Most of us have experienced rejection, shame, and blame while growing up. Cory experienced more of these things than anyone I’ve ever known. Because Cory didn’t grow up with joy being a part of his life, he found that the interactive gratitude exercise from Jim Wilder, Anna Kang, John Loppnow, and Sungshim Loppnow’s book, Joyful Journey, was helpful in processing his internal dialogue of negative thoughts so he could experience joy from God through “Immanuel Journaling.” Cory noted that his Immanuel Journaling has been enhanced by the “seven soul care principles” from Dr. Rob Reimer’s book, Soul Care: 7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul. He participates in the weekly soul care men’s group that I co-lead. We cultivate these seven principles: identity, repentance, overcoming family sin patterns, forgiveness, healing wounds, overcoming fears, and deliverance. See the profile of Cory, application of the seven soul care principles, and Immanuel Journaling in the attached “Year-End Sync Newsletter.” Learn how to engage in dialogue with God in attached, “Immanuel Journaling Lesson.”

1. Immanuel Journaling, Soul Care, and
the Five Stages of Spiritual Growth
Mark Pomeroy
email: mark@syncwithgod.com
mobile: (402) 617-4959
Almost two years ago, the Holy Spirit prompted me to talk with a young
man sitting near me in the health club locker room. I said, “My name is Mark
Pomeroy. What is yours?” He said, “My name is Cory.” I asked, “How could I
pray for you, Cory?” He glanced up with a smile and said, “My best friend
growing up asked me the same question yesterday. He’s a pastor!”
As we left the locker room and walked to our cars, Cory told me his life
story. I said, “You’re the kind of person I want to get to know. Would you be
open to meeting at a coffee shop next week?” Cory said yes. We’ve been
meeting every week for nearly two years. Cory has become a great friend.
Most of us have experienced rejection, shame, and blame while growing up. Cory experienced more of
these things than anyone I’ve ever known. During Cory’s childhood, he experienced religion as just “a conduit
for shame if he didn’t meet the quota for goodness.” His family showed no empathy and emotional connection,
but only rejection, shame, and blame, Cory said. His internal dialogue kept saying, “It’s your fault.” Even joyful
experiences growing up were sprinkled with rejection.
We can learn from science that joy activates the brain’s relational circuits in the middle of our identity
center. Joy enables us to respond to the God who is with us and for us. God’s initiating love allows us to
receive his grace with appreciation and joy, generating a joyful identity. The brain’s joy center – the right orbital
prefrontal cortex – is the only section of brain which never loses its capacity to grow – so our “joy strength” can
continue to expand through life.
Because Cory didn’t grow up with joy being a part of his life, he found that the interactive gratitude exercise
from Jim Wilder, Anna Kang, John Loppnow, and Sungshim Loppnow’s book, Joyful Journey, was helpful in
processing his internal dialogue of negative thoughts so he could experience joy from God. It allowed him to
write a letter to God with a response back from Him. Cory never received validation from his earthly father.
Receiving re-parenting and validation from God, Cory said, allowed him to avoid emotionally dumping on
people.
After the gratitude exercise, six additional steps are included in Immanuel Journaling (described below),
where we write down our impression of what God is thinking and saying to us (everything we write down being
filtered through Scripture and our knowledge of God’s character).
Along with this, Cory noted that his Immanuel Journaling has been enhanced by the “seven soul care
principles” from Dr. Rob Reimer’s book, Soul Care: 7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul. Please
contact me if interested in obtaining a free copy of Soul Care, which will transform your life so you can disciple
others. For those living in Lincoln, let me know if you want to join our Wed. evening men’s soul care group.
In the weekly soul care men’s group that I co-lead, we cultivate these seven principles: identity,
repentance, overcoming family sin patterns, forgiveness, healing wounds, overcoming fears, and deliverance
in the context of God’s truth, true community, and the presence and power of God.
Cory is now experiencing what we call hesed love. This is joyful, relational attachment (glue) with God and
others as we grow our character and identity. A high joy, hesed community with strong group identity changes
behavior. Willpower alone won’t prevent us from acting in non-Christian ways-—only the multifaceted character
of Jesus can. We learn this from Jesus’ teaching of the vine and branches in John 15:5,9,12. In a hesed
community with various levels of maturity, young people can observe how more mature disciples act in
different life situations.

2. Just like with Cory, Sync with God seeks to reach spiritual seekers and believers alike. Our goal is to give
seasoned adults who can mentor young adults, opportunities to minister online through our virtual small group
app or in person, as my group is doing on Wednesday nights.
We want to invest in the next generation worldwide and see them pursue God and become more Christlike.
We believe this will lead to a disciple-making movement around the world as people use the Sync with God
app and are given the chance to meet from any place in the world.
We are researching technologies to improve our present platform: https://syncwithgod.com (Please enter
your username and password. Your valuable feedback will help improve our current Sync with God platform).
An important aspect of the Sync with God app is our journaling feature. This gives participants an
opportunity to write out their Immanuel Journal thoughts as their progress through the five stages of spiritual
growth: spiritual seeker, spiritual child, spiritual young adult, spiritual parent, and spiritual grandparent.
In the next (3) pages, we invite you to write your thoughts for the (7) steps of Immanuel Journaling shown
below (see attached file titled, “Immanuel Journaling Lesson” for more detail) and answer (7) soul care
questions using the prompts in the (5) stages of spiritual growth (blue highlight):
Immanuel Journaling Steps:
1. Gratitude. Write anything you appreciate and then write God’s response to your gratitude:
“Dear God, I’m thankful for…” and “Dear child of mine…”
2. I can see you.
Write from God’s perspective what He observes in you right now, including your physical sensations.
3. I can hear you.
Write from God’s perspectives what He hears you saying to yourself.
4. I understand how big this is for you.
How does God see your dreams, blessings or upsets and troubles?
5. I am glad to be with you and treat your weakness tenderly.
How does God express His desire to participate with your life?
6. I can do something about what you are going through.
What does God give you for this time?
7. Read what you have written aloud (preferably to someone else)

3. Stage 1: Spiritual Seeker (those who desire to mend their relationship with God)
1. Complete all 7 Immanuel Journaling steps but focus especially on “Gratitude.”
Write down anything you appreciate and then write God’s response to your gratitude, such as
“Dear God, I’m thankful for…” and “Dear child of mine…”
See prompts below to write things you appreciate about “Gratitude.”
As a spiritual seeker, consider Soul Care Principle #1: Identity: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the lies
that affect you: especially performance, people-pleasing, and control. Are there any specific memories
connected to those lies? How do they manifest? What makes you feel most vulnerable? What image of
yourself are you most attached to? What are you most defensive about?
Begin seeking God earnestly like a thirsty man in the desert searches for water (Psalm 63:1-2).
• To mend my relationship with God, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I want to:
o Taste and see that God is good.
o Repent of sin, turn to God, and trust Christ as Savior.
o Ask God for wisdom and revelation through the Holy Spirit.
o Read the Bible and listen to God.
o Pray during times of doubt, burden, or need.
o Be given instruction in the faith and obey God and His Word.
• Once I have mended my relationship with God, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I will:
o Choose gratitude over grumbling and thanksgiving over complaining (Psalm 63:3-4)
o Experience God’s love and forgiveness.
o Connect my life to God’s story.
o Follow the example of the person who is discipling me.
Stage 2: Spiritual Child (those who desire to mature their relationship with God)
2. Complete all 7 Immanuel Journaling steps but especially focus on “I can see you.”
Write from God’s perspective what He observes in you right now, including your physical sensations.
See prompts below to help you answer, “I can see you.”
3. Focus also on “I can hear you.” Write from God’s perspectives what He hears you saying to yourself.
See prompts below to help you answer, “I can hear you.”
As a spiritual child, consider Soul Care Principle #2: Repentance: Is there any unconfessed sin in your life
(Psalm 139:23-24)? Are there any areas in your life where you have confessed you sin but don’t feel the
release of forgiveness? Have you confessed those sins to others as well? Where do you see worldly
sorrow in your life instead of Godly sorrow? Are you willing to do a total life confession with another?
Consider how God’s love is “better than life” by meditating and clinging to Him without distraction
(Psalm 63:3-8)?
• To mature my relationship with God, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I want to:
o Renew my mind and make Christ the Lord of my life.
o Understand what it means to be “in Christ.”
o Find an accountability partner to help me be vulnerable, teachable, and real.
o Begin study of the whole Bible (significance of the major covenants, blessings of the New
Covenant, the nature of the Kingdom of God, the promises of God, God’s heart for the poor.
o Adhere to God’s Word, look for His perspective, and continually obey Him.
• Once I have matured my relationship with God, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I will:
o Listen to God on a regular basis.
o Know my security is in Christ alone.
o Look for training opportunities that move beyond “data transfer” and into life transformation.
o Grow in the fruit of the Spirit.

4. Stage 3: Spiritual Young Adult (those who desire to merge their Christian activities into everyday life)
4. Complete all 7 Immanuel Journaling steps but especially focus on “I understand how big this is for you.”
How does God see your dreams, blessings or upsets and troubles?
See prompts below to help you answer, “I understand how big this is for you.”
As a spiritual young adult, consider Soul Care Principle #3: Overcoming Family Sin Patterns: What are the sin
patterns in your family? How do those family sin patterns manifest themselves in your life? Be honest. What
actions do you need to take to overcome them? What gracious prayer partners can help you? What spiritual
disciplines would be more important to you? What Scriptures do you need to meditate on?
Consider Soul Care Principle #4: Forgiveness: Ask the Holy Spirit to bring up names of anyone you need to
forgive and write them down. Consciously choose to release these people from your debt. Commit to praying
blessings on each one until you sense you are free from resentment. Commit yourself to die with no
enemies, and resolve to love your enemies, forgive those who sin against you, bless those who curse you.
Wait patiently on God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises without taking matters in your own hands (i.e.,
marriage, child, financial breakthrough, career change, improved health - Psalm 119).
• To merge my Christian activities into everyday life, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I want to:
o Pursue godly relationships with others.
o Find ways to heal hurt or broken relationships with others.
o Demonstrate humility and practice forgiveness.
o Confess feelings of anxiety and anger to God during difficult times and let Him bring comfort.
o Find balance in life when it comes to my studies, friends, church, and work.
o Write and share my personal testimony as well as a simple Gospel presentation.
• Once I have merged my Christian activities into everyday life, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I will:
o Display faith even when it’s difficult.
o Use challenges as life lessons to share God’s comfort with others.
o Move beyond the milk of the Word and integrating life around faith.
Stage 4: Spiritual Parent (those who desire to mimic Christ’s life while He was on earth)
5. Complete all 7 Immanuel Journaling steps but especially focus on
“I am glad to be with you and treat your weakness tenderly.”
How does God express His desire to participate with your life?
See prompts below to help you answer, “I am glad to be with you and treat your weakness tenderly.”
As a spiritual parent, consider Soul Care Principle #5: Healing Wounds: Recall a major wound, and ask the
Holy Spirit how He wants to address this wound. Enter His presence and follow His leading. What are some of
the major wounds in your life? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any areas that may need healing. Let Him
surface memories to mind. Some of the memories may surprise you. Don’t dismiss them. Take the time over
the next days and weeks to allow the Holy Spirit to surface any other memories that need His healing touch.
Invite the presence of God in and listen to the promptings of the Spirit. You may want to work through some
of these memories with some discerning friends who are sensitive to the Spirit.
How can you prayerfully sow God’s word in your life and with others to create a proper atmosphere for
spiritual harvest (Psalm 120-126)?
• To be able to mimic Christ’s life while He was on earth, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I want to:
o Obey God because “I want to,” not just because “I have to.”
o Understand my purpose/mission in life and how I can serve my community.
o Be willing to disciple others.
o Encourage others to grow in Christ, pray for them regularly.
o Network with others to make a greater impact for the Kingdom of God.
• Once I have begun to mimic Christ’s life while He was on earth, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I will:
o Show concern over people’s eternal destiny.
o Look for opportunities to share the Good News with others.
o Develop abilities to serve and minister to diverse groups.
o Pray with others, ask God to multiply my life discipling people in my family, work, community.

5. Stage 5: Spiritual Grandparent (those who desire to multiply their Christian faith)
6. Complete all 7 Immanuel Journaling steps but especially focus on
“I can do something about what you are going through.”
What does God give you for this time?
See prompts below to help you answer, “I can do something about what you are doing through.”
As a spiritual grandparent, consider Soul Care Principle #6: Overcoming Fears: What are your root
fears. How do they manifest themselves? How are your fears affecting your relationship with God?
How are your fears connected to the lies you believe? What are the wounds beneath those fears?
Take time to pray for healing. What are the courageous actions you need to take to overcome your
fears? Bring your fears to Jesus. Let Him speak and minister to you.
Consider Soul Care Principle #7: Deliverance: Reflect on your worldview as it relates to demonic
strongholds. Does it align with the biblical worldview? Ask yourself the list of questions related to how
spirits enter. Is there a history of addiction in your family tree? Is there a history of abuse? Was there
physical, sexual, or emotional abuse? Have you been abused in any of these ways? Are there any
mental hospitalizations, suicides, or suicide attempts in the family? Is there a lot of depression and
suicide ideology? Has there been occult activity, witchcraft, ancestor worship, or other religious
practices? Have you engaged in any occult activity?
Examine the symptoms of demonization (i.e., hear voices, rage, feel tortured or tormented,
blasphemous thoughts, condemning thoughts, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and hallucinations
connected to a past wound). Do you experience any of these symptoms?
If you feel like you might need a deliverance, get help for a trusted, spiritually mature friend, and walk
through the steps in the addendum at the end of the Soul Care book by Dr. Rob Reimer. Prepare by
making sure your confessions are current and doing the work outlined in each of the six prior Soul Care
Principle first.
How can you equip sowers of God’s word who multiple disciplemakers for life eternal
(Psalm 127-133)?
• To multiply my Christian faith, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I want to:
o See people the way God sees them and give grace when needed.
o Establish discipling relationships.
o Establish new ministries in my community.
o Empower others instead of trying to do all the work myself.
o Look for partners to develop Kingdom ministries and come up with strategies together to
make a difference.
o Bless my spiritual children and grandchildren by reminding them of how God worked in my
life and how He will do the same for them.
• Once I have multiplied my Christian faith, as a by-product of the Holy Spirit, I will:
o Step out in faith to do something God wants me to do even when it seems impossible or
politically incorrect.
o Facilitate small groups that lead to life transformation.
o Train and equip leaders who can train others to build God’s Kingdom.
7. Read what you have written aloud (preferably to someone else)