My great aunt who passed about five years ago was a poet. I remember seeing her selling her chapbooks at the church when I was a child. She was a major influence for me as a writer. When she passed, I remembered those books and reached out to her children asking about her books, and for some reason, they either didn’t know about them or had no clue where they were. I was devastated. As a black people here in America, we have experienced time and time again the erasure of our past, our identity, our culture, our accomplishments, and more. Even now things are disappearing, websites, books, etc. I may not need to know it all, but there are things that I definitely need to know but can’t seem to find it.
I hosted this Legacy Journal workshop a few weeks ago and stressed the importance of documenting things. One of the major reasons for documenting is so that we will never forget. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Joshua 4:6-7, the stones of remembrance. It was a reminder of the Greatness of God in their lives. Documenting also keeps a track record, allowing you to go back and get encouraged by triumphs and wins through adversity and challenging times. Documenting shows us how to be resourceful, giving us information that we can pass on to generations.
One of my favorite ways people document is through recipes! Passing down your great great grandmother’s biscuit recipe not only tells about the biscuit per se but the stories shared as they prepare them. But it is hard to remember those stories if you are not documenting them.
Easy Journaling
Many people think they have to spend 30 minutes writing daily and that overwhelms them. One of my favorite ways to document are tracker lists. During the month of January, I tracked 6 things, Daily Bible Readings, Workout, People/Community, Creative Habit, Highlights Reel, and Gratitude. It ranged from 1-10 words. The biggest thing is just to start the habit and allow it to grow organically.
One of my other favorite ways to journal quickly is my 3-2-1 method. I would do this method for icebreakers, exit tickets for students, and reflection. Essentially, it is 3 things… 2 things… 1 thing… and that is it. Here are some examples
Teaching-Exit Ticket
3- 3 Things you can compare the sunlight to. (This would be for my English class studying metaphors)
2- 2 Sounds you hear in the classroom. (Sensory language)
1- 1 Question you still have about poetic devices
Icebreaker- Staff Meeting
3- 3 Things your department does
2- 2 Departments you want to collaborate with
1- 1 Skill you can offer the company
Journal Prompts
3- 3 Goals you are working on
2- 2 Small wins you need to celebrate right now
1- 1 Thing you need to remind yourself of
Easy right? Well maybe you just have no idea what to write about! Journaling prompts are everywhere. Pinterest is a great place to find them. I am always adding journaling prompts and challenges to my posts so you can follow here. Guided journals are available for purchase online and bookstores. The Bible is a great way to journal too! Maybe the hardest part is to just carve out some time and DO IT! What are some of your struggles with starting a habit?
Processing Thoughts, Emotions, and God-thoughts
SOOO many thoughts and emotions and GOD is speaking ALL THE TIME! Why not write it in a book, or draw a picture, or create a dance. I would record it somehow whether by video, audio, or writing. Capture those thoughts and feelings in a way where you can go back and re-read or watch. What is God saying to you? I don’t know about you, but I am a bit forgetful and if I don’t write it down, I struggle to retain it.
During my Legacy Journal workshop, I asked the people do they go back and re-read their entries. One participant said, she just found her 2015 journal and had to laugh because in it talked about being on a farm, and they had recently moved to their new farmhouse 5 months ago. That was a God-thought! God placed it on her heart and He fulfilled it! Talk about memorial stones.
What will your memorial stones be? Will it be photos? Will it be your prayer journal? Will it be a family newsletter? Will it do something with sewing?
For my January spreads, one of the things I wanted to focus on was a prayer asking God to replace my part-time income that I had recently lost due to the company shutting down “effective immediately”. It was probably day 23 when I went back to read my prayer and my jaw dropped, God had answered my prayer. I made note of it in my journal. Then a week later, I lost some other income (multiple streams of income is a great thing) and I remembered that God just answered that prayer and so I wasn’t stressed, I said, “If He did it before, He can do it again!’ And guess what God did? He did it again, a new stream of income hit my bank account, and I had to do a happy dance at work. But how does this documenting personal life help future generations? I mean memoirs are HUGE!
Documenting Your Personal Life
Documenting your personal life, especially your faith journey, prayers, and creative expressions serves as a legacy of wisdom, encouragement, and testimony for future generations. Here’s how:
1. A Faith Legacy
Just like the Bible records the faith journeys of people like David, Paul, and Hannah, our journals can be testimonies of God’s faithfulness. Imagine your children, grandchildren, or even strangers stumbling upon your writings and seeing how God moved in your life—it could inspire them in their own faith. Think of how reading about past revivals or your ancestors’ faith strengthens your own walk with God. Your documented experiences could do the same for someone in the future.
2. Real-Life Lessons & Encouragement
Future generations can learn from your struggles, victories, and personal revelations. They won’t just hear abstract Christian teachings but see how someone lived it out in real life. If you journal about overcoming fear through scripture and prayer, someone facing the same fear years later might read it and feel strengthened.
3. A Creative & Cultural Record
Your journaling—whether through words, drawings, prayers, or ideas—captures a moment in time. It reflects:
How you experienced God in your era.
The struggles and victories of being a creative believer in today’s world.
Unique artistic expressions, insights, and wisdom that may otherwise be lost.
4. A Reminder That They’re Not Alone
Your documented journey can remind future creatives and believers that they are not alone in their struggles or callings. When they see someone else wrestled with self-doubt, prayed through hardships, or documented moments of joy, they’ll know their journey is part of a bigger story.
5. A Call to Steward Their Own Gifts
Seeing how you faithfully recorded your thoughts, ideas, and creative work inspires others to do the same. It encourages them to document their own walk with God, their creative journey, and their personal growth.
📖 Psalm 102:18 – “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.”
Just like Scripture, our personal writings can point others toward God—whether it's a stranger years from now or our own descendants.
Join The Community
I would love to have you join me on my platforms, here on Substack, my TikTok and my YouTube channel as I share journaling prompts, live Journal With Me, resources, encouragement and more.
We’re talking about journaling our goals, prayers, God-thoughts, creative processes, testimonies, and everything in between. Why? Because documenting isn’t just about keeping records—it’s about:
📖 Remembering what God has done (Joshua 4:6-7)
🖊️ Processing thoughts, emotions, and revelations
📜 Seeing answered prayers and faithfulness unfold
💡 Fueling creativity and inspiration
🙌🏾 Leaving a legacy of faith and creativity
This will be a space where I post prompts, you post prompts, and we all share our writings, reflections, and creations. Whether you love writing, painting, dancing, cooking, teaching, gardening, photography, or anything that expresses who God made you to be—this space is for you!
Let’s build a creative community rooted in faith, journaling, and expression.
What’s one thing you want to start documenting more?
Follow me on TikTok: CicelyRenee or YouTube: CicelyReneeDoesLife
