Journal Journeys

One of my first journals was dated Jan. 4, and since then I have resolved myself to writing things down.  

My desire to write actually started way back when my dream was very small.  Whoever gave this gift, must have known.  God must have whispered my dream to them.  

The name of my first journal was 

"Multi-Volume Dissertation on Everything"  -Deluxe Edition.  My first entry....

"The best place to begin is the beginning. I've always wanted to write a book.  I always knew that I had the potential.  Now here is my chance.  Even though it may not get published, I'll have the satisfaction within myself that I did it!  Here is a collection of anything and everything that is a part of me!"

On the first page:  Things that are important to me and God.  God thank you for planting the desires of words in my heart.

Since that day I have recorded many thoughts, many things that are important to me. Tears and fears that help stretch and shape my faith.  Thoughts that are important to God.  Among the silly little girl stories there are the heart cries of young tender heart.  All important, each and every one of them.  

Since that first edition, I have recorded my prayers, my partially finished posts, my reflections, and my imagination and interpretations.  My heart is written on each page.  

God has put His footprint on each page.

There are some big mile-markers

...some doubt stones rolled away,

some fear filled walls that have crumbled down,

some hope bridges that span life's rushing tears,

some intriguing turns beyond the gates of praise,

some unforeseen twists and Promises,

many, many prayers, spoken and not,

some life plans and dreams wrapped around a lot of plan B's...

There are emotions roaring on pages mixed with joy, love and faithfulness.  Mixed with good God stuff, those prayers circled, in and around, day after day.  

Important faith stuff to me and God.

I take a journal with me wherever I go.  Just in case I need to capture one more thought or idea.  Post-it's, small notebooks, spirals, leathers, cloth-bound work to capture many ideas too.  They are all covered in prayer and my prayers cover the pages.

I prefer my pages to be more about Him.  Most days my pen makes the pages crinkle under my fingertips.  It's a delight to run my hands across the Truth.  It's life giving and life changing, recording God's promises and faithfulness.  Each page boasts of spiritual growth and my faith in action, it speaks of hope that God gives.  

God has filled these pages...with His truth and important stuff.  

So when I see yet-to-be-filled pages, prayers for needed new growth fill my heart, no matter how God's lessons come.   He prepares the fertile ground for the God harvest ahead.  This bride is looking to the One And Only Lover of her soul to inspire and remember inspired words to scribe.  

There are days when there is no doing, only being.  Silently taking it all in.  Giving thanks and making prayer circles.  There is no editing.  I challenge you to take up a pen and paper and boldly ask God what he would want to say to you today.   

God wants to share His heart.  

That's why I scribble....
His holy and divinely imprinted Footprint. 
He has time set aside for you. 

Book of Dreams

I call myself a dreamer.  I like to wonder about the impossible and wander down the aisles of my imagination.  I wishfully think of the possibilities and get carried away with hope of the future when reality tells me it may never happen.  It's the right brained part of me that tends to float and create.  I can't hold it in.  

Places to put my random thoughts 

I like to journal.  There are many new creations born on those worn tear-stained pages.  Many projects, to-do lists, wish-lists, prayer circles are born.  It's a launch pad of my emotional sink hole.  It's a safe and secure place to trust my words back to God.  It's a battleground of my transforming heart.  

It's a spiritual discipline. Habakkuk did it and encouraged others to write things down and then wait on the Lord.  It's visionary and the ways of the planners.  It tucks my feelings into God's heart.  It's a way to captivate my thoughts back to God, and as He captures my prayers, I tuck Him back into mine.  It's a glimpse into my faith.  It's faith words written.  

I have never really considered my thoughts being valuable.  I still struggle with it actually.  Some days, I feel good about what I have written.  Others not so much.  But as I pour into God's word I read the words that are recorded about our Creator.  I realize someone had to value those words to write them.  They were God inspired.  They are God-breathed. Those words are brought to life by God in our hearts and minds.    

There was the willing to lend some paper and a pen.  There those that scribbled the happenings of the day.  There were the historians of faith that were so moved by what they had seen that they knew they had to share it with others.....so great and so moving...they knew in their heart it would help someone.  At the back of the bus, there was one writing in a field journal to record on a blog later.    

If nothing else, I'm able to share with you how God has worked in my life in hopes that could help someone.  I don't know about the helping part, that's for God to take care of.  All I know right now is that I need to share with you here how He has helped me.  I dream that is good with you.  That you will come back and read often.   

For me, it's a necessity to write it down my thoughts.  If I don't I will lose it like vapor.  It doesn't matter if they ever grow into their own post.  I need to write to reason.  I need perspective with focus.  I need more growth into a deeper realm of faith.   That matters to me.  So I dream, I capture, I take hostage my thoughts.  I journal.  

You should try it too...just journal..."the shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory!"  And see what thoughts you capture.