I am a bona fide advocate of journaling for so many reasons — many of which our guest blogger, Kathy Bornarth, shared in her recent article, “What Makes Christian Journaling Unique?”
Like Kathy, I truly believe that journaling is one discipline we can cultivate that will help us grow spiritually as we reflect upon Scripture, record our prayers, and spend time strengthening our relationship with God and others. However… I must be honest and admit that I have not always practiced what I preach.
- There have been times when I just didn’t feel like journaling.
- There have been seasons when I simply didn’t have the gumption to make the time to journal.
- There have been periods when putting pen to paper required more energy than I wanted to extend.
Simply stated: There have been large stretches of time over the years when I have not journaled even one word – as I touted journaling to others!
Allow me to explain. While I do definitely believe in the benefits of journaling, I have spent most of my life with a very traditional, inside-the-box, mindset. You see, in my mind, journaling had always been defined as sitting down in a very quiet spot with a journal and a pen writing out lengthy prose. Problem? I write s-l-o-w-l-y. So imagine how excited I became over sitting quietly long enough to write out my thoughts daily, or even weekly. Not fun — especially for a young mom with toddlers or a woman with a full time job!
Then one day, in the not so distant past, it clicked! Out of God’s very loving care for me and His personally orchestrated revelation, He showed me through authors, workshop presenters, and my pastor that there was another way – outside-the-box! My discovery? I had been uniquely wired with gifts, talents, and interests that I could use not only for my enjoyment — but to connect with Him.
What freedom to be set loose. And so the quest began.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some of my discoveries with you. I’m so excited to share with you some of the journaling methods that speak to my heart, draw me in, and create channels for me to spend time cultivating a practice that I am convinced encourages and enables my spiritual growth.
If you are like me and your wiring just screams out for a nontraditional approach to journaling or if you just need to breathe some new life into your journaling, I pray you will come back to see how journaling can come alive through many different forms. And even if none of the ideas I share resonates with you personally, I pray that God will open your eyes through the experience to see outside-the-box and find ways that speak to you.
soli deo gloria,
