Isabella Alden began keeping a journal at a young age. From the time she was about seven years old she used a journal to take notes during Sunday church services, write Bible verses she wanted to remember, and record topics to discuss with her father.
Keeping a journal was a lifelong habit for Isabella, and in her novels, she sometimes made journalling a habit of her characters, too. (Have you read Docia’s Journal or Gertrude’s Diary?)
Journaling is just as popular today as it was in Isabella’s time.
Do you keep a journal?
Would you like to?
To start you off on the path to using a journal, we’re giving away two Journal Prize Packages to readers of Isabella’s blog!
Each prize package includes:
A lovely journal with a magnetic jeweled clasp . . .
.
A coordinating ballpoint pen . . .
And a book of fun and inspiring stickers to give you a jump start on your journal adventure.
To enter the drawing, just leave a comment below no later than midnight EDST on Sunday, July 28, 2019.
We’ll announce the two winners on Monday, July 29, 2019.
Good luck!
Isabella Alden 
We can’t all be winners, so could you please tell me where I can buy these beautiful items? I live in Scotland. Thank you! I love Pansy’s books, having discovered them when I was a teenager…..I’m 72 now. It’s wonderful that we can now download these treasures! ❤
Welcome, Margaret! I live in Colorado, U.S.A., and since I use journals all the time, I’m constantly searching my local retail stores for journals and pens to use. Target is a favorite of mine (I don’t know if there’s an equivalent in Scotland), as well as Staples. You can buy the book of stickers online and find lots of ideas for creating your own journals at The Happy Planner. https://shop.meandmybigideas.com/ Thanks for commenting! -Jenny
What a fun idea! I need to get back into journaling…
I have never kept a journal for very long, but I do enjoy reading back to what I have written as it gives me a vivid glimpse into my past – sometimes it can almost be as if I were reading of another person entirely.
What fun! I recently found Isabella Alden after reading most every GLH I could find. Now I am on a quest for Isabella’s books. Thank you for this chance to win a new journal and its items. I have kept a journal since my mid teens following in the footsteps of my dad. Thank you for this fun offer.
You’re welcome, Joy. I’m glad you found Isabella’s books! -Jenny
I began journaling when I was 13, right after my mom died. It has been such a wonderful way to process all that the Lord is doing in my heart and life over the years. I believe I have filled over 20 journals or “thought books” since 1976! ❤
I love to journal! I write not quite daily, but at least 2-3 times a week. I make gratitude list, keep track of my little garden and write Bible verses that I want to remember. I use a composition book, but this journal is BEAUTIFUL!!!
I’ve kept journals since my teens—/a long time ago! They help me to process things that happen and see the Lord’s hand on my life.
I kept a journal somewhat regularly beginning in my late high school years. It helped me process my thoughts and feelings throughout my college years and on into my early adult working years. I would write down thoughts, feelings, payers, Bible verses, Bible study notes and sometimes my attempts at art, poetry and songs. Although I have fallen out of practice with journaling my thoughts and feelings, I still write down many things in notebooks and journals— recipes and Bible study notes, creative ideas and notes about books I have read. Many journals and notebooks fill my old steamer trunk and I occasionally go back and read them, seeing my life spread before me, the fun times and hard times, times close to God and times I struggled in my spiritual life. Journaling for me is essential to my life.
Thank you for this site. I am a lifelong lover of Grace Livingston Hill and found Isabella Alden through her books. I have not kept a traditional journal, but I have long written out my prayers. I have found that form of journalling to be very helpful, both in seeing how God is moving in my life and the life of my family and friends, and as a tool when I am in a dry place to go back and read my prayers from times when I felt more connected.
That journal is beautiful. I would love to enter the giveaway! I’ve kind of always wanted to keep a journal, because I know how important my great-grandmother’s diaries are to me … but the routine never stuck. 😛 The pen is also beautiful.
Thanks for the giveaway!
CutePolarBear
I have journalled. I am not good at consistently keeping one.
I have kept journals intermittently over the years.
Now i am in my sixties and instead of regretting what i didn’t do as far as writing journals, i am grateful for the writing i have.
I also wrote letters occasionally to my parents, my mother saved them and going through her things and finding them, with the little drawings and descriptions of our daily life is so much fun. Like being given a day from my past back as a gift.
I love to journal, and find that it helps me think through things in a much better way.
I love journaling! I started off when I was in my late teens keeping a journal when my brother was gone for several months so I could remember what to write him about. Since then I have only missed a day or two. It feels like I’m always needing another journal to fill up.
Oh, yes, I’ve read “Docia’s Journal” or “Gertrude’s Diary.”
I am 89 years old and have spent 55 of those years in the country of Colombia as a missionary ministering to a primitive tribe in the mountains. I have 15 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. I have kept a diary from time to time, but I was usually too busy to write in it regularly. I wrote weekly or so letters to my parents and my mother kept them as well as other letters written to friends. I enjoy Isabella Alden’s books.
I began journaling when I was ten years old and have done it on and off since then. Sometime regularly, sometimes so miss months or even a year, but it’s fun to go back and read stuff that I forgot had happened or to laugh at my 16 year old sentimental self😃
Yes, I have kept several journals, on and off! Enjoy looking back at them. Enjoy Isabella’s books so much! So glad I found her, wish it had been sooner. I exhausted all of Grace Livingston Hill books before I came to Isabella’s. Thank you also for her newsletter which I look forward to.
What a beautiful, inspiring journal! It has been a while since I kept a journal. It’s bittersweet to go back and look at my high school, college and single years journals. I would like to start journaling again as a way to meditate on scripture and as a way to remember the many things for which I am grateful to God.
My journal has always been a yearly pocket calendar. Not only to record important birthdays, events and appointments; but to jot down what my life was like on that date and what I was doing. Most importantly, looking back, it’s reminded me that whether I was blessed beyond measure or suffered heartache and hardship…my Savior was always there with His ever loving arms.
I love Isabella’s books and have been journaling for decades.
I had multiple journals when I was a kid that I feverishly hid from my sisters. Unfortunately I don’t have them any more because I would read them a year or two later and I thought they were ridiculous. I wish I still had them now to laugh at😂
Thank you for such a lovely giveaway. The journal with the birds is so pretty. I keep a gratitude journal I write in each night before bed and this would be wonderful for that purpose.
I am a devoted fan of Isabella and her niece Grace. I have their books on my Kindle, and I read from one of their books every night before I sleep. Such an inspiration! I used to journal and would love to get back to it now that I am retired. Thanks for this fun offer!
I love Isabella Alden books and read them over and over. And yes, I’ve ready “Docia’s Journal”. 🙂
I’ve never kept a journal much, but sometimes I’ve wished I did. I do keep a “Journal of Mercies” like Pansy did though! 🙂
I’ve journalled off and on for most of my life. I find it is a good way to work through difficult decisions and situations, as writing clarifies my thoughts. It is also enjoyable to periodically read over old journals and see what was on my mind at that stage in my life. I’ve tried using online journal apps, but there is just something missing. A blank page and a good pen are much more conducive to putting my thoughts in writing!
I agree with you, Anne; I’ve tried online journal apps, too, but they don’t work for me. I enjoy the quiet of writing out my thoughts with pen and paper. Thanks for commenting! -Jenny