ELLIBETH'S STORY
ANNABELLE'S STORY
ANNABELLE'S STORY
"My journal helps me to express my emotions by writing them. Sometimes you don’t like to hear yourself talk, and that’s what this journal does; it's like your friend that you trust the most."
ANNABELLE'S STORY
ANNABELLE'S STORY
ANNABELLE'S STORY
"I have gotten to journal about my struggles and then look back at those struggles and see where God has answered prayers and turned them into praises!"
JAIDE'S STORY
ANNABELLE'S STORY
JAIDE'S STORY
"Journaling helps me think more about my life and myself and how I should change my thought processes."
AIDEN'S STORY
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
JAIDE'S STORY
"It helps me express myself better than words when thinking about whatever is on my mind or just me using it for my creative spark."
ANDREW'S STORY
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
"The journal has been super helpful because it feels like it's always there for me."
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
"I like the journal because I can
write whatever I need to and I love that I can write whatever I can and help me with hard time."
KENNETH'S STORY
KENNETH'S STORY
KENNETH'S STORY
"I like the journal because I can
write whatever I need to ... it helps me with hard times."
AJA'S STORY
KENNETH'S STORY
KENNETH'S STORY
"I wouldn’t say I have a schedule of how I use my journal; I mainly just write in it when I feel I should."
ELLIBETH'S STORY
My name is Ellibeth Lugo Gonzalez. In my life, I was going through some hard times, and I had a lot of feelings that I didn’t know how to get out, but when I got into 8th grade, my teacher, Dr. Webb, gave me a journal. At first, I didn't know what to write, but then he told me that I could use it as a tool to help me through my tough time. My journal helps me to express my emotions by writing them. Sometimes you don’t like to hear yourself talk, and that’s what this journal does; it's like your friend that you trust the most.
When I first had my journal, all I did was write about some exciting stuff that happened in school or at home. Then, my family and I had to go through the toughest thing. My uncle passed away in November; my family couldn't believe that this had happened, but this must have been God's plan for my uncle. For some things, we don’t know why things happen to us or why we’re not prepared for things, but one thing I wrote in my journal is to never lose faith in God, no matter what.
On the day after his funeral, I had to write this all in my journal; every sound, thought, and feeling—it was all too much in my head. I really didn’t want to say anything at that moment, but writing made me feel so much better. You’re using words but not speaking them out loud; it makes you feel good because when you hold your pain in for so long, writing them down makes you feel better than saying them out loud. At any moment my uncle would come to my mind, and I would always cry. Every time I would feel like this, I would grab my journal and start writing.
Other times when I was in class, I was listening to some Christian music that I really loved. I can really feel deep down in me that my soul was all over the place. That’s why I sometimes use my journal to put what I’m grateful for and to give thanks for what God has done in my life or even some prayers before class starts. At times I felt that I didn’t want to hear my prayers. I like to pray when I’m alone so that I can hear God speak to me, but when I’m around people, I use my journal to write it down, and sometimes I would even add some drawings in there.
I really owe it all to my teacher, Dr. Webb, because without him, I would have never known how journaling can help me with my tough times that we all have every day. This book is a blessing to me and, most of all, my mom. When I told her about how journaling can help you through your bad times, she got a book of her own that said, “Letters to my brother in Heaven,” and now she uses this journal every day.
When Dr. Webb told me about the journal revolution. It was a great opportunity for me to share my story with other people. Journaling has really changed my life and has made me feel good about myself. I just want to say that God will never leave you alone. Thank you, Dr. Webb, and thank you, Jesus.
ANNABELLE'S STORY
Hi, my name is Annabelle Kirk! I met Dr. Webb at a tour of a high school where I was volunteering and he was bringing his students! We started talking and I told him I was a Christian and he said the same! We started talking about God and journaling which was crazy because I had been praying about starting journaling, I just never knew where to start! It was in God’s perfect timing that I got to meet Dr. Webb and he helped me start my journaling process! Sometimes journaling can be difficult to do and I really do understand that! I have grown my Faith and learned to trust in God more by journaling and writing about how God has worked in my life! I have gotten to journal about my struggles and then look back at those struggles and see where God has answered prayers and turned them into praises! God works in many ways! I am a firm believer in knowing that God will provide and keep His promises! Journaling can help you in many different ways, you can journal about prayers, praises, people you have talked to God about, your day, and so many other things! I think that Dr. Webb’s “Journal Revolution” will help reach students and peers of many ages to grow in their journaling journey!
JAIDE'S STORY
As a teen it’s hard to sometimes express yourself or how you truly feel. Using my journal helps me express my inner most feelings and thoughts on my day or my life in general. Journaling helps me think more about my life and myself and how I should change my thought processes. It’s my way of focusing myself and prioritizing my strengths and weaknesses. I love my journal.
AIDEN'S STORY
I use my journal to illustrate my thoughts in drawings. It helps me express myself better than words when thinking about whatever is on my mind or just me using it for my creative spark. The journal can be used for anything, and I love how I can be myself in the journal.
ANDREW'S STORY
The journal Dr. Webb gave me has been super helpful because it feels like it's always there for me. Even though it doesn't give me answers for my struggles, it's good to just write your problems down. It's also good for writing down story ideas. I've used this journal for countless things, and it really has been helpful for me and my friends.
MAKAYLEN'S STORY
I use my journal to get things off of my mind. It helps me because when I am thinking of something I can write about how I can fix it . I like to write about a lot of things that happen in my life, it helps me with getting things off of my mind and helps me with things in school. When I am having a bad day or something, I will write about it and it helps me get through the day. Because I write some good things, that will help motivate myself to get through the hard things. I like journaling because I can write whatever I need to and I love that I can write whatever I can to help me with hard times.
For example, when I am having a bad day at school, I will write about it. I will put down how I can fix it and I will look back at it when I am having another bad day or when something happens in my life. This will help me remember I am strong .
Kenneth's story
WHEN I WAS 10 TO 12 YEARS OLD
I was just getting to know the world and how things go. Especially in middle school, I was sinful. I would curse A LOT. I would lie A LOT. I really didn’t know God like I do now. The way how I really got to know God is from Youtube. One night I was chilling in my bed and went across a video of a guy explaining how Christ is going to return and bring the ones who got saved by Him to heaven. I was really scared because I didn’t want to get left behind, so I asked God for him to show Himself to me. It didn’t happen immediately, but I had a dream at the point where anybody could die; I went outside and a lightning bolt was about to hit me. I braced myself getting ready for me to die, then Jesus intercepted the hit and told me I got you, KJ. From that play forward; I grew further to Christ and got baptized! A couple days later, I was in an argument with a teacher, then Dr. Webb stepped in and helped me calm down. He kind of knew me but he knew I represented Christ, so he gave me the journal for me to express my anger or for me to talk to God.
AJA'S STORY
I wouldn’t say I have a schedule of how I use my journal; I mainly just write in it when I feel I should. I also don't just use it when I fall down. I write about anything in it. As a person who doesn’t like to talk about things, writing makes things better. I also don't really communicate well until I am ready to communicate, and I snap. So being able to write it calms me down plus I can write what I want to say in there and change it if needed. Writing is a way to express myself and yourself. You can share the journal or keep it to yourself. I like to do so much with my journal i make poems and add drawing to them if I want. I just write and maybe make a song. It probably isn’t good, but you know it is whatever.
“Keep a notebook. Travel with it, eat with it, sleep with it. Slap into it every stray thought that flutters up into your brain. Cheap paper is less perishable than gray matter. And lead pencil markings endure longer than memory.” —Jack London