Blessed Girlhood: Keeping A Journal

I don't know that I've always been very interested in writing or journal, but over the past five years I've really started writing. I have notebooks laying simply all over with notes and thoughts to remember. Your girlhood years are precious. In those short eighteen or so years you learn how to be a lady, an adult, and a woman of God. It is your training ground for some many things. Journaling throughout these years can be such a benefit and a blessing for the years to come. They can help you remember what you were like when you were younger, to learn from your past mistakes, and to see how God is working in your life.

Journal - A Discipline

By journaling what I'm thinking about when I read the Word helps me to remember and meditate on it throughout the day. Secondly, I use my journal to jot down quick blurbs about my prayer requests, I call it "praying with a pen" it keeps you from being distracted and enables you to later review and see how the Lord has answered. I also use my journal (yes, all the same notebook) for recording important and significant battles or huddles in my life. For example, writing about my struggles respecting and obeying my parents will provide repeatability and understanding with my own daughter in the future. Journaling is a worthwhile discipline that has resulted in much fruit in my own life.
- Miss Christa

Diary of the Day

I've just recently begun to keep a journal again. I've tried keeping a diary of the day's events before but it's never really worked for me, so this year I've tried something different. I just have a notebook where I right down thoughts, rather than events. Things I note for my writing, things I need to get done, spiritual issues I'm struggling with, funny things that happen, things to pray for, ideas, that sort of stuff.

I find it really helpful both in the fact that it helps me to clarify and remember my thoughts, and I am able to look back on what I've written and remember how I felt and see how I've changed. I find it a lot more helpful than the conventional type journal, too, especially as a blogger when I'm writing up all that kind of stuff anyway!
- Miss Gabrielle

Journal of Devotions

I try to journal when I do my morning devotions. it is more or less writing dwn my thoughts and summaries of the chapter I'm reading. Although, sometimes, I do right out my prayers to God. Especially if it is something that I need to re-read and will be beneficial for me again and again. For example, recently I asked God for trials if He thinks I can handle-- call me crazy, I know!
- Miss Megan, 19

Two Of A Kind

I do keep two journals - one for writing about happenings in my life, and another to write down thoughts from my devotions. I have really benefited from writing things down from my devotions. It makes me pay more attention while I am reading my Bible, and helps me remember it throughout the day. As far as my other journal... it's mostly just for fun, but it has improved my handwriting.
- Miss Erica, 14

Looking Back

I keep a journal and write in it almost every single night. I love to remember every detail about my day, and it's great to get out my personal thoughts or talk about what I'm going through. It helps me sort it out and think things through. I also love to read back over old journal entries so I can see how I've changed or how God has brought me through things or grown me.
- Miss Emily, 15




As you've read young ladies use journals for many things, but especially to keep a record of their daily life and their daily spiritual growth. I think this is very important. It helps you to see yourself from an outside view, maybe as others see you. While you can write about everything that happened in a day, a journal is not the place to air out your dirty laundry or to "speak" badly about someone. The Bible says we are to take all thoughts captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and that applies to every area of our lives. Write your journal as if you we're telling a tale for everyone to hear, though I understand that there will be some personal things you'll want to keep to yourself. Write the precious memories, thoughts, and lessons you had during those years of girlhood.

There are many ways you can acquire a journal. You can buy them from your local convineint store, bookstore, or you can make your own. I've really been in the crafty mood lately so I did a little researching and found an easy way to make your own personalized journal. I found a simply video-tutorial off of photojojo.com, and I wanted to share how you do it in 8 easy steps.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Two Photographs (or decorated paper you like) printed at 4×6 or larger
50-75 sheets of wiriting paper (same size as your photos)
White glue (or Elmer’s Glue)
Scissors
A brush
Two clothespins
A small sheet of construction paper or craft paper (for the spine)
Wax paper
Two books (the same size and bigger that your photos/paper)
Something heavy (dictionary, stack of books, etc) to set ontop of your journal to dry

HOW TO:

Step 1: Get all your supplies together.
Step 2: Take your writing paper and line them all up evenly. Place one photo in the front (as the cover) and one in the back of the stack of writing paper.
Step 3: Make all the papers even and clip them together with one clothespin on each side.
Step 4: Place the stack in between the two (same size) books with the binding side (left side) on top,
Step 5: Apply a line of glue all the way down. Spread it around with your paint brush until even, and then repeat step again.
Step 6: Take out from between two books and place between waxpaper, and set under your heavy item. Leave until dry.
Step 7: Remove from waxpaper and take your craft paper and measure the length of your journal and cut a strip to go evenly on the binding. Glue on.
Step 8: Press the binding on until smooth and cut off any access paper. Set under heavy item and leave until dry.

Now, you have your own personalized journal. You're welcome to add anything on the front or inside the cover, decorate pages, and fill with your daily life, thoughts, battles, triumphs, and the things the Lord is teaching you!

I hope to encourage you all to make and start your own journal, and I'm giving one away. If you want to enter to win a journal made by me just read below!

Rules Of Participation

1) Share about your first journal and what significance in had for your life
2) Announce this giveaway on your blog (linked to GGM).
3) Please put the icon on your sidebar, linked to this article.

Giveaway Button Code. Select all, copy, paste into your site template.

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This giveaway will end at midnight, Friday, September 19th, and the winner will be announced the following Monday. Please make sure you follow all the rules to be entered! We don't want to have to exclude anyone due to lack of participation!