Tap your inner wisdom!
The title of this adventure is WE DARE TO SAY--but first we are dared to READ! At the top of each purposely un-numbered page (you can start anywhere!) one is drawn in by a brief, spirited, well-crafted reflection. Nudged by the unexpected found there, the reader is all but impelled to write, to probe, emote, journal; to allow challenge, delight, new insight flow from pen to page in word and poetry.

This journal is an adventure for those who have the courage to journey more deeply inito life, its mysteries and meanings. There are many references to the Christian story, but the reflections open the reader/wrier to a more inclusive sense opf the Sacred. Without hesitation I would invite anyone to journal your way through this 21st century Book of Proverbs.

Journaling, with a spiritual focus
For writers, the words of Epictetus ring clear, "If you wish to be a writer; write!" Sometimes the words flow as effortlessly as the cascading water over a waterfall. Other times, however, writers cannot seem to make words appear on paper. It is a delicate time--a story wants to break through but will not. Sadly, many great stories are lost forever when discouraged writers discard the pen and paper in a fit of frustration.

If you find yourself in such a position and cannot seem to get your words on paper, Kenneth Trainor's We Dare to Say: An Adventure in Journaling is worth a look. The author's background has taught him the importance of reflective thought to awaken the creative genius. Furthermore, We Dare to Say is a masterful blend of quotations guided by Scripture.

One such quotation is: "We are either the by-product of erosion or the work of a master sculptor. One way or the other, life will have its way with us." Each blank page of this journal includes a quote, which will help the writer ponder issues worthy of writing. Trainor allows Scripture to work along the bottom edge of the paper, guiding writers to the best source of inspiration.

The biblical authors wrote when they were inspired by God--literally being given the "God-breathed" the words to record. The written word is an investment in this visitation of the Holy One as He guides the pen on the paper. Seeking inspiration through reflection and openness to God will allow your story to emerge.

Epictetus' famed words could aptly be revised: "If you wish to be a writer; journal first - and you will be a better writer!" Kenneth Trainor's work is an apt resource to help authors let their stories break out.

Armchair Interviews says: Anything that can help writers write...and write better, is worth a read.

A Write-in Book of Journal Prompts
Rev. William Burke, a priest in the archdiocese of Chicago, supplies the only extended text in this book, a "Welcome" introducing the work and author Ken Trainor, whom he has known for several years.

Trainor is a journalist and student of contemplative living, who has made annual retreats at a Trappist monastery for more than a dozen years. We Dare to Say is made up of seven named sections consisting of a title, quotation from Scripture, and between 8 and 24 pages, all lined for easy journal writing, headed by a short reflection from Trainor. Further Scripture passages appear at the bottom of some pages.

A number of the reflections take the form of personal questions, as Where do you store the sadness you can't let go? and Does it terrify you that you might be wasting your life? Does it terrify you enough? Others are more like aphorisms, as "Prayer and meditation: the ultimate in single-tasking.... Rain is just a cloud lightening its load.... Life is like a good night's sleep. At the end of it, we wake up." There are also sections on re-visions ("Don't grant me easily the serenity to accept what I can't change") and comparisons ("The passage of time is merely eternity changing its clothes"). Reflections in the confessions section relate to Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8, parts of which grace the bottom of 16 pages. Trainor writes, "Whether I succeed or fail, I may inspire someone else to try. Eventually, someone is bound to succeed" to complement the opening phrase of the passage, "For everything there is a season...."

In addition to its use for personal journal keeping, We Dare to Say would be a good resource for leaders of faith sharing groups and retreats.