More Than Just a Journal

More times than I can count over the years, my journal has been my lifeline.  It's been my safe place to go when I need to vent, when life just seems to be more than I can handle, or when I face battles that I feel like I can never win.  For most of that time, I looked at my journal as just a journal.  Latley, God has shown me that it is so much more.

I love the book of Joshua, and one of my favorite things about it is the focus on remembering what God has done and teaching our children.  In Joshua 4, Joshua commands the men of Israel to build a memorial.  Verses 6-7 say,
6) "Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' 7) then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever." I don't have a memorial made of stones, but I do have one made of paper.  My journal holds the records of my struggles and my victories.  One day, my children and grandchildren can look back and see how God worked in my life, and in their lives when they were young.  They can see that God is faithful, that He keeps His promises, and that He is with us in every moment.

My journal is like the book of remembrance in Malachi 3...
16) Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. Keeping a journal may seem like just one more thing on your to-do list, but for me, it's added so much depth to my quiet times.  It can be a notebook (like mine), a scrapbook, a blog, an art journal, or anything else you want it to be.  Get creative, start writing, and watch God use that time to grow your faith as you remember all that He has done.