Why I Journal (or One of The Greatest Practices in My Life)

I highly recommend journaling. One of the greatest things I do in my life. (see comments below)

 I journaled for years. I use an app called Diaro.

 I have one file that i use to write down the biggest realizations in my life. It might be a key insight. Or something that I really want to incorporate in my life. When I am struggling with something, I go back through that file because chances are.. there is a "ta da" moment recorded in that file that I have forgotten to utilize. Instead of reinventing the wheel (which can take hours or days) I find the answer (because I have been keeping this file for years) to what I am facing in that file.

 I am convinced that we forget most of the realizations (revelations) that we get if we don't write them down. It is sort of like James 1:23-25 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 





 One of the nice features of using a computer to journal is that you can do easy searches. Yesterday.. I was facing something... it was dealing with spiritual warfare. Usually.. I would just pray... think.... pray.. think.... and spends hours and possibly days.. just wrestling with something.. and eventually revelation would come and I would get the victory. Well.. the thought came to me.. why not just search my journal notes on spiritual warfare. Voila!!! There was an answer within seconds.. So... instead of wrestling for hours.. I simply stepped up into the lesson that I had learned several years ago... and I got the victory. I chewed on that revelation from years ago and got some deeper learning from that lesson.. But... it saved me time, energy and possibly some heartache. Amazing!


 My kids all journal. They prefer writing theirs down. Me. I like digital format... I can lock it with a password. Maybe one of these days.. my kids can have it... and search it. They can each have their own copy...


 One thing that has come out of this journaling as well is a timeline for my life. I have started writing dates and brief title of things that have happened. Sometimes I will even reference if there is a journal note for that event.


 It is very cathartic for me. If I'm going through something... I can just pick up my chromebook, or my phone.. I can type... or I can dictate to it. Just the act of recording my thoughts usually clears my mind and emotions and answers typically come during that process as well.


 Here is this article in facebook form. Please feel free to share your experiences with journaling. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10222802309707192&id=1259222846

Same Old, Same Old (Gratefulness)

I am sitting here in my chair looking out my living room window on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning clear blue sky... and one of the first thoughts that came to me.. is "this is the same old same old.. it is rather boring" but then.. the very next thought that came to mind is this... "no... I am grateful for this thought.. I live in southern Ohio.. it is peaceful... in so many other places of the world it is not peaceful... there is turmoil. there is destruction... people are not happy... but I have this!! probably the majority of other people would love to have this. they would trade what they have for what I have in my life right now.. there is not a reason why I should not be happy with this.