57. Journals and Jesus

 

So confession time. I started sharing my journals and journal making endeavors here on this page and I froze. Ugh.....Not a very proud moment.

Here’s the deal:

I know that the Lord has given me a ministry. It does not look like anyone else’s yet it still has the same goal: lead people to Jesus. He put a passion and a drive in my heart and is now wanting me to use it to carry out a mission for His Kingdom. But what happened? I took that step. I started my Etsy page and started sharing information and images about the journals I make. The phrase “Journals and Jesus” stuck and I attached it to each post I shared along the way. And then I heard the first lie: “you are trying to sell Jesus.“ and I entertained that thought for a moment too long. Friends, when the Bible says to take each thought captive....it means EVERY thought.

From there I pulled back and let things fade on my end. Reasons how I may have misheard, why I was being selfish, why I don’t have time, etc. It was so easy for me to begin to see that having an Etsy shop and selling online would look like I was trying to sell Jesus and because I knew that was NOT what I wanted to convey, I contemplated deleting my page and going a different direction (I have no idea what that direction was but for a moment, I thought it might be the right decision) But that is NOT my heart. And when it comes down to it, I know that. We must stand and ACT in our authority when the enemy comes at us with lies. And there are times that can be very very challenging (Especially if you have walked in self doubt your whole life!)

Journaling has literally changed my relationship with the Lord. As I was reading through a study I’ve been doing, I came across a chapter on journaling. YES a chapter focused on journaling. This is what the author said, “I’m fiercely committed to maintaining a spiritual journal, and it’s for one all-encompassing reason: Those who retain what God gives them will be given more. Jesus said it this way, “For whoever has, to him more will be given” (Mark 4:25) ...the author continued, “I keep a journal for one simple reason: I am desperate for more! And I know more won’t be given to me unless I have properly managed what He has already given me. The only way I can keep returning to the things He’s given me in the past is by writing them down in a journal in such a way that I can refer back to them in the future.”

Chances are, the Lord has been speaking to you (and me) more times than we realize. It can be easy to miss if we are not trained to listen. And if we are not training ourselves to listen, we will not be able to recognize when He does speak into our lives. I cannot agree with the author more. If I don’t write down what the Lord speaks to me, I will not likely remember it. And there have been times, I have gone back to reread journal entries from years ago that the Lord brings new revelation in my current season of life! It doesn’t matter what you write (or draw) about....Invite Him into it; the Lord wants to be in every single piece of your life. And if you are giving Him a chance to speak into that, He will reveal himself to you and bring you new revelation along the way.

I would appreciate prayers, my beautiful friends as I continue my way along this journey.