Monday, January 6, 2014

Why Should I Journal?


When I mention journaling, what comes to mind? If you're like most people, you probably think of teen girls writing about their latest crush in a little locked diary. Maybe you think of "The Diary of Anne Frank" - a book that had a huge impact on my life. What if I told you that journaling is something you can do, and that it can deepen your relationship with God in just a few minutes a day?

If you're anything like me, you already have a pretty full to-do list. You've probably got some New Year's resolutions, too. Maybe one of them is spending quiet time with God. It's hard to find time to sit down and read your Bible or pray. It can be a struggle to fit everything into your day. You may be wondering: My life is already hectic - why add more? How am I supposed to add another piece to the puzzle? Why should I journal?

I journaled consistently for several years as a teen and young adult, but gave it up in my early twenties. A few years ago, I started the habit again, this time transforming it into faith journaling and incorporating it into my time with God.

What resulted is a deeper walk with God than ever before. (Click to Tweet)

A few of the big benefits I have found:

1. Journaling has added more depth to my time with God than anything I have ever done.
If you want to really grow your relationship with Christ, start journaling. Tell Him what you're thankful for. Write out your prayers. Write out the verses that seem to jump off the page as you read or the words that touched your heart. Find recurring themes and what God is speaking to you. You will a new depth in your relationship with Christ.

2. Journaling gives me a concrete reminder - my own personal memorial of what God has done in my life.
I read a devotional recently on memory stones, like the ones Joshua placed in the Jordan where the priests carrying the ark stood as Israel crossed over. That's what journaling is to me - it's my memory stone. It's where I can point and say, "This is what God has done."

I want to lay stones not just for me, but for my children, too. My kids have to see and hear what God has done in my life, and remember what He has done in their lives. We have to lay memory stones for generations to come. I pray that my journals will give my children and grandchildren evidence of their heritage of faith.

3. Journaling forces me to slow down and focus on God and His Word.
We live in a fast-paced world. We're constantly on the go, racing from one activity to the next. When I journal, it forces me to slow down and focus on God. It makes me think about the words I'm reading and writing.

Journaling doesn't have to be time consuming or complicated. You don't have to journal every day, and you don't have to spend hours on it. It only takes a few minutes, and the benefits are enormous.

Ready to start? Grab your journal, if you have one - if not, grab a notebook and add this to your journal later. Write down your "why." Why do you want to journal? What do you hope to gain from it? Then share in the comments why you want to journal.

Need more ideas? You can check out my Journaling board on Pinterest here and come back next Monday to learn about different journaling styles.

3 comments:

  1. Yes! I just stumbled across a prayer request from two years ago that God has answered! My very own memory stone. :)

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  2. I've been journaling since 1980 (gulp, that makes me pretty old or pretty precocious ;) ). It always seemed easier to 'talk' to God through writing than it did 'praying' because if my hand wasn't occupied, my mind wandered. I love looking back and discovering answered prayers and moments of growth.

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  3. A sweet lady that done a book study at our church encouraged everyone to start a prayer journal. She talked about how much it changed her relationship with God. Starting a prayer journal was one of my New Years Resolution but I haven't written the first thing in it yet *sigh. I have got to get started with mine..thanks for sharing.

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