Growing up a journal was known as a diary. If you had one, a lock was a good idea. I had one off and on, but never quite felt compelled to spill my heart on the pages. I liked to write down smaller stuff, like who I had a crush on. Those days have passed and would seem repetitive since I have had a crush on the same boy for over 20 years. Now I have so many journals with pages filled with words. I actually got a bit worried that I would not be able to get another journal if stores closed. Where would all my words go? Only a few get shared on this space and the art of physically writing is something I very much enjoy. An incredibly small problem I know in light of all that is going on right now.

Some of my journal pages have tears that have dried, as I have written and worked out much. Other pages have so many praises that it was hard to write fast enough! There are verses and questions, quotes and lyrics recorded in ink. I do not worry about anyone reading them, but I do hope they would not read just one day. To understand the story, you would have to start at the beginning. To start at today would give the impression of a girl who has always had the Lord as her first love. I would suggest you go much further back and read day after day of the dying to other loves. It has been quite the journey and one that I already know the ending too. If I were a book, that might really spoil the in between; but as a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, it makes the daily living full of hope.  

Sometimes I think Christians have quite an advantage in these times. If we have read the Bible and let truth set us free, we have such peace right now. It is possible that we might still get sick, but it does not cause us to fear most of the time. I do confess I woke up at 2:00am and panicked my way through the thought of getting this sickness. However, in the light of day and being of sound mind once again, I go back to using discernment, we pray for protection and then we keep living. We see so much good and look for ways to help fight the bad. We stay home as much as we can and take the days a bit slower. More things that have been put off are getting done and new things are being tested out. Games are played, movies watched, a sewing machine buzzes and video meetings with teachers and classmates are taking place. Sometimes things get forgotten and that is ok too. Fear might be raging outside, but in our home it is not welcome. For fear is a liar, as the truthful song goes.

We must be mindful during this time, for people are watching Christians. If our foundations have been faulty or only given attention on Sundays, we will not stand. If our worship is a box to be checked when we have sung a few songs, we will be weak at best. And now we have been given time behind closed doors to do some heart work. There is no time like the present and excuses have been canceled. Can I suggest you get some pen and a diary or journal, whatever you want to call it, and pour your story out. You might think it will be too painful, but then again you might be surprised. What I have found is there is a lot of beauty among the ashes. And sometimes what you thought was true, turns out to be a lie you have believed your entire life. The enemy specializes in just enough truth to hide his most powerful lies in. Tell you what, write it all out and then offer it to the Lord. Let Him do the editing and see how your life reads. If satan whispers that this page cannot be forgiven, remind him of the cross, the blood of Jesus and the empty tomb. Your pages just might read a lot different when our doors open again.

I am praying that these will be days of revival. I am asking the Lord that hearts will be refined and much gold is revealed. I am asking the Lord that families will be made strong and that distractions will never be allowed again. I am asking that the Word of God will be read, planted deep and set as truth over all. I am asking that we will never again give our worship to that which is created, but only to the Creator. I am asking that unity is desired and lived out. I am asking that personal agendas be thrown into the fire, for now is not the time. And most of all I am asking our God to show His power, mercy, grace and fame. Yes, these will be days to write about in our journals. I just know it!

*Picture is of my most favorite journal by Dayspring.