I have always journaled in my life in one form or other. As a youngster my diary took more of the form of a step-by-step view of my day. E.g. Got up had breakfast, made my bed. Altogether rather a tedious re-read, which at times contains gems of memories and experiences. However, as I’ve progressed my journal has been something that I’ve used to record my thoughts, prayers and faith experience.

Journaling can also open up an opportunity for God to speak to us.

Amy Boucher Pye, in her soon to be released book, 7 Ways to Pray, mentions journaling in her book in chapter 4 on hearing God.

She had been campaigning in her journal to get her family back to her country of origin, the US, rather than living in the UK. But God speaks through our thoughts and desires and she suddenly feels, one day, that God is telling her to give up her campaign. I use this example to explain how when we put down our thoughts in writing, it is a way of understanding ourselves and exploring our deepest desires and feelings.

This book can be pre-ordered as the image above suggests at the  Big Church Read

I have just returned from an overseas trip which my husband and I had to make for family reasons. As a result we are currently having to isolate due to someone testing positive for Covid-19 on our flight. So far, so good, no symptoms. However, getting back to journaling, it is something I always do when away on a trip, be it in the UK or abroad. It’s a great record of each country and place that I’ve visited, and, even better, over the years I’ve been able to turn these memories into money. Along with my husband’s brilliant photographs, I use my notes to tell the story of the place, selecting out the relevant and key sights of interest. 

Pena Palace in the mountains above Cais Cais, where we were staying, is a beautiful place and home of the last Portuguese monarchs. Although our reasons for going out to Portugal weren’t simply to take a holiday in these difficult Covid-19 times, we were still able to enjoy the spectacular places and foods that Portugal has to offer.

Journaling therefore, can have a dual purpose. It can help to grow our faith and relationship with God and it can, at times, be turned into money making articles.