Journaling

Journaling.

Happy New Year Olivians!!! 2019 will be the best year yet. This is my first post this year, and what a good way to start the year with journaling.

Journaling is quite interesting and fun. It improves your writing skills. You know writing something down makes it more concrete and it’s like a physical testament at times. You get to have a tangible account of God’s blessings, you get to put words to feelings and feelings to words and expression. It can also be a gift to future generations. 

Write your vision make it plain. Habbakuk 2:3

I will be writing on the types of journals I keep and what they are about, and what they contain.

• Personal journal
• Devotional journal
• Prayer& testimony journal
• Waiting journal
• Dear future husband

Personal Journal

I have been used to keeping this for 6 years now. I simply just write what happened during the day on a daily basis (it’s hard to keep up but I try to), like the highlights, significant positives and negatives. I doodle sometimes, pray to God and tell Him my worries, my fears and all. All along the years, I grew with it, modified it year by year. I just knew what to put in it. It gives me an update on what had happened all throughout a particular month and year. I get to know how far I have grown over the years, how I handled situations and sometimes something to laugh about too. I literally laugh a lot when I go back to read them 😂😂😂. 

To keep a record of life’s journey and see your growth and how God has been in your life looking back.

Devotional Journal

The name speaks for itself already; the name speaks for itself already. I jot down things I learnt from my devotionals (I use Open Heavens). Sometimes, I can have action points to work on, so it helps me to actually do it, read again and being able to leave my devotional with something and also to have a record of past studies and blessings I’ve gained. It aids prayers and meditation. 

I recently started using the ‘SOAP’ method which I find quite interesting and simple to use.

Scripture – the Bible verse and passage for the study.

Observation– what you notice about the Bible verse or passage, what it says and commands.

Application – Applying what God’s word says to your life personalizing it, more like a lesson learnt.

Prayer – Simply put prayer.

You can also use this for your personal study of the Bible asides your devotional books, Bible study in church, sermons and so on. It depends on you.

Spiritual growth is important. When you read you skim the surface but when you study you discover the treasure.✌️

Prayer /Testimony Journal:

Simply put, writing down your prayers to God makes it practical, and it also helps to make it a conscious effort in praying and talking to God. Write to him; pour out your mind to Him. Pray for your family members, you can have a special corner for each person. You can have special prayer points and people who tell you to pray for them so you can include their prayers. It helps and serves as a guide and actually make you remember to pray for them. 

Also, when you get your answers, write your testimonies. It is heartwarming reading them later and you just see the mightiness of God in your life.

Prayers are seeds sown for a immediate and a future harvest..

Waiting Journal

We all wait on God for lots of things at one point or the other. This journal is not compulsory if you don’t like keeping lots of books and all, but it depends on individuals. I will be nice if you have things written down that strengthens you in your waiting period. It could be for a job, a partner, ministry etc.

What does it contain?

Basically, my heart desires, study of some particular books concerning relationship, study of some books of the Bible (Esther, Ruth, Proverbs etc.). Bible Study plan on waiting on God (a wonderful friend of mine just introduced me to one and I’m enjoying every bit of it.) some christian books and anything that relates to what you need in the waiting season.

It’s a documentation of the surrender of my heart and affection to God’s keeping as I wait for His will ❤.

N. B you can keep a waiting journal on something God wants you to do, something special he has put in your heart to do. Something you’re expecting from God. 

Dear Future Husband

*Coughs* don’t even laugh; I don’t know what else to call it.😂 I know I’m not the first doing this. I was actually motivated to start this from someone I saw on Instagram, and it was a good idea to emulate. It’s quite interesting and makes the waiting season interesting and practical.

You know writing to him, praying for him every time(rain lots of prayers on him mehn😂😀) , telling him your fears, frustrations, thoughts, dreams, prophesies, letters, blah blah blah, anything you want to tell him like you would do in reality and then finally giving him after your wedding or whenever you want to (isn’t it a nice treasure. It’s worth a trillion dollars). It’s quite therapeutic. 🤭😉 

In a nut shell, I’ve tried to explain the types of journals I keep and what it contains. You don’t need to keep all but I’m sure you’ve gotten some ideas from this already. 

Let me know your ideas too, the types of journals you keep and how the journey has been.

I would love your responses in the comment section. 🙏🏼🤗

N B Journaling is not for ladies alone because I think I sound like I’ve been talking to the ladies alone in some aspects, pardon me🤭. As a guy try some of these ideas out and you would love it  😁. Infact, having a Dear future wife journal would be nice and very thoughtful 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽

Have a wonderful year!!! 

Love.❤️

Estée ✨