The author says this about what journalling produces:
When journaling is done regularly, several things become possible.
The invisible and the ephemeral are forced into reality. Once feelings, fears, and dreams are named, they can be dealt with, prayed for, and surrendered to God. They come under control, no longer existing in a way that pollutes the soul and the mind.
Learning experiences are preserved. If I record and reflect on the experiences of each day, I add to my base of wisdom. Things usually forgotten or lost in the unconscious now, like books on a library shelf, wait to be tapped when parallel moments arise in the future. Now one has precedents to draw from.
Memories of God's great and gracious acts are preserved. "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it," God said to Moses after a great victory. As Israel wandered through the wilderness and experienced God's providential care, he had them build monuments so that they could remember. One day I realized that every day of journal writing was a memorial to God's sufficiency.
I can chart areas where I need most to grow and mature. As I look at journals of 30 years ago, I realize I have struggled with the same knot of issues throughout the years. The good news: the steps I took in the early days as I wrote of these issues turned into disciplines. And today, while issues remain, my "overcoming" rate is substantially higher. I wouldn't have spotted many of these issues if I'd not written about them day after day.
It brings dreams alive. As ideas have flooded my mind over the years, I have written about them. Putting them into words helped me to discern the foolish ideas and develop the good ones. Many things I've done in the last few years had origins I can find in earlier journals.
This makes journalling sound so... good all over again. I sure need development in the above areas. Now where's my old journal...?
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