Do you suffer from Faith Journal phobia? I did. When it came to reading the Bible, I was okay—but when I thought about writing insights down on those Faith Journal pages, all sorts of questions came to my mind. How could I, a young person, ever come up with insights and applications from the Bible that would impress others? How would I decide what to write? How could I fit more than one or two insights into the space provided? What if I overlooked a crucial major topic when I filled in one of those little blue boxes?

While I did manage to fill out the first few pages of the journal, the rest remained empty for nine years. Like Goliath of old, the Faith Journal had become a giant in my life, challenging me as the days and years went by. Just as the nation of Israel cowered before the menace, so did I. Nevertheless, during recent years I have found five “smooth stones” that helped me overcome my phobia and finally finish my Journal of Faith.

1. The Stone of Truth

I began to realize the Faith Journal’s true purpose: Not to record insights on faith that would stand out to others, but those that applied to my life. I also learned that faith is a process; I don’t have to delay completing the Faith Journal until I “finally arrive.”

2. The Stone of Experience

Through various writing opportunities (minit books, newsletters, and the like) I began to gain from experience the ability to determine what content I desired and how to best summarize it.

3. The Stone of Diligence

My usual plotting and planning in this instance didn’t seem to work, and about the only consistent thing about the process for me was my desire to complete it. However, as the Lord guided and prepared me, I did take one step at a time (in spurts), doing whatever part I had the grace to do.

4. The Stone of Determination

I began to realize that if I was going to get this thing done, I was going to have to lay aside perfection and any grandiose plans I had—like redesigning the journal with computer graphics or putting it into a book format—and strive for excellence within a deadline. In the end, I sent in just the basics the journal asked for.

5. The Stone of Creativity

God showed me ways to deal with and conquer my apprehension at filling in those blanks and about mistakes. One thing that especially helped me was to try out my final drafts in a “pre” Faith Journal (an old copy). Once I’d taken that step, I made final adjustments and recopied it into the “real” Faith Journal.

Now, David hadn’t conquered Goliath simply with the stones he’d gathered, but by the name of the Lord and with the giant’s own sword. After all, the battle was the Lord’s, and this giant was big.

Similarly, conquering my reticence and completing the Faith Journal was a battle God wanted me to fight and win. What I hadn’t realized was that He also wanted the credit for the accomplishment. He showed me this when some of my biggest pushes and greatest gains of ground were accomplished at the most unlikely times. Things I couldn’t get to under normal circumstances, He called me to attempt under extremely adverse conditions. He showed me that in order to conquer this giant, I had to use its own sword, the sword of faith.

After all, that was the purpose of the journal—to build my faith and record the process of its growth. This is why my completed journal is a true treasure to me. Yours will be to you, too. It will be something you’ll be glad you did.

Then we both can say with the apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

—A Student from Florida

June 2002