Five Tips for User-Friendly Journaling

“Then the Lord replied:

For today’s post I want to share some pointers to help make journaling feel more accessible; less overwhelming. So here they are 😊.

1. Don’t get overly intense about it. There have been seasons where I’ve written in my journal nearly every day, and others where a month will go by in between entries. I don’t sweat the frequency. I just make sure and make journaling a regular part of my life, in whatever way works with His leading from season to season.
2. There are no rules. You can put down just one sentence for an entry. Or a paragraph. Or a page. Or ten pages. Just relax and enjoy flowing with His Spirit as you write.
3. Keep a note on your phone for future journaling purposes. When something drops into your heart in the midst of your busy day, jot down a brief addition to your “Journaling” note there. Or make a voice recording for yourself. Then when you are back in your quiet time, you can transfer your quick notes over to your journal and expand on them.
4. Develop your own shorthand. Abbreviate as much as possible, helping save time for more listening and writing.
5. If you don’t know what to write, here are a few ideas:
   i. Anything you have sensed Daddy speaking to you about recently (see “Sixteen Ways to Hear from God”).
   ii. A Bible verse that stuck out during your daily reading, and the specific way it impacted you.
   iii. A question that you want to lay before Him. As soon as you write it, He may start showing you the answer. Make note of your initial impressions and leave space to add more later as He continues to answer.
   iv. A prayer pouring out your heart, either brief or at length, depending on the moment.

As you record what He is showing you, this will help you to further process it. It’s kind of like more thoroughly digesting the spiritual food you have swallowed. Just as your physical food gets assimilated into your body through digestion, so it is in spirit. Daddy God’s truth, revelation, and guidance become incorporated deeply into our being as we spend time thoroughly chewing on and ingesting His words through the discipline of writing.

We can learn form King David’s example: “‘All this,’ David said, ‘I have in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan’” (1 Chron. 28:19, NIV). As he wrote down the revelation that was coming to him, his comprehension expanded and deepened. This is what journaling God’s communication does for each of us. As we write His messages down, He will faithfully give us the increased understanding that we so desperately need.

I’m excited to think about all that He wants to show you, as you continue to passionately pursue His heart in this way!

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For those of you that already journal, what tips of your own would you add to this list?