Do You Journal?
I journal off and on, and do it, mostly, to release stress and anxiety. How about you?
Journaling is an excellent way to release emotions and show gratitude for all you have in your life.
As I picked up my journal the other day, I took a moment to read entries since May of 2023. I saw the wails of my heart. Growing pains in giving the Lord my full heart. I read the sorrow, whining of unfairness, my desperation for a life of peace and security. I witnessed my despair, and cries for help.
Psalm 34:18
‘Lord Jesus saves the broken hearted and crushed spirit.’
After I reviewed the entries, I considered my words through the eyes of the Lord. It gave me a different perspective. It showed my lack of faith, resistance to give my all to Him, and not seeking Him first.
It reminded of an event, years ago, when I was canoeing down the Elbow River—my first time on a river. I recall being apprehensive but was assured from my boyfriend it was safe.
I believed him.
It was a beautiful calm day as we canoed down the river. I embraced the open wilderness and scent of evergreens. Then instantly my joy was broken. We got caught in a swift current that took us off course towards a protruding tree branch from the riverbank. We struck the branch. The canoe flipped over, I fell under and into the river. I kept my eyes shut at first. When I opened them, I saw the glimmering light of the sun through the rapid ripples of water and swam towards it.
What I didn’t know—I was hanging on the side of the canoe while under water. My boyfriend forcibly pried my fingers loose.
This scenario is how I view my emotional state from the journal—fighting the current and refusing to let go. I chose to remain stuck in my misery, blocking the Lord’s will to work through me.
Now, I see His light. His comfort. His grace.
Not only did Jesus save me from new age indoctrination, but He also showed me the blindness in choosing a pattern of trapped despair.
I wallowed in it. Made excuses. Instead of giving the battle to Jesus, I chose to remain in the dark pit of despair, believing there was no hope for me.
Jesus showed me there is nothing too big for Him to overcome. In your tears, He is waiting to wipe them away.
I learned this with clarity when I wrote a letter to my spouse with words I ached to voice for years. I wrote from the heart, his verbal abuse, and our dire financial situation.
I left the letter on the dining room table before I left to work for him to read. I prayed for Jesus to be with him to soften his possible anger and replace it with understanding, and He did. My spouse reacted with kindness.
This letter was different from numerous letters I’d written to the universe when I was a new ager, pleading for divine guidance. I’d no desire to read it over and over to ensure it was perfect and grammatically correct. I knew in my heart I didn’t need to. Everything I needed to say was written.
After I wrote it, the heavy burden I’d been carrying lifted. I felt renewed, cleansed from the inside out. I’m filled with gratitude for peace in my heart, my spouse’s understanding, blessed from the Lord’s grace. Later that day, my son commented on the cheeriness in my tone.
I learned, Jesus is there for the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit.
I learned He is there when you resist His grace. He is in the sunrise waiting with a loving hand to save you.
I learned to give Him the battle, as there is no obstacle too big for Him.
I learned to trust Him, as He knows your heart, and how you can serve him in spreading His message.
Mostly, I’ve learned to seek His face in everything, as His grace blesses you with His peace and calms the storm.
He is the morning light, the calm waters, gentle breeze, and He loves you.
Nothing separates you from His love. He is your Shepherd. Prepared to lead you on the path He has planned for you, without fear, hesitation, or doubt, as He’ll show you repeatedly His intentions for you to grow and love Him more and more.
His promise is unbreakable, like the rainbow, He reveals Himself when you ask for His help.
God knows the ‘why’ of your journey. He knows what you need and wants the best for you. I admit, it can seem like your pole jumping over Mount Everest, but when you push through the storm, give the battle to Jesus, He’ll take your hand, guide you out of the darkness into His light, and bless you with His peace.
Hi, I’m Cathy.
A blogger, photographer, author, passionately driven to pointing people away from new age indoctrination to find redemption in Jesus Christ.
I’m a mixed blend, excited to share all I offer...
BLOG - TWISTED ROOTS
Do you find yourself asking questions about new age, whether the practices and beliefs are leading your soul to redemption?
As a reformed new ager, I was saturated in the belief I could co-create with the universe and manifest a life of abundance. But I was deceived. This blog is to point you to the truth of God’s words and how He perceives the new age indoctrination.
Fine Art Photography
I always dreamed of being a professional photographer when I grew up. It was a journey to reach this goal, but I did it!
I owned a home-based studio for over a decade but have been shooting images for two decades. Now, semi-retired, I have a collection of my most cherished images of landscape or nature available for wall décor.
