JOURNALING IN JULY.

One of my favorite aspects about journaling is that afterwards, you are left with a collection of all your old thoughts, agendas, and insights. Our ability to retain information and memories is slimmer than we’d like to believe, and a record of old words serve as a time portal back into the yesterday’s. Past journals offer perspective: a better understanding of where you are going and an attitude of thankfulness for how you have gotten there.

I looked back at all my journal entires of July on the train one day, and I was shocked of how eventful the month was without even realizing it. As I knew it, another month had just came and went. Weekends seemed too quick and workdays were too long, but as I read through my prayers and recollections, I was reminded of both little and big things that had taken place. I was filled with thankfulness and inspiration. It was cool. (:

Here is a peek at some of my journal entries: (click to enlarge)

If you don’t journal already, I encourage you try it for the month of August! If you have ever asked yourself if God’s hand is  present in your life, this might help you. Journaling forces you to slow down, and in those moments of reflections is when God’s presence is evident.  You see the promises the Lord has declared over you, and how they are personally manifesting in your life! God is always, always working, slow down or you might miss it.

Journal about anything and everything. (: Talk about the highlights of your days and your weeks, and even vent about the worries that consume your heart. Share your blessings and express your wishes. God hears all of it. I believe that putting language to your emotions has the ability to pull them from the depths and hidden corners of your heart, onto the surface where it’s accessible to be touched, processed, and communicated. And when you are able to communicate it with yourself, you are more able to communicate them with God.

Good luck! (:
I’d love to hear your journaling adventures, please share below.

TEN THINGS: TO DO.

I’m a serial list maker and I probably have been since someone first put a pen in my hand. (Or more accurately, a Crayola crayon.) I know this is true because not only am I a list maker, I’m also a hoarder, (oh, winner winner) and STILL have these lists stored away.

(Confession: These notes consist of all the boys in my class I consider “cute”, what I want in my house when I grow up, and my favorite colors at the moment… Real deep stuff, of course. End confession.)

Anyway, my lists have gotten a little bit more substantial over the years. Just a little bit.  And I can’t function throughout the day with out a good list made with pen and paper.  It’s as if my brain is in constant info overload, and the only way to digest and comprehend anything new is in the form of lists. Complete sentences and grammar is totally pushing it.

One of my favorite bloggers, LOVELY INDEED, started a recent installment, “ten things.” And yes, it is EXACTLY what it sounds like. She shares the lists she makes in her journal of ten random things. She is a lovely woman after my own heart, indeed. (See what I did there?)

Most recently, her list was of ten words that gross her out. And you know what, you should check it out because they weren’t so obvious. MOIST WASN’T EVEN ON IT. By the way, have you read this hilarious suicide note from the word “moist”? If you haven’t, you must click this and read now. (Oh, and that was probably the only appropriate time I could use the word “hilarious” and “suicide” in the same sentence. I don’t know how I feel about that.)

But I digress…

Being able to completely resonate with LOVELY INDEED and her addiction to lists, I decided to share mine as well! (: Except it isn’t gross words, it’s my to-do list.

*Also, for all you list makers out there,  is it just me, or do you also have MULTIPLE to-do lists occurring at the same time? For example. I have a list for things that must be done that day, a separate one for the month, and a separate one for things that should be done eventually. Sometimes the lists break up even further based on the role — student, work, church, etc. Is there a better way to do this? Please do tell.

HERE IS A PEEK INTO MY LIST LIFE (+ doodles from my journal.)

Pay it forward.

Lately, God has been revealing that there is greater joy in loving others than there is in loving myself. I realize how much time and energy I spend on protecting myself — my image, emotions, reputation, pride, comfort level, etc. And the more time I spend on looking at myself, the less I can see others around me. But if I have faith and believe that my God is a God who protects and provides for me, then there is no need to be worrying about myself at all. Now suddenly I have so much more time to see others, help others, love others…

God said HE IS LOVE. And so if love is the language he understands and embodies, the more I love, the more I understand and know that God, too. Thank you, God, for loving me first, so that I can accept, feel, share, and learn more about love a little bit more each day.