Deployment Journal

I cannot stress enough how much I love to journal. I have been keeping a journal ever since I could write full sentences! Even now, I find that keeping a journal still provides me the perspective I need to think clearly.

Here are a few more ways that keeping a journal helps me:

-It helps clear my mind. When I write on paper, it really does suppress the whirlwind of my thoughts!

-A journal gives me a place to vent. I will not spew my dirty laundry on the internet, or even with a close friend, because my journal gives me that release without the reaction of others.

-It gives me a chance to pray over circumstances, thoughts, and feelings as I have written them. Since I am being candid in my little notebook, I realize that God wants a place like that in my life as well. This is a great time–once I’ve jotted, rambled, and expressed–for me to stop and pray over my concerns and thank Him for my many blessings. Writing gives me the perspective to see where my weaknesses are, where my strengths are, what my worries are, and things I need to leave at the feet of Jesus.

-It is about PERSPECTIVE! Going back to what I wrote above: Writing in my journal gives me perspective. It gives me a “step-back”, a moment to reflect, and a time to be most candid with God. This level of honesty is best communicated, for me, through writing.

The Deployment Journal:

During my husband’s deployment, I have been keeping a “Deployment Journal”. At first I started writing in it every day. As the days grew shorter (thankfully), and I became more busy, I only wrote once a week.

A deployment journal not only gives me a place to jot down highlights of our lives while my husband is away, it will also give him brief excerpts of our lives to read about when he returns. Those excerpts can be simple, or they can be as elaborate and detailed as your heart desires!

The beautiful thing about keeping a journal, is that there are no rules. You can make typos, grammatical errors and so on. God does not care about your writing skills, He cares about the heart behind them. Your husband will not care either, if you create a Deployment Journal like I have.

{Attached} is a cover sheet I created for my Deployment Journal (United States version). I will compile all of my journal entries and give him a nice copy when he comes home! This will be a nice way to play “catch-up” as well, because there are so many things left unsaid simply because of poor communication or lack of time.

I hope this encourages you to start a deployment journal when your husband deploys! Otherwise, I hope it at least encourages you to start a journal!

Happy writing!

Copyright © Rachel Criner, Moms of Faith®, All Rights Reserved

Download “My Deployment Journal” Cover Page