The Story Behind the Journal

I have always loved journals. There’s something special about opening a fresh one—the blank pages holding possibility, a quiet invitation to slow down and process. But for years, I struggled with dated journals. When I missed a day or a week, I felt like I was falling behind, as if I had failed. Life never fits neatly into lines or schedules, and I found that I needed a different kind of space—a space without guilt, where I could process when I needed it most.

There have been seasons in my life when a heavy emotion or toxic thought would begin to consume me. I’d get stuck, unable to move forward, and unable to hear God clearly. Growing up, I believed feelings were more of a liability than something to pay attention to. But over time, I began to notice them—to ask what they were revealing. As I paid attention, I sensed the Lord inviting me into a conversation about what I was carrying. It felt as though He was gently asking me the same question He asked Adam and Eve in the garden: “Where are you?”

This journal is shaped by my personal journey—a journey of growing into deeper intimacy with God. I always believed in Him, but for a long time, He seemed far away, high above, simply listening to my prayers. Then, during a season of deep suffering, Jesus became more than a distant God; He became a friend—a suffering Savior who sat with me in the pain. As I began to come out of that hard season, I woke up to the presence of the Spirit. Now, I’m learning to embrace a relational Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit—who loves me, delights in me, and speaks over me.

In that transformation, I discovered a rhythm: noticing and naming my thoughts and emotions, responding to the Lord, and learning to listen to His voice. I created this journal to share that process. It’s for the one who feels stuck in their thoughts or emotions, struggling to hear the Lord. It’s for the one who needs a space to process with God before they process with others. It’s for the one who wants freedom, healing, and a life deeply tethered to Jesus.

I also wanted a place to reflect and refocus rhythms—a space to recalibrate when life feels out of sync. And I longed for a place to record and recall gratitude, to see tangible evidence of God’s faithfulness over time. I loved the idea of having all of this in one place—an intentional space where I could process, reflect, and remember.

The prompts in this journal are simple—not too guided, but directed enough to keep you moving along a path. A path toward clarity. A path toward peace. A path toward wholeness with Jesus. This journal isn’t about getting rid of heavy emotions or intrusive thoughts but learning to metabolize them—to move through them with God’s help. It will equip you to:

• Move more quickly through the stuck places.
• Be present to what you are feeling.
• Communicate honestly in community.
• Go to Jesus first.

This requires slowing your pace—pausing to notice, reflect, and respond. And as you do, it will move you into proximity to Jesus.

At the heart of this journal is an invitation: to abide in Jesus. To notice where you are and allow Him to meet you there. To hear His voice and align your life with the one He died to give you—a life of truth, freedom, trust, healing, and abiding love. This requires intention. It requires slowing down and being okay in the silence. It requires expectancy without expectations—the kind that leaves room for God to move in ways you don’t anticipate.

The words of Paul in Ephesians 3:16-19 are central to this journey:

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

This journal is like a field guide—a gentle companion to guide you as you notice, listen, and respond to the Lord. Jesus asked, “Do you want to be well?” If you’re holding this journal in your hands, my hope is that you answer yes. That you will approach these pages expectantly, ready to meet with Jesus. Ready to lean in, to listen, to be still, and to allow Him to speak words of life over you.

The most transformative thing that can happen to any life is an encounter with Jesus—the One who loves us, heals us, and calls us into freedom. My prayer is that this journal helps create the space for that encounter. A space where you feel seen, known, and loved by the God who is always near.

Wherever you are, He is asking: “Where are you?”

May this journal help you answer that question—and may you hear Him speak into the depths of your heart, reminding you who you are and whose you are.