Inscribing The Eremos - A Three-Day Practice
Over the past three weeks, we have walked through a series on loneliness.
In Part One, we named the heavy ache of feeling unchosen, unregarded, or relationally isolated.
In Part Two, we looked to Scripture and discovered that isolation isn't a sign of weak faith. We saw Paul in his cold prison cell, David in the cave, and Jesus in Gethsemane. God met all of them right in their solitary places.
And in Part Three, we explored the shift from isolation to sacred solitude. We reframed our solitary seasons as a space that is set aside by the Master Author.
Talking about loneliness, studying its roots, and understanding what Scripture says about it is vital.
It untangles the shame.
As this series comes to a close, it is time to pick up our pens and see if we can make peace with our seasons of isolation and loneliness.
CLAUDE MONET | On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt | 1868
The Power of Inscribing the Word.
Left to its own devices, isolation turns our focus inward.
It tempts us to ask, “Why has everyone forgotten me?”
In the Greek New Testament, the word used for desolate, lonely, or solitary places is eremos. It was the wilderness space where Jesus routinely withdrew away from the crowds, “the fans”, and the noise to meet the Father. When we write Scripture in our quiet spaces, isolation transforms into an eremos, a holy sanctuary where you can sense the Divine Presence of the Father.
When we physically sit down with a journal, open the Bible, and begin copying Scripture line by line, a reframing takes place. The physical discipline of inscribing the Word slows our racing thoughts down to match the pace of our hand. As ink hits paper, or stylus hits screen, our eyes open to the One who has been sitting there with us all along.
Isolation focuses on what is missing: the absence of people.
Solitude rests in WHO is present: the God who sees us.
A 3-Day Practice Before October Begins
On October 1st, our community begins our new 31-day Scripture-writing plan, The Lonely Place.
If you have never inscribed Scripture before and aren't sure you want to dive into a full month, start here with a simple, three-day practice.
Here’s how to start inscribing the Word:
Find a quiet time in your day when you are least likely to be interrupted. For some, that is first thing in the morning. For others, it might be in your car or classroom, during a lunch break, the last moments before sleep, or when the kids are napping.
Choose a place where you can keep your Bible, a notebook, and your favorite pens or highlighters. The kitchen table works just fine. So does the front seat of your car or a quiet spot outside.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes and quiet your heart in the presence of our Father.
Pick one of the passages and read it through, noticing what comes before and after the verses you are about to inscribe.
Begin writing slowly, one word at a time.
Day 1: Psalm 63:1–4 — Inscribing a heart that thirsts for God in a dry and weary land.
Day 2: Luke 5:15–16 — Inscribing the rhythm of Jesus, who routinely withdrew to lonely places to pray.
Day 3: Psalm 91:1–4 — Inscribing the promise of dwelling in the secret shelter and shadow of the Most High.
Do not rush.
Write each word deliberately.
See if your mind quiets down and you feel anchored in something bigger than yourself.
An Invitation to ITW Monthly for October
You don’t have to walk through this season alone.
I want to invite you to join our ITW Monthly community as we write through The Lonely Place together this month.
When you join us inside ITW Monthly for October, you are not just receiving a PDF. You are stepping into a quiet, global community of believers who are opening their Bibles each day to seek God's heart on the page.
Inside the membership, you will receive:
The Complete 31-Day "The Lonely Places" Scripture Writing Plan & Printable Journal Companion.
The Full October Devotional, complete with weekly theological breakdowns, guided reflection questions, and weekly notes.
Our Private Member Journal & Community is a quiet space away from social media, where you can share your written pages, process what God is teaching you, and be encouraged by others walking the same path.
The Archive of the past three months of writing plans.
Whether your life feels chaotic and loud right now or quiet and lonely, we've saved you a seat at this table.
Come, open your Bible, pick up your pen, and let us turn our lonely places into a sanctuary.
I cannot wait to see what God writes on your heart this month.