Your life is busy, and if you’re like most women, it’s getting busier! With all the many things we have to do every day, it seems like there’s never enough time left over for the little things that brighten our days. As Christian women, we are rightly suspicious of the modern mantra that life is all about “putting me first.” We know we are supposed to have servant hearts, like Jesus. Yet, we are often running on empty from the care we give to others. Sometimes it feels like there’s no room left for us in our own lives! There is an easy way to incorporate fun into your life without overloading your schedule. It starts with a faith journal.
Do you have challenges at work? Are you caring for family members and/or friends in need? Do you serve at church? How about your relationship with God? Chances are you’re like most Christian women today…struggling to fit in the things you already HAVE to do. There just isn’t much time for luxurious extras. Do you feel that creative pursuits like keeping a faith journal is a “cherry on top” you don’t have time for? If so, I’m hoping to change your mind by the end of this article!
First, What is a Faith Journal?
A faith journal is a record of your spiritual life. It could capture scriptures, experiences, spiritual practices, thoughts and emotions. Spiritual diaries are not just versatile in content, they can also take many formats. A handwritten notebook, a sketchbook, a word document, a voice or video recording, or even an online blog could fit the description. A faith journal is a spiritual practice of recording your life in Christ.
Over time I have kept a variety of different spiritual diaries. My first faith journal was a very basic Bible journal. I sat down one day with a notebook I already owned and started writing scriptures…it was that simple. Gradually my practice evolved to include collage, paint, drawings and other creative techniques. Finally, it became a reflection of my own interests and personality, that continued to provide a focused way to draw close to God. Since then I have tried multiple other forms of faith journaling, like faith sketchbooks, prayer journals and others.
Doubling Up Your Activities
You may be wondering, how you can fit in the time to start something new. You’ve probably heard it said that women are great at multi-tasking: doing multiple things at once. Rather than multi-tasking, these days I like to simplify my routine by doubling up. Things like taking a walk while chatting to a friend, or listening to a podcast while doing the dishes are examples of healthy doubling up. Neither activity steals from the other, they just work together. Faith journaling is a perfect example of healthy doubling up. In fact, it can achieve multiple purposes at the same time without any extra effort!
Some things that faith journaling would allow you to cross off your to-do list today include your spiritual practices, rest and leisure time, getting creative, planning, and many others, like these:
What Do You Want to Achieve This Year?
Whether you have a long to-do list or plenty of free time this year, keeping some kind of record of your spiritual journey is a great idea. The way I see it, the more enjoyable an activity is, the more likely you are to do it! Especially for those vital activities you’d like to be faithful in, it’s a great idea to motivate yourself by making it fun.
This year I am focusing on finding rest in the Lord. For me, faith journaling will be more important than ever as I plan to keep stress levels down and inspiration levels high.
Just Start! Faith Journaling Is Easy.
Faith journaling can be as simple or complicated as you’d like it to be. If you’d like to give it a try but you’re time poor, don’t waste time getting decision fatigue. It doesn’t matter what kind of journal you use. In fact, I don’t recommend starting with a special hardcover journal. While they’re pretty, fancy journals often stir up feelings of perfectionism and fear, causing writer’s block. Do yourself a favour and start with something that feels really comfortable. You may have a notebook already lying around, just waiting to be used. And if you don’t, you can still get started today. Just write some thoughts or verses on a sheet of paper and save them to glue into a notebook later.
Why is it so important to get started today? New habits take a little momentum to get going. While it’s fresh on your mind, today is the perfect day to make a decision and make important space for you in your own life. Whether you decide to go all-in on journaling, or just use it as a fifteen minutes a day habit to spend time with Jesus, you will be so glad you did.
Want to Know More?
Would you like to see an easy way to incorporate relaxation, exercise, creativity, prayer and meditation? You can find reels about my faith journaling process on my Instagram channel, @dixonista. Go ahead and follow me to find more inspiration!
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