Have you ever thought of keeping a journal? I have kept journals my whole life. I have composition books from as far back as my teenage years filled with random thoughts, poems, dreams, stories, words of gratitude and struggles. These journals have been a cross between an outlet to express myself and a diary of sorts. Well, this year I started a different kind of journal...I guess you could call it a faith journal. It's my way of documenting my faith walk.

 

The reason I started keeping this new journal is simple~ I want to draw closer to God! That's the goal, the bottom line. I'm trying to be really intentional about growing in my faith. For me, that means Praying more, definitely surrendering to Him more, taking my serving up a notch and being in my Bible more as I document my faith journey in this journal.

 

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Psalm 119:105

 

I take notes during Bible study in it. I write in it if something jumps out at me during church service. If scripture shows up in front of me and speaks to me in a special way, I write it in the journal. If words from a song touch my heart, I write in it. I write things I'm grateful for in it. I write my prayer requests as well as requests for my friends and family in the journal. Sometimes I cut out uplifting quotes, pictures or articles and tape them onto the pages.

 

It's my way of expressing myself through my faith and I often feel it drawing me closer to God. Writing in this new journal feels like having a conversation with Him. Sometimes, I can hear Him answering my questions, soothing my fears and assuring me that I am not alone. One of my favorite things about keeping a journal is being able to go back to it later in life and reflect on where I was at the time.

 

I love to pull out my old composition books and see how passionate I was about the things that have been important to me in different stages of my life. I think the best part of pulling out this faith journal down the road will be seeing the way God is speaking to me and how I am drawing closer to Him. It's always encouraging to read about former times when I was struggling or going through a hard season and be able to see how prayer, study, gratitude and the Word of God pulled me through!