Dear friend,
Journaling has changed my life. If you asked me to pick one thing to take to a deserted island, I would bring my journals. My journals tell a beautiful story of how God changed my life and continues to work in my heart.
I journal about everything!
Prayers, moments of sadness, moments of complete joy, scripture that touched my heart, lessons God has taught me, notes from sermons, and so much more.
Here are 7 ways that journaling can help your walk with God. Journaling can help you:
- Focus in prayer. I love writing my prayers to God in letter form. Often when I pray to myself, my mind drifts away and I lose focus. When I write out the prayer, I’m able to stay focused on God.
- Trust God. You begin to trust God more when you see that he is faithful. Rereading old journals is one of my favorite activities! I will read a prayer from two years ago and realize that God answered it. When that happens, I sometimes write the date next to the prayer so I will remember God is faithful. This is great evidence that God cares, listens, and answers for days when I doubt him.
- Believe God loves you. The Bible is a love letter to us from God, so why not write it like one? I will take a passage and write in my journal, “Dear Joy…. (insert scripture) Love, God.” These letters help me further believe God’s love for me.
- Understand scripture. I learn through writing, maybe that is why I love journaling so much. Writing the verses out in my journal helps them seep into my brain.
- Stop thinking. Before bed, countless thoughts roam through my head. If I don’t write them down, I won’t be able to fall asleep. Journaling takes the thoughts off my mind and helps me fall asleep.
- Teach others. I write down everything, pretty much, especially when I’m going through a struggle. Then when a friend goes through something similar, I can pull out my journal and share with her verses or sermons that helped. This is a way to encourage her and teach her.
- Remember. I never want to forget the amazing things God does in my life through the years. My journals become a yearbook of all the beautiful memories between God and I.
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40 Comments on Why journal?
2Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Why journal?
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[…] Journal. Write down how God speaks to you during your quiet times. Journaling is a great tool, here is why: why journal? […]
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[…] Journal. Write down what God shows you. As you read scripture, God will teach you things. Write them down so you do not forget them. Write the verses out. This will help you learn the verse, and be able to look back later when God feels distant. (For more about journaling, read Why journal?) […]
Janet
at (10 years ago)I love journaling, too! Your reasons for it are insightful–I hope they’ll encourage others to give it a try. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for your comment Janet! I’m glad there are other journaling fans out there=]
lily
at (10 years ago)I like to blog, but I really should get in the habit of journaling more! I agree that it’s such a good thing, for a number of reasons. Thanks for the inspiring post!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for the comment Lily! I hope you do try journaling. =]
Kathy Bornarth
at (10 years ago)Wonderful post Joy! I’m going to share this on my FB page!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thank you so much Kathy!!!
Elisha Wolter
at (10 years ago)Hi Joy! This is a great post! I can relate to all your seven points about journal keeping! Especially the part about clearing your head of so many thoughts! Inside my head can get quite tangled at times. Thanks for the great reminder of all the fantastic things journalling does for us!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Hi Elisha! Thanks for the comment! I’m glad it was relateable. Have a great day 🙂
Ashli Hall
at (10 years ago)I love journals! I have a few. When I got married I decided to make a “marriage journal”. I write down any marriage advice, scriptures etc that I get from any source, people, devotionals, wherever. I also have a children’s journal. I write down things I want to do with my kids one day when I have them, things I want to teach them, scriptures, advice etc. I have always loved journals. Its a good way to look back on your life and see how far you have come.
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Those are some great ideas! Thanks for the comment. You could even write a blog post about your ideas!
Karrilee Aggett
at (10 years ago)We are neighbors today over at Jennifer’s place for TellHisStory! So glad I popped on over! I am a HUGE Journaler as well and just recently started to dive into Art Journaling… oh my! It’s a whole different level! Great post!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for the comment Karrilee! I hope you subscribe via e-mail or follow me on social media so we can stay connected. I have yet to try art journaling! You should post photos because I would love to see some of your work.
JBH
at (10 years ago)All your reasons are so true, Joy! I learn through writing, too. And I see my journals and blog posts as “standing stones”, like the ones God instructed the Israelites to erect to remind them and their children of what God had done for them. Great post!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for your comment and encouragement!! I love that example!
Becky
at (10 years ago)Those are all great reasons to journal! I love writing down Scriptures that speak to me and going over them again a few months (or years) down the road. They encourage me all over again. 🙂
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)I love it! Thanks for the comment Becky!
stasia
at (10 years ago)Great post! I have always been a “journaler”… but for the past few months I let it go :(… Since I have gotten back into it, I have grown closer to God and am a lot more intentional with my time! 🙂
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for the comment! I’m so excited that you’ve gotten back into it! =]
joanneviola
at (10 years ago)I started blogging as a means of journaling for my children. I wanted them to know what their mom was thinking & feeling even long after I leave this earth. It has become such a joy for me as I have found it to seal in my heart all that I am learning & experiencing with God. Great post! So glad I visited from Thankful Thurs. Blessings!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for the comment! I will be sure to check out your blog =] I’m very thankful for thankful thurs!
logancan
at (10 years ago)I love this! I love to journal. 🙂
Surrounded by the Spirit
at (10 years ago)Hi Joy! I am coming over from Sharing His Beauty.
I can really relate to all your reasons for journaling. Thank you for sharing the wonderful ways you can use this practice to increase your faith life, and help others. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing here! I do journal, but I’m sporadic. I do like going back and reading them to see where I was in my life, and how God answered me, even if it seemed like he was silent at the time.
Nice to meet you!
Ceil
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for the comment Ceil! I’m glad you came by to check out my blog. I’m thankful for Sharing His Beauty.
le chateau des fleurs
at (10 years ago)That’s very good! I have such a bad memory too. i need to write a journal!
I would love if you come link up tomorrow at the Monday party!
Xo
Isabelle
http://www.lechateaudesfleurs.com
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)I will link up! thanks for the comment!
Gertrude Nonterah
at (10 years ago)Hello Joy ! I used to journal a lot when I was a teenager. I lost the art and I think I should go back to it especially to record those “God-moments” in my day when the Holy Spirit drops things in my spirit.
Thanks for linking up at Working Christian Mommy ! Have a beautiful day:D
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for the comment! I hope you do go back to it. :)))
Lena
at (10 years ago)Thanks for joining the mom lovin party last week! I used to journal a lot but haven’t much since the birth of my son almost 2 years ago. These are such great reminders why I did so.
XO/Lena @ Root&Blossom
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thanks for your comment Lena! I hope you get back into it 🙂
Allie Davis
at (10 years ago)In my mind I already have a lot of reasons why I should be journaling and somehow it does not seem to happen. My husband struggles with the same thing. It is neat to see someone so authentically passion about journaling. What would you say to people who find value in a journal but just can’t make it stick? Are you literally hand writing your journals? What about prayer requests? I think I stopped because I realized I was just writing out my small group prayer list every day. Maybe I should stay in paragraph form rather than reducing my prayer to bullet points.
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Thank you for your comment Allie! I am literally hand writing in my journals. I have filled 10 in two years. If you value journaling here are some ideas: any time God does something cool in your life, write it down. It is worth taking the time to do this. Put the journal somewhere you’ll see it, near your Bible, on your dressor, etc. I was writing my prayer requests in my journal, but found they got lost along the way. I decided to write them on the last couple of pages in the back of the journal. This makes them easy to find and then when I get a new journal they are easy to transfer. I bullet the points, so I don’t forget them. But then if I pray by using my journal I’ll write out the prayers back in the front with the rest of my entries. I hope this helps!
itsemmaelise
at (10 years ago)Writing is such a cathartic release. Thank you for linking up with Manic Mondays!
♥Emma, of It’s Emma Elise
createwithjoy
at (10 years ago)Thank you for sharing your inspiring article at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy!
As you know, I am a big advocate of journaling of all types!
Congratulations Joy – you are one of our featured guests this week!
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Oh cool! Thank you for the feature!
enthusiasticallydawn
at (10 years ago)Joy,
I love this post! Certainly we are kindreds. I look forward to staying connected and hope you will consider joining in our monthly community meet up for journalers! Thanks for sharing and commenti ng so I could get back to you here! Love your place…and as I look at some popular titles it looks like we write a lot along the same lines. 😉 In His Grace, Dawn
Joy Skarka
at (10 years ago)Hello! Thanks for your encouraging comment! I hope to stay connected as well. What is the monthly community meet up for journalers? I would love to hear more. Thanks!
enthusiasticallydawn
at (10 years ago)Joy, here is the link which explains in full! http://enthusiasticallydawn.com/random-journal-day-2/
le chateau des fleurs
at (10 years ago)Thanks for joining the Monday party!
Bisous
Isabelle