What Susan taught me about my thought life

As most of you know, I just retyped and republished an old memoir from 1850 about Miss Susan Allibone.
The reason I typed out the entire almost 700 page memoir is because I needed a copy of it so I could mark up and highlight it because there is so much that I need to learn and think about!

I’ve already learned so much from Miss Susan Allibone about how to live well, how to suffer well, and how to die well. Today I want to talk to you about one aspect I’ve learned about living well from Susan–watching my thought life.

Susan actually struggled with controlling her thoughts for decades. She often lamented her habit of “castle-building,” (what we call daydreaming), and the ever troubling habit of wandering thoughts, especially in church. (Ouch. Me too, Susan, me too.)

“I felt all day a sincere desire to wait on the Lord, but wandering thoughts are the root of bitterness which ever troubles me.”

What do you think about when you’re not thinking? Where does your mind wander? Do you rehash events? Have imaginary conversations? Think about offenses and hurts? Worry about things that you can’t control? Stress about things?

“If my life be spared another week, I trust I shall grow in grace—that I shall be more careful to say nothing of others that I would not have them say of me—more watchful against idle words and wandering thoughts—more careful to cultivate a spirit of humility.”

What about in church? Do you get distracted and lose track of the sermon? Do your thoughts wander during songs or prayer?

“[At church I was] not exempt from the attacks of my old enemy—wandering thoughts. I know it is because I am not sufficiently watchful. Oh, I am afraid—indeed, I know—that I look too much to my own heart. I have not a simple faith in my dear Saviour.“

So what did Susan do? She was determined to be “watchful.” In the New Testament, the word “watch” means to turn the thoughts or direct the mind to a thing, to consider, contemplate, to look at, to weigh carefully, examine. Susan decided to pray and pay attention to what she thought about and redirect her thoughts when needed.

“My thoughts wandered too much during the afternoon service. If there were no other happiness in heaven than freedom from wandering thoughts, it would be enough to make us long to go there.“

And as we see in the memoir, over years and years of journaling, praying and working, she eventually trained herself to think about God more than the “frivolities and vanities” of the world. (Can you imagine what she’d think of the “frivolities and vanities” of the modern smart phone, social media, entertainment focused world we live in now?)

Since I’m all about practical, helpful, and real life on this blog, and since I want to grow in this area, and I’m sure you do too, I made some free Susan Allibone themed sticky notes! I’m hoping to print them out and stick them where it will help me pull my thoughts together and refocus: my car dashboard, the bathroom mirror, above the kitchen sink, my Bible, desk, nightstand, etc. You can print them (and the template you’ll need to place your sticky notes on) by clicking the link below the picture.

Also, YOU NEED TO READ THIS MEMOIR, FRIEND!

I have it lowered to a special price on Amazon for one week only, and you need to snatch it up and read, then email me with your thoughts! I need people to discuss this with! Also don’t forget all the freebies you’ll get if you buy it this week.

After you buy the memoir, click here to enter your information and get your downloads!