Keeping a Written Account Can Help You and Others

I’ve written before about the importance of writing things down, specifically when it comes to taking notes during church or journaling during your quiet times. There are so many benefits both to us and to others when we have a written account of something that we have learned or heard. We merely have to look at the bible to see a prime example of that.

This is something I teach both in my college classes and at Glory House, the women’s restoration home where I volunteer. The importance of having a written account of your learning and of your walk with God are fundamental lessons in my classes.

Today, I’d like to look at three examples from accounts of David, Mary (Jesus’ mother), and John to help us further learn how a written account can help us.

A written account from David

David was the primary author of the majority of the Psalms. The Psalms contain a combination of cries to God in times of despair, praise to God in times of celebration and confessions to God of sin along with pleadings for forgiveness. There are a vast range of emotions recorded throughout the book of Psalms.

What was the importance of David (and other authors of the Psalms) recording such a vast range of emotions along with cries, praise and pleadings to God? I, personally, have benefitted from David’s writings because they help me to feel “not-so-crazy”. After all, David was called “a man after God’s heart”. If he was such a rollercoaster of emotions, then maybe I’m not so bad either with all of my own ups and downs! 🙂 I’ve learned from David’s writings that I can be real and vulnerable with God.

After having written down the events and the corresponding emotions and prayers that went with them, I also think David was able to look back over them and see how far he’d come and how much he had grown. I do this too when I look back at my own journals.

What might have been some of the other benefits of being able to look back on what he had written? How have others been able to benefit from his notes and writings? In what ways can we follow David’s example of writing things down? What benefits do you think we (and possibly even others) gain from taking notes and writing things down like David did? 

A written account from Mary, the mother of Jesus

In Luke 2:19 and 2:51, we are told that Mary, the mother of Jesus, treasured things and pondered them in her heart. What do you think this means and what might have been the importance of that?

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 (NIV)

“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Luke 2:51 (NIV)

Mary held onto a promise from God for 30 years that her child would be the Messiah (Luke 1:31-33). That’s a long time to wait patiently for a promise to be fulfilled. So how did she do it? By keeping an account. We don’t know if it was just a treasured memory that she made a point to remember or if she actually wrote it down diary-style. Either way, it was passed on to Luke who recorded it for us to read even thousands of years later.

Mary teaches us all a way of making it easier to wait on the Lord. We should hold onto His promises. One way of doing this is by keeping a written account–a reminder to look upon for encouragement as we wait. What promises has God given us to hold onto as we wait? 

Another perspective from Mary

About 7 or 8 years ago I read a post by Sandra Joseph with another perspective of Mary’s account. In her post Sandra states,

“Treasured moments to ponder and remember.  I believe that Mary had to draw upon this treasured memory as well as the other time scripture tells us that she treasured a moment (see Luke 2: 41- 51).  God knew that one day Mary would be standing at the foot of the cross.  This cross would be the tool by which her firstborn son would die, and she would be in such turmoil wondering what God was doing – had she misunderstood His promise?  She was to be the mother of a King, held up above all women – her son was to rule forever and His kingdom was to never end. 

None of what has happening would have made any sense.  I believe that she had to remember her treasured moments to remind her of how God had worked in the past – how He had spoke, how He had lead, how faithful He had been in her life.  She had found His promises to be true in the past–could she trust God even with this? 

Of course, we know how the events unfolded – how her son came back from death to provide for us an eternal relationship with God.  He was the blameless sacrifice, the way to a relationship with our Heavenly Father.  But at that moment, as she stood at the foot of the cross, she could not see how this could end for good. All she knew was how God had worked in the past in her treasured memories she had tucked away, and she could try to trust that God would work out His plan once again.”^[1]

How might a promise help us endure? What are some ways that we can follow Mary’s example? How might taking notes or keeping a written account help us to do that? What are some of our own things that we might want to treasure and ponder in our hearts?

A written account from John

The apostle John was given the significant task of writing the book of Revelation. He received a vision from Jesus which he recorded for the benefit of the seven churches in Asia and for all believers since, including us.

“It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”” Revelation 1:10-11 (NLT)

“Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.” Revelation 1:19 (NLT)

In these verses, Jesus was speaking to John telling him to write everything down that he was witnessing (what he saw and heard). In relation to taking notes, what was the importance of John recording the Revelation? Why was it so important that he write it down?

I think this was so that the churches and other followers of Christ throughout history would have a written account of things to come, but most importantly of the “end of the story”. I love how the intro to the book of Revelation in my bible describes this book…

“Whereas the first book of the Bible—Genesis–tells of the beginning of sin and Satan’s triumph, the last book of the Bible–the Revelation—tells of sin’s end and Satan’s defeat.”^[2]

This written account gives us hope because we know how the story ends. We know our enemy WILL be defeated. We know we will spend eternity with God. Where many written accounts give us history from which to learn, this written account foretells of things to come.

Take Some Practical Steps to Make Your Own Written Account:

• First, keep a notebook/journal in which to take notes during church, your quiet times, and your study times.

• Always, highlight important verses and make notes in your bible.

When you read look for the idea or the message of the verse(s). Look for verses that stand out to you or mean something to you. Many times the Holy Spirit within you will “speak” to you through verses that you read. Sometimes a particular verse will just stay with you for some reason.

• Then, write down what God tells you or talks to you about.

• Follow David’s example—

Journal your walk with God…your triumphs, your trials, your emotions, all of it. Look back at it from time to time to see how far you’ve come. This can also serve to give yourself (or others) some encouragement too.

• Follow Mary’s example—

Treasure things up in your heart and write them down. What a treasure this will be for generations to come as they read it and remember all you are passing down. This may also help you as you wait on the Lord for a promise to come to fruition or as you endure difficult times.

• Follow John’s example–

We can follow John’s example by writing down things that God shows us…even if it might seem a little crazy at the time! We never know what hope it might offer to us or to others in the future.

• Start a “Warm Fuzzies Folder” that can serve as a written account of others to you.

Psalm 105:5 tells us to “remember” the wonders God has done. Psalm 103:2 tells us to bless the Lord and “forget not” all his benefits.  God wants us to remember the good things.  If we are being told to “remember” and “forget not”, then apparently it is possible to forget.  I think that’s why a Warm Fuzzies Folder can be so beneficial because it can serve a tangible reminder of good things that others have said and done for us.  We should keep these things as a reminder so that we won’t forget.  Then we should refer back to them in times when we need reminding of happy moments. They remind us that we DO matter and that we DO make a difference.

• Start/Keep a written account of things for positive reflection. These can be victories, ways God has come through for you or has been faithful, answered prayers, etc.

When I teach at Glory House I do an activity like this.  I can’t take credit for the idea though!  This tip from one of our pastors at church years ago.  I was taught to write down 3 things that God has brought me through, brought me to or delivered me from.  I was then told to keep this list handy and reflect on it or refer back to it when I’m going through a rough time when things seem hopeless or bleak. It’s just a good way to remember what God has done.  It helps us to think positively and gives us the mindset “He did it before.  He’ll do it again.” or “He helped me with that.  He’ll help me with this too.”

• Go watch/listen to Terri Savelle Foy’s Podcast: “Journaling Your Time with the Holy Spirit” (this is Part 1 of 4 parts–less than 10 minutes each. Feel free to watch each part).

How has keeping a written account helped you? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

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If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward!  Share this post via the sharing links below.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

1. Joseph, Sandra. “Treasured Moments of Mary, Jesus’ Mother.” Recognize and Remember, 14 Dec. 2007, sandrajo.wordpress.com/2007/12/14/treasured-moments-of-mary-jesus-mother/. ↑
2. The Rainbow Study Bible. Rainbow Studies Inc., 1981. ↑