciously, I used to think I should be able to do almost anything on my own. I even bemoaned to my husband a few weeks ago how I couldn’t make changes to my health without my nutritionist. He reminded me that that’s not a failure! That’s just how things are made to work. Accountability is key for so much! Even as an extreme introvert, I’m recognizing the power of accountability and I honestly can’t believe we didn’t start this group sooner.

Actually, I’ll tell you why I didn’t. Because of what I mentioned earlier. I didn’t want to just start another thing or be another FB group just because everyone was doing it. Now that we have a clear purpose though, I am seriously so excited about this!

So here’s our vision for this:

1. Purchase your journal and join the group immediately.

2. If you haven’t purchased a journal, you are welcome to join also! We want to encourage you in your walk too!

3. Start asking questions about prayer, about your journals and anything having to do with our pursuit of an energetic life blazing with holiness. (Can I detour for a moment and share where this phrase is coming from? 1 Peter 1:14-16 (MSG) – “So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, ‘I am holy; you be holy.’” So with that, there are noooo dumb questions here! We’re talking about potentially the difference between a life shaped by God or slipping back into the old grooves of evil. Don’t let fear hold you back.

4. Answer other people’s questions! I get the best emails on a daily basis of how you are using your journals in ways I never dreamed of. Help other people take it to the next level! Bonus: If you struggle with feeling how you are impacting the kingdom, you are! And when you offer help to impact someone else’s prayer life, the benefits are exponential because their prayers are changing them and the people they are praying for!!

5. Take action on the things you learn here. Our goal is for you to experience the life of freedom that Jesus’ death on the cross paid for! No more coasting. You can do this.

6. Remember, no one is perfect and we won’t ever “arrive” or just figure out this prayer thing perfectly this side of heaven. That’s why we have to have constant reinforcement and reminders of God’s truth and accountability from others.

Are you ready?

Are you ready to use your journal more intentionally?

Are you ready to find out about the hacks that will work for your actual life?

Are you ready to experience answered prayers?

Are you ready to be encouraged by the answered prayers of others to pray more boldly?

Are you ready to redeem your time on social media just a little bit?

Are you ready to live in the presence of the Lord?

Are you ready to experience an energetic life blazing with holiness?

No more wasted products. No more relying on our own ping-pongy brains to use our journals. We are in this together.

To be totally honest, I’m ready. The prayer girl struggles just like everyone. I go through seasons where I feel like I’m coasting. Maybe you do too. Or maybe you have really high highs but you’re just looking for more consistency. We had you in mind when we dreamed this group up. So let’s do this.

That prayer warrior life isn’t as far away as you think friend!

If you’re more of an Instagram gal (or just can’t get enough of this sisterhood!) make sure to follow our new VMP Society account! Like the FB group, it will be dedicated to helping you experience real change as you use your Val Marie Paper products. Find #vmphacks, monthly journal prep from the VMP team, group challenges, and real life prayer stories! The biggest bonus of the Instagam account will be the insta-stories our team will share of journal prep while the Facebook group’s biggest bonus will be the questions and input from other journal users.

Join us!!

VMP Society (Facebook)

VMP Society (Instagram)