Past Perspective...

Today I began my 6th year of daily journaling. I have always enjoyed writing but never really took the time to journal. I made a decision six years ago to be intentional with my daily devotion and journal. It has been a true blessing for me.

I have several journals now with pages and pages of my thoughts and fears and prayers. I started at the beginning today. This is what I wrote on that first page of that first journal: "I do not need to worry about how I fit into Your plan - You have that covered. And if you have me covered then You have my girls too!! Forgive me for being anxious. Help my unbelief. Thank You for the glorious plan You have for my life as a wife, a mother and a friend."~July 19, 2007.


The journal prompt for the day was "Life is a journey that begins and ends with God." The scripture reference was Revelation 21:6. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End."


My sweet girls were 16, 14 and 11 at that time. I think I blinked and we ended up where we are today. But the blessings of looking back over all those days that I journaled in between are priceless. Faith is believing what we cannot see. And everyday I believe God for their future. For mine. Having my thoughts and my fears written down has helped me to see why I believe that.


Jesus Calling says this: "Faith is the confirmation of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality; perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses." As I look back over my journal entries that is what I see. Confirmation. I can read the words and I can feel the fear or the pain or the joy or the amazement at answered prayer. Through the lens of what has gone before, I am convinced of God's goodness. Of His sovereignty. The conviction of Who He is.


Faith is hard. Sometimes we struggle to believe God. To truly trust His plan. Write down your thoughts. Your fears. Your questions. Your dreams. Share them with Him. You might be amazed at all the answers that come too.


So, I encourage you today to write some things down. On paper. On your computer. In your phone. Wherever. But make notes about your thoughts today. Write down what you are praying for. Listen for the answers. Then write them down too. He is Faithful. When you can see it written down, you will be convicted of that reality. Even when you can't see where you are going.

"Faith expects from God 

what is beyond all expectation." 

~ Andrew Murray