When I was in high school, I was introduced to the concept of journaling by my youth group leader. I was amazed by the stacks of journals that she had kept throughout the years. Immediately I thought, "Wow, that's dedication, how could someone keep up with that?" But then she began to explain in her own words why it's been something that she was so passionate about. She told us that it was a way to log where she was in life at that moment. That way when she looks back at her journals, she could see how she's grown as a person and how God has been working in her life. Writing down prayers can sometimes show that they have indeed been answered over time, and maybe not even in the way you expected!

She also said that your journal can be anything you want it to be. For example, if there's ever a day where you are unsure what to write about, just write out the first words that come to your mind and then from there you could be inspired by a new idea. Journaling is also a way to see the constants in your life even if the circumstances of your life change. Journaling itself can be the constant. From here I was inspired to start journaling too. It might seem like a difficult task to take on, with the millions of things we have going on in this world. Here are a couple of things for those who are thinking about starting journaling:

Don't beat yourself up if you don't write in your journal every day!

Life can be oh so busy. If journaling feels like a chore, the fun of it wouldn't be there. As long as you're feeling convicted to write something down, go for it! Eventually, you'll pick up the habit of adding more to it!

It can be a great de-stressor!

Sometimes when life gets too heavy, journaling is something that can be used to bring you full circle. It's its own kind of therapy!

It's a place to be your most authentic self.

It's a no judgement zone! Go all out! The craziest ideas are sometimes the best ones.

No matter what your journal looks like, whether it's full of pictures, has a cute cover, or is just a notebook; whether it's full of writing prompts or paragraphs on paragraphs, it's a representation of you and who you are as a person which can only be a beautiful thing.