Journaling to hear, heal and hold space

There are moments when the weight of the day feels like it’s pressing down on your chest, and your mind just won’t stop buzzing. Maybe you’re replaying a conversation or running through tomorrow’s to-do list for the hundredth time. In those moments, journaling can be a gentle refuge - a way to step out of the noise and into a space that’s just yours.

Journaling isn’t about writing the perfect words or capturing every detail. It’s not about documenting your life for someone else to read. It’s about letting the thoughts that keep looping in your head land somewhere safe. It’s about making room for what you’re really feeling, without the pressure to fix it all right now.

There’s solid research behind why putting pen to paper can be so grounding. Journaling helps you process your emotions instead of bottling them up, and it can also help you see patterns you might otherwise miss. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, journaling can help with managing anxiety and lowering stress partly because it lets you sort through worries and put them into perspective. It also creates space for God to speak His truth into your heart!

But beyond the research, journaling just feels different than thinking. When you write, you slow down. You can see put words to your feelings and thoughts. You can let Holy Spirit speak and remind you of the truth of God’s Word to counter the lies.

Different Ways to Journal

While many people imagine journaling as a handwritten exercise, there’s no single way to do it. What matters most is finding a form that feels natural and supportive:

·         Written journaling: Classic pen-to-paper. Can be freeform writing, bullet points, or even a few quick sentences.

·         Digital journaling: Typing into a document or note-taking app if that feels easier than writing by hand.

·         Voice journaling: Speaking your thoughts out loud and recording them as voice memos. This can feel especially freeing if you’re not sure what to say until you hear it.

·         Art journaling: Using doodles, color, and images alongside (or instead of) words to capture what you’re feeling.

Any of these can help you pause, reflect, and get a bit of distance from what’s swirling around in your mind. Some days, written words feel best. Other days, speaking out loud or drawing might be the release you need.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few prompts to guide you:

•        What’s weighing on me right now? Where am I feeling this in my body?

•        Something I’m looking forward to or hopeful about

•        What made you smile today? What does that reveal about how God feels about you?

•        How has God been inviting you to rest?

Journaling has been a wonderful way for me to express what’s swirling on the inside and bring it all to my Good Father. And when I’ve given it to Him - He’s proven Himself faithful to speak life and love into me in exchange.

Give it a try and let me know what you notice