Powered By Blogger

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Journal with Your Kids and the Generations to Come

Dear Ladies,


         I have had the blessing of seeing the heart of my girls through our time in Journals.  Some people have prayer journals, and some have journals they take notes in from sermons they have heard, and or the famously wonderful journals that records all the funny things that happened along the way to our families (my favorite to read aloud on long road trips).


         When I was young, I had a diary.  Oh the pity parties I threw between the covers of that book.    It makes me sad to think my children and grandchildren would read my unchecked jealous, covetousness thoughts.


          I did struggle when I was younger and writing it down didn't solve anything.  I had no way of gaining understanding and wisdom on how to handle all sorts of situations through this one sided entry.  Being in a non Christian home, a diary was a secret thing.  Something you did under your covers, late a night and maybe when you were upset.


           Now that I am a Christian,  Isaiah 55:8 comes to mind which says,
       

 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.


        We need God and His word. So do my children.  So in hopes of giving the best to my children, I started to journal with them.  First with my daughter, Emma.  We started awhile ago.  I bought a journal type book from Barnes and Noble.  I opened it up with an invitation to join me in this correspondence.  That we could talk about all sorts of things and that she could be assured I would share what God's word says.

         Since then, I have shared hymns (xeroxed them and glued them in), things that God is teaching me as a wife and mother, and asking questions that  would help fuel her thinking about Jesus.  As time has pasted, I have read some amazing things that God is showing her.  It helps her to be watchful in her life for God's timing, search her heart on a regular basis, and to seek God's word to respond to my questions.  Sometimes, she is just telling me how God's word has wrought deep into her heart and thinking because she realizes His Word is true.

        Each journal passes back and forth about every 3 to 5 days.  This gives both parties time to respond.  Also, it causes us to be patient for an answer.  We can 'learn to wait on the Lord' or we can 'be forced to wait on the Lord'.  Learning to wait should be developed when you are young.  When my girls are waiting for counsel from the journal entry, I can remind them that waiting on the Lord is best.  Then I will make a great effort to make time to seek God's word for my response to their question.

         Joanna has just started  to Journal with me.  She is 11 now.  She can write well and she is thinking about so many things.  I just thought it was a great time to start.

         This has been a rich blessing for us all.  I know these Journals will be opened in generations to come and we will have no regrets.  This time, God's word is teaching us. And maybe God will use it on a future family member who needs to be reminded...We need God and His Word.

         So start today.  Just Journal It!