The Joy of Journaling

The positive benefits of journaling are well documented. Some people write private thoughts and life events on a daily basis. These journals capture memories and provide historical records of friends and family. Others create a gratitude journal which leads to a more positive outlook on life and can result in peace and happiness.

My journals are precious to me for whenever I attend a conference, I take an empty journal and offer a pen to a new friend and they write their name and prayer concerns.

And when I return home, I bring their burdens and praises with me. Then I pray specifically for their requests. I also keep track of God stories. I have prayers from nurse educators from the Indiana Wesleyan Faith Innovations Conference. One journal is from the Write to Publish Christian Writers Conference. My most recent journal is from the hearts of people I met at the NRB Conference in Nashville, TN. I feel so privileged to pray for all these heartfelt needs.

God knows our practices and the desires of our hearts.

Once life got in the way and I did not have time to get a journal for my writer's conference in Chicago. At shift change the night before I had to leave, my co-worker Brandy grabbed me.
"Donna, come to the break room. I have something for you."
Crying, I shared how badly I wanted a journal and we stood in awe of how God knows what we need before we ever ask. During breaks and meals at the conference several writers penned their requests and even drew pictures on random pages. Every time I wrote in that journal, I was reminded of how God knows the desires of our hearts.

Brandy and I experienced this truth once more.

That same year Brandy delivered twins after weeks of mandatory bedrest. My bag of baby outfits included a gift of money. When she returned to work months later, She thanked me with a card and a God story.
"Since I was off work several months, our water bill was overdue, I felt helpless and ashamed, taking two tiny newborns home without water. The money in the card was the exact amount needed."
And that story of God's grace is in my journal along with the Brandy's card.

Consider these key points about journaling:

You don't have to journal if you don't like to write!
Please don't coat yourself with guilt if you only journal now and then.
If you know someone who loves to journal, they make great gifts.
In many ways when we read the scriptures and letters, we are reading the journals from the hearts of Godly men. I hope that when I am gone, someone will read my journals and fall in love with the Lord!
God bless you my friends,
Dr. Donna