Grow Closer To God in 2019 With 365-Day Devotional Journals from Ellie Claire {A #NewYearNewDevo Review}

**Journals received for consideration. Post contains affiliate links. All thoughts are 100% my own.

As the year starts to come to an end, many of us are already starting to think ahead to the year to come.

What are our goals? What aspects of our lives do we want to improve upon? What resolutions will we make in the year ahead?

For many Christians, one of those goals can include spending more time with God. Sometimes in the general sense, others with more specific ideas on how to do so--- reading the Bible every day, reading through the Bible in a year, praying more intentionally, attending church more regularly, etc. All great goals, all areas that I feel as Christians we should continuously be working to improve upon.

Today, I am sharing three fantastic journals from Ellie Claire that can help us in those goals:



Peace Begins with Me Journal

We pray for peace. We beg for it from others. We make speeches about it. But in the end, the only peace most of us can control is that little portion we display for the world to see. If we are at peace, the chaos around us seems to calm down. Our peace affects others. And the Giver of peace awaits to give us the gift that can change our world. It begins with a prayer. It begins with me.
FEATURES: Archive quality, non-bleed paper; Acid-free paper and ink; Daily devotional with lightly ruled space for responses, lists, or journaling; Full-color interior design; Presentation page for personalization; Lay-flat binding; Foil; Ribbon marker; Elastic closure band

They say never judge a book by its cover, but I feel that perhaps this journal may be an exception to that rule. See, when I look at this beautiful cover, I certainly feel a little more at peace. The soft colors, the foiled lettering--- certainly says peaceful to me. By the cover alone, I was drawn in. Inside was every bit as beautiful and peaceful as well.

After all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I think we can all use a little peace. As moms, I think this can be one that we really struggle with. Let's be honest, motherhood can bring a lot of chaos into our world. We need to be able to find those moments of peace so that we can enjoy the chaos rather than stress over it. While I admit I haven't read through each and every devotion, I can say that those I have read through are fantastic--- just what we need to encourage that peace within to begin.



Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Journal

A 365-day devotional journal to help you spend time with Jesus through quiet time, prayers, and reflection.When life gets busy, it's easy to forget to spend time with God. This 365-day devotional journal offers encouraging meditations to help you spend a few moments turning your eyes on Jesus before your hectic day begins. After short devotions and Scripture for each day of the year, you will also find light journaling lines and ample space to record your thoughts, hopes, and prayers -- just what you need to start each and every day with the reminder that God is always by your side.

Another beautiful journal both inside and out! I immediately fell in love with the beautiful imagery that carries on throughout the inside as well. As with the previous journal, this journal features a Bible verse, a short devotional to reflect on as well as space to write your thoughts and prayers. Whereas the previous really did seem to all go around that theme of peace, this one offers a little more general encouragement...general time spent focusing of God. Again, having not read through each and every one, I have enjoyed those that I have read too. A cup of coffee and a little time with God working through this journal? It's the perfect way to start the day.



The Earth Is the Lord's, and Everything In It Journal

A devotional journal exploring God's magnificent creation.
From the small whisper of a snowflake to the large circumference of a baobab tree, all of nature is the creative expression of God. When we embrace His creative nature by taking the time to stop, notice, and connect, our hearts are encouraged and souls refreshed. Respond to the devotions, add your own creative writing, or keep track of prayers on the journaling lines.

While the layout and style of this final journal are very much similar to those we've already looked at, the theme of this one certainly sets it apart both from these and any other devotional journals I have experienced through the years. Let's be honest: many devotional journals have fairly common themes- peace, encouragement, rest, trust... you get the idea. And these are all great themes. They are themes that I know many of us NEED in our daily lives, so it would only make sense that there would be more than one to choose from. But a devotional the focuses on God's creation? That's one that I personally don't see a whole lot of. But I loved it! All of those themes that we talked about? Still very much there in these devotions... but  looked at in a different way... through examples of all the things God has created.

I love this... it's beautiful written, a creative new outlook, and truly inspires us to really take a moment and think about the amazing creations of God... down to the smallest detail on the smallest creature. Astounding.




No matter what you're hoping to get out of your journaling time, one of these journals is sure to fit those needs. They're all great quality and beautifully written with a good blend of devotional content and room to reflect. Each journal gives you one devotion for every day, starting at January 1. While this means that they are perfect to start out the new year, you truly could start anytime too, and just skip back once you reach the end. If you're looking to start journaling and/or grow closer to God in the year to come, these journals are a great place to start.


How do you make time with God in your daily life? How would a 365-Day Devotional Journal from Ellie Claire help? Which one would you choose?