Have you ever had a moment that you knew was just a “God-moment?” You know, one of those times when you look at what just happened and thought, “God was just all over this.” You could see His hand of blessing, His guidance telling you specifically which way to go, or a mountain moved that you honestly thought was just an impossibility. Over the past few weeks, I’ve experienced several of these moments. Some of the incidents were “big deals”—-points of direction and provision that I NEVER saw coming. In fact, they were just unexpected blessings that they left me almost speechless unable to express my gratitude. (And that trust me, it takes a lot for me to be speechless). Other moments wouldn’t seem like a big deal to anyone else. They were more personal experiences. Times when only God knew I was struggling internally asking, “Is it okay if I do this?” and God stepped in with concrete proof that it was not only alright, but God’s hand of blessing and approval were actually there providing a feeling of peace and safety. The one thing that all of these events had in common is that they were unforgettable—-not in that it wasn’t possible for me to one day forget them, but rather I knew that I WANTED to remember them forever. To make sure this happened, I decided to set aside time and pull out my journals to record all that God had done. Now if you’ve read Finding Healing or heard me teach about overcoming your issues of the past, you know that I am a HUGE proponent of the spiritual discipline of journalling. Over the years, it has proved to be an invaluable resource to me as I’ve put pen to paper to pour out my heart, vent my feelings, and confess to God every single thing I’m feeling (the good, the bad, the ugly, and the I-can’t-believe-she-said-that). I’ve often said that journalling is like removing toxins from your body. It helps you GET IT OUT so it doesn’t keep hurting you. Honestly, I cannot tell you how many journals I have filled with genuine feelings that I needed to release from my heart and mind so that I could be honest with myself, be honest with God, and repent of my feelings, move on and go forward in health. However, lately, I’ve been looking at journalling from a different angle and exploring new ways of using this tool. Rather than journalling only when my heart is breaking or I’m going through a trial, I’ve been using my journal to record the good things that God is doing.
As the psalmist encourages in Psalm 103:1-2, I’m writing down His blessings so that I’ll never forget.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
Like the children of Israel built a monument out of the stones from the Red Sea to remember what God had done for them, I’m purposely taking time to write down the special ways that God is blessing me and moving mountains in our lives. (Joshua 4) Now if you look in my journals, you’ll see more than just stories of brokenness. (Although I can assure you, if I go through a hard time, they will be there, too). However, along side of those entries, you’ll also read stories of God moments. Mingled together they form the testimonies of all of God’s work in our lives. These are the times we never, ever, ever want to forget.
Once again I’ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your acts. (Psalm 77:11-12)
