Celebrating Thankfulness with an Ebenezer Journal

How do you remember and celebrate the ways the Lord has provided for you?

For the past several years my husband and I have been using an Ebenezer Journal to record ways God has provided for us.  It has definitely helped us be more aware of God working in our day-to-day lives, but it has also helped us live each day with a more grateful and thankful heart.

What is an Ebenezer Journal?
Several times in the Old Testament the Israelites set up stones to remind them of how God had provided for them. These stones served as reminders not only for themselves but also for those who would come in future generations. In one instance Samuel, a leader of Israel, saw God meet a very specific need in a very specific way. He set up a stone to remember the Lord’s provision. He called the stone Ebenezer or “the stone of help.”

An Ebenezer Journal will not only serve as a reminder to be thankful, but it will also remind future generations (children, grandchildren, etc) that God is a good God who provides in miraculous ways – all for His glory.

Creating An Ebenezer Journal
Starting an Ebenezer Journal is really simple. All you need is a notebook or journal and a pen/pencil. You may want to write in it daily, weekly or less often; whatever system works best for you is great. When you have a material {or non-material} need that is met, record the need and how it was met in your journal.

Here are some general examples of what you may want to record in your Ebenezer Journal:

• You need groceries but have no money to pay for them. You step outside one day to find that bags of groceries have been left for you on your doorstep
• You and your spouse have a baby. Friends surprise you with freezable meals so that you don’t have to cook for a few weeks.
• You have a large medical bill that needs paid. Someone anonymously sends you money to pay for it.
• Your children hit a major growth spurt and you find yourself in need of practically an entire wardrobe for him/her. You bump into a friend that tells you she has some bags of hand-me-downs for that very child.
• You are having a tough week and could really use a friend. You receive an unexpected call or visit from a friend.

Here is an excerpt from an entry in my Ebenezer Journal

“We took our van to the mechanic and the work it needed ended up costing more than we were expecting … $622! We had no idea how we were going to pay for the repairs. Our budget was stretched as far as it could go and we had zero dollars to put toward our vehicle. That very week we received two checks in the mail, neither of which we were expecting. The grand total of these checks totalled $625!

April is editor and author of Holistic Homemaking, a blog dedicated to intentional living and the multi-dimensional life of homemakers. She is the wife of a campus minister and the homeschooling mom of three children. Her passions are photography, herbal remedies, frugal living and the outdoors.

In addition to her blog you can also find April on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.