Seven years ago I received a Smashbook for a birthday present. I had never seen one before. It was a combination journal and scrapbook, two of my favorite things. It was given to me at the beginning of a really difficult period in my life. I had been fired, we had to sell our first home, we were still in the wilderness on our adoption journey, and I felt lost.

The thing I loved about the Smashbook is that it came with a pen. One side was like a fine point Sharpie and the other side was a glue stick. It was everything you needed to capture your thoughts in one place. I carried it around with me everywhere I went which was not very many places because I didn’t have anywhere to go for awhile. It was like a security blanket for my soul.

I have always loved writing and journaling has been a wonderful way for me to get all the junk out of my heart and mind. It opens up those spaces to healthier ways of believing and thinking. Much like my to do list organizes my life, my journal organizes my heart.

I have read through a few of my journals from high school and college. Boy was I boy crazy! I also have a couple of journals from my mom. One was before she had cancer and the other was during her cancer journey. They do not say a lot. They are mostly prayers for her husband and her kids, but they show what was important to her and the wishes she had for us all.

I have loved this 40 day journey. I love that writing has become more consistent in my life. It has helped me remember where I have been, how far I’ve come and where I would like to go. It has reminded me that God is so much bigger than I could ever imagine and that His way is better than my own. Four more days to go!