Keep a Journal

Hello. My name is Anna and I am an addict. A journal addict.

I got my first diary when I was ten. I’ve sporadically journaled ever since. Sometimes I’d get busy and not do anything for a few years, then I’d pick it up again and fill notebooks with words.

I heard about this new form of journal-keeping called a ‘bullet journal’. You write short statements about what you need to do, what you’ve accomplished, how you feel about it. It’s short, concise, and uses few words. It does not work for me. Apparently, the thing that draws me to journaling is its verbosity. I need to spill words all over paper. Sometimes I need to share raw emotion, hurts, joys, pain, excitement, fears, goals, ambition. Other times I just record events for posterity. My memory is terrible. If I don’t write it down, I’m liable to forget it.

So, because there isn’t one perfect way to journal — just do whatever works for you; some people even make voice recordings or videos— I thought I’d show you some of my journals. The last few I’ve used have been unique and special.

When we first arrived in Africa, I was using a journal my best friend, Rachel, had gotten me in Russia. The next journal I used was a journal she made for me. It has one of my life verses on the front, which is appropriate, considering the journal is filled with events from our life in Africa.

I got the journal I’m using now in Egypt at Abd-Elzaher Bookshop and Binding. I like the Arabic word ‘life’ on the front since, when I’m journaling, I’m writing about just that: real life with all its ups and downs.

Abd-Elzaher’s a tiny store up a road that resembles an alley or a footpath. A car passed us on this road and we had to squeeze against the side with all the other pedestrians.

Inside the store, you can see a workshop where someone binds the books. They have a small reading room, and shelves and shelves of their hand-bound journals. I went journal crazy there and got three for myself. We walked past its nondescript door the first time. But, Oh! the wonder inside! It even smells wonderful — like paper and leather and ink. 

Since then, my friend Toni at Red Pen Travelers introduced me to the travel journal. She sells hand-made leather journals and inserts (bought separately) in a variety of sizes. I have the passport size in this journal: 

I’ve always thought Rosie the Riveter was cool. Muscular. A woman forced to take a man’s job in a time when men were off fighting a terrible war. I love this journal with Rosie on the front in my favorite color. I also have Toni’s Hearts for Africa notebook. (I believe my reason for loving this is self-explanatory. 😉 )

The best part about the Red Pen Traveler notebooks is that I can change out the journal insert and the cover will last for a long time. Even better — I can buy inserts for them in Africa.

My goal for journaling? Write at least once a week. 52 journal entries in 52 weeks. Sometimes I get more than that, and sometimes I struggle to keep up. Either way, my thoughts, feelings, opinions, worries, and so much more are written down so I can look back on them and remember all that God has done for us.

(I covered the second and third things on Madeleine L’Engle’s list here and here.)