Comments on: Thoughts on Journaling

By: kaysie

kaysie — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:01:11 +0000

Hello Raine,

Thank you for your kind words! Praise the Lord for His goodness.

You asked a very good question, which I have struggled with and asked of myself too. Blogging can definitely effect your personal journalling, and it can be difficult to find a safe and healthy balance in expressing your heart on the web.

It is great that you keep a honest, personal journal. Keep that up, and don’t let blogging distract you from it. When choosing what to share or how much to share on your blog, ask of yourself the motive or reason you would be sharing something. Is it to “get it off your chest”? Then I wouldn’t blog it. Grab your journal instead. But if you are writing to offer hope and encouragement over a certain inner struggle than I would blog, but carefully.

Make sure your blog doesn’t become your journal, because, unlike your journal, your blog has readers from all over the world. You will either share to become embraced by the comments, or not share the deeper struggles for fear of rejection. Ultimately, pray about what God’s will is for your writings and blog. We are to do all things for His glory, and not our own. (1 Cor. 10:31) He will help your discern motives and find appropriate subjects for blog posts.

Thanks for your comment!

By: Raine

Raine — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:44:27 +0000

Hi Kaysie,

I’m really blessed with your life and all that God has been teaching you which you’ve been sharing with us through your blog.

I was just wondering what your opinion would be, since you have written about journaling. I’m confused about my own blogging and journaling habits. I’m very, very, very personal in my journal; I actually cry out to God in my journal. But it seems I sometimes carry over my attitude from my journal to my blog. I’m afraid I might become overly personal in my blog, and I have Christian and non-Christian readers, whose opposite reactions I fear, or whose very presence tempt me to become proud.

I’d like to know what you think about my situation, which even I myself do not understand. But all I know is that I should just be myself and simply be truthful and sincere in all that I do, glorifying God in everything. Am I on the right track?

God bless you, your family, and your ministry always!

Raine

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:59:59 +0000

I am a big journal writer, currently filling a journal approx. every 3 months. I journal everything in one journal…as I love to write so much and have lots of papers here and there from stories, articles, etc. it has helped me to be neater when I have all my thoughts, prayers, prayer requests, struggles, poetry, praises etc. in one journal. I have been journaling since I was eleven (my the things I wrote back then!!) and over the past seven years I have made my way to my 18th journal, I think. I like to number my pages because I will link one journal entry to another. I cannot tell you how many journal entries end with “continued on pg. ___” This really helps me, especially if I’m struggling with something and the days are really busy. I don’t feel pressured to stay up late and finish my journal entry about whatever. I can just continue the same thought the next day. I also have taped special notes/letters/emails from friends and a few pictures into my journals at times – it makes looking back over my journals so much more interesting! Unlike some however, I would never want ANYONE to read most of my journals, so perhaps I should call them diaries. I am not a “talk it out” person, but rather a “write it out” person, which is none very well by my journal and my close penpal friends.

As for journal types, I prefer spiral bound journals, because I also write my sermon notes in my journal, and I like to be able to flip it back and lay in on whichever side of my Bible the text we are focusing on is not coming from to take notes.

By: stephanieandrews

stephanieandrews — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:18:44 +0000

I’m a journal lover, too. I’ve always kept a journal to write about the happenings of my life, since I was about 9 or 10. (It’s hilarious to read entries I wrote at that age, maybe a little older- such passion and conviction about menial little subjects such as the decor of my dollhouse or my love for a stray cat!)
In the past 5 years or so I’ve also tried to keep a “Bible journal”, in which I record what I’m learning in my devotions, devotional quotes, etc., and then a prayer journal, in which I record prayer requests.

In the past year I’ve just used one journal to contain all of these things, and that has worked out best for me. It’s neat to read back entries and see a mix of daily happenings and feelings, as well as the development of my spiritual life and prayers. It’s a big faith builder, to look back and see the little ways God has worked.

By: Jimena

Jimena — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:45:21 +0000

I love to write… I’m not as talented as you are, but I have always felt a need to put my thoughts down on paper. When my focus in life changes, my writting also changed… I started to write more and more about what the Lord had been doing in my life… it blesses me sometimes when I look back and see how the Lord has be so present in my life… even going back to old blog posts…

I’m glad you have decided to not keep your journaling to yourself, but to share it with us through your blog. Blessings