Journey with Journaling

I have always loved to write.

I was a teenager, in middle and high school, when I realized 1-I had a whole lot to say and 2- there is beauty and power within words. Creative writing was my thing! I was also into poetry. I have a box of old samples… letters to and from some of my best friends and even a few “love” poems lol. I must say…. it’s a little ironic (now that I teach grade ELA and Science) that I can only vividly recall one type of expressive writing during school… those daily journals in my 8th grade science class with Mrs. Pierce. I am pretty sure I exceeded the 8th grade writing test that year!

I teach 8th graders (a little more irony there) and sometimes, my students come to me having never read a book cover to cover. Or they have had bad experiences with reading, or they find it boring. I get a chance to share with them that I understand and have also been in their shoes. When I first began to read for pleasure in middle school, it was because my lovely and nerdy best friends were all reading. Shout out to 2TAP 😉 Back then, we read for the AR points and parties at the end of the year. Most of us were motivated by the immediate rewards we would receive. And it worked! (There.Is.a.Word here… but I’ll comment on this in a future post).

Somewhere between middle and high school, I realized great writers also loved to read. I became aware that the more you read, the better writer you become. I guess by reading, you are able to see styles of writing come alive– sometimes you mimic that style or at least temporarily try them out as you attempt to find your own. It was as if a new world had opened up as I began to read with a new goal in mind. I was able to push beyond my previous mindset on reading. I began to read because I wanted to know the unspoken rules of writing— my desire was to become a better writer.

I began to read because I wanted to know the unspoken rules of writing— my desire was to become a better writer.

-Tynisha H.

That was my younger years… and now, as I reflect on why I love writing and why I was so dedicated to becoming even better at it— I realize my journey with knowing and living the Word….learning about and living like Jesus Christ has taken a very similar path. Cool thing- go back and reread that previous section– replace the word writing with Christian and the word read with pray/practice and MAN!!!! God is good because THAT IS MY JOURNEY RIGHT NOW!

Journey with Journaling

What does this have to do with my journey? These days, I am intentionally seeking—searching for resources- books, sermons, communities that can help support and encourage my journey. And well, I think WOW, my younger self had NO IDEA that this love for writing would lead me to a BLOG. But this is so me, and so G-O-D and his plan! At the first of the year, I kept hearing the words “Write it down” and “Write the vision and make it plain” and on January 2, 2020, that’s what I did. Here is my very first journals of the decade.

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I previously shared the 30-Day Journaling Challenge because it was certainly a challenge for me (I didn’t finish in 30 days…more like 90). However, I was adamant about reading and writing down scriptures that stood out to me PLUS a one-page reflection after each day’s reading. Check out a few of my journals below, not because they are the best (by ANY means) but simply to show that you can literally begin anywhere with this journaling thing! I hope you are encouraged to read and journal your thoughts. It has helped me tremendously. I absolutely cherish my journals because I feel that these are the conversations that I have with God. When packing bags for any occasion, they get packed too! I try to not leave home without them! If my journals can’t go…. then I probably shouldn’t either lol. There was a time when I was unsure if I would start my next journal by writing in a notebook, or if I wanted to start digitizing my notes so that they would be a bit “safer”. In the end, I decided to keep my handwritten journals and continue to cherish them like I have with my middle school poems for all these years. I always have them to go back through and remember how good God has been and what He has carried me through. Flipping through those pages is the ultimate peace…It’s amazing! You should try it!

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Click to listen to a few of my journals (the reflection over the scriptures):

1. Journal #1- Ephesians 2:8 (written on April 25, 2020)
2. Journal #2- Psalm 34:4 (written on May 8, 2020)
3. Journal #3- Matthew 11:28 (written on May 28, 2020)

The 30 day-Journaling Challenge was just the start. So inspired by the word that hit me after every-single-day’s reading, I just KNEW I had to find other resources. WARNING…THERE IS SOOOOOO MUCH OUT THERE! The search for resources was beginning to get a bit overwhelming! The @mytruthandhonor instagram page began showing a few people with two and three week devotional books from @SheReadsTruth and I decided to check them out. I am currently gearing up for my first devotional study through the book of Ephesians. Before beginning the study, I was instructed to read the entire book of Ephesians in one sitting and in doing so, came across some of the verses previously read as a part of the 30-Day Journaling Challenge. Immediately flipping back to those pages in my journal, I reread the scriptures written on those days and the reflection. There was so much revelation there! In doing so, there was even more reason for me to cherish my journals. They are the cornerstone of my journey. These journals are the first of their kind….and I am hopeful knowing that there will be many more to come.

–Truly Honored,

Tynisha H.