GREAT NEWS! NEW BOOK AVAILABLE ON LULU. “Writing the Journal of Your Life – The How and Why of Journaling” by Kevin V. Hunt. Available for just two weeks at the pre-publication discounted price of $28.50. Available at this site:
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The Official Book Description: The How and Why of Journaling … Kevin took the challenge of a Sunday School teacher almost 50 years ago. He went home that day and began writing in a small record book. That was May 20, 1973 … And now, he is still writing. He has written a daily entry for EACH and EVERY DAY since that historical day. His journals now number over 140 volumes, filling an estimated 40,000 pages! In these journal pages, he has documented his life, the lives of his wife, his children, and now his forty grandchildren, his hopes and dreams, his comings and goings, and the people and the many activities going on around him. With a plethora of personal journal entries, Kevin teaches in this book how to create memories of a lifetime, record gratitude for the blessings and good things of life, recognizing divine guidance, writing of and reminiscing the good times – now and forever after. Most importantly, in the book, Kevin teaches how to develop and maintain the journaling habit and how to write for now and for posterity. The book shows that your journaling can be your ongoing legacy, a living family treasure.
The back story:
Acting on Inspiration
Sometimes and often in unusual circumstances, I receive flashes of pure inspiration – not of my own self – relative to things that I should do and accomplish. Often these flashes come in the morning as my mind is fresh and open. And it is surprising how often these come in the silent moments of my morning shower … when I have nothing on my mind and thus I can hear and feel what comes for me … Often these flashes come with no warning and not even because I have been seeking inspiration on a given subject … (Kevin Hunt – February 8, 2020)
October of 2020, I was working on a major journal project. I had typed journal entries for ten years but had never printed them out. So, I worked hard to package my weekly entries together into volumes of about 500 pages each – to be printed and bound.
As I worked on this major project, I found some hiccups for records recorded in 2007. I had experienced a very major trauma with my computer as I was in the process of this project. And for a while, it seemed that the records for that year had disappeared … literally evaporated from my computer. Talk about distressing … That was a very big issue. I was devastated.
Ultimately, however, and gratefully … I was able to find the files “in the cloud” and was able to restore the files that the system had deleted. I was ecstatic! Whew! I did lose some pages, however, at point where the hiccup occurred. I did have the printed/bound book and was able to re-type material for about four weeks.
In that process, I came across some great material I had recorded back in 2007. That was kind of a banner year – with a lot of great wonders and blessings to me/us of The Lord.
I found a journal entry from November of 2007 wherein I recorded my inspiration to write a “how-to book” about how and why to keep a journal. Reading that entry hit me straight between the eyes. I realized that I had blown it. I had not followed through (completely) with the divine inspiration I had received. I realized that I should get in gear to get this job done. And that is why this book creation became a higher priority. And the fact that it is now printed, shows that this time, I did follow the task or dream through to completion.
My 2020 project took my mind back – through my past journal entries – to bring again to my mind, the special circumstances about this book inspiration. The entries from the 2007 journals recorded that I was trying to finalize a variety of book production activities. I was trying to send several manuscripts simultaneously to the Deseret Book publishing house for their publication consideration. I was about through with that effort. Then I had an interesting experience that made me think that I should include one more item with the package for Deseret Book.
NOVEMBER 26TH, 2007 – MONDAY
“I should have written of an incident that happened to me on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd … It was kind of an interesting experience. I felt specific direction from the Holy Ghost. It was interesting because I had not sought the inspiration nor was I looking for it. And it kind of came in an odd place – where I wouldn’t normally plan to receive inspiration. It kind of came at me and caught me off guard. I had to think about it until it really sunk in.
“I noted for last Wednesday how pleased I was to complete my self-imposed goals for my book writing projects by my target date of Thanksgiving Day. I rejoiced in the fact that I had them all ready to send to the publisher. I felt really good as I contemplated the work that had been accomplished and I was excited to get them off in the mail.
“Anyway, I still remember the circumstances. I wasn’t even really thinking about the books – believing that I truly was on a “holiday weekend” and that since I had met my goal thus far, I could just relax. I was in my bedroom and heading into the walk-in closet. That’s when it came.
“It came as a very still small voice – an impression. I heard in my mind, “Why don’t you write a book about journals.” I kind of answered back as I thought, “What?” And then a thought came again to me: “Yes, a book on journals.” Then I thought, “Okay … a book on journals.” Then I kind of had to laugh as I thought of my many journals and my commitment to them. I said, again kind of to myself, “Well, I guess I am kind of qualified to write about that subject.” I received a few flashes of hints about the book. Then I said almost out loud, “Okay, good idea! A book on journals! That is doable.”
“Then I began to ponder the possibilities a bit. No, I hadn’t even considered or ever thought about writing a book about journal keeping. (I don’t know why!) I have thought of a lot of books and their possibilities – but strangely, I hadn’t thought about doing that – although it is a subject of which I am very close to and logically should have contemplated. Yes, I did know a lot about journals and I could probably come up with a book on the subject – with some prayer and contemplation.
“I thought, “And I thought I was done with the writing project for now … I thought I was ready to send the manuscripts in.” I then determined that yes, I really could wait for a few more days to send them in. After all, it was my own deadline anyway (though I was kind of thinking “Christmas Miracle” previously).
“So, it was settled. I would write an additional book about journal keeping. Then with the decision made, I got excited. I began to think of what such a book might entail. Over the next couple of days, I pondered the subject as I went about my daily and usual routine. I went to the LDS.org website on the Internet and did some quick research about journals. I first searched for the talk that I knew that I needed – President’s Kimball’s “The Angels May Quote from It” talk or article from “The New Era”. I then found a lot of other helpful material. I was off and running. (And I know the date that I did the computer research – the date at the bottom of the pages specifically says, November 24th – which was Saturday.)
“Then today, Monday, I got more specific. I finally had the time to work, specifically on the project. I followed the pattern which I have discovered to work for me. After I had been thinking on the subject, I prayed for specific guidance and direction of the Spirit. Then when I went to get Rusty from work, I arrived there before he got back to the plumbing shop. That’s when the inspiration came. I took out one of my 3×5” index cards – which I always carry in my pocket. I then wrote down the chapter headings or titles for the book. Back at home, I went to the computer, took the card and with it created the Table of Contents for the book. The inspiration continued to flow as I was given ideas for material to include in each chapter.
“I then got the small stack of material that I had printed last Saturday. I read these over and the material fit perfectly with the chapter headings that I had just created.
“What a great experience. I could not believe it. Actually, I could believe it. It was not me doing the work. I was just the conduit through whom the material came. It really was exciting and wonderful. It truly was a great experience and I rejoiced greatly in the Lord as I pondered the total scenario. Wow! Thanks, Heavenly Father!”
You would think that such an experience would get my attention. It did … but then life got in the way and I did not fully act in response to the heavenly inspiration. (More on that later …)
Receiving this book inspiration on that November Monday in 2007 was amazing and wonderful and I rejoiced in it. And I look with wonder again as I recall the simple acts of that October day in 2020 – some thirteen years later – when the Lord gently got my attention again and helped me realize that I had not maintained my part of the bargain. I am glad that He showed me this entry so that I could give the journal “how and why” book renewed attention and focus! All very interesting!
Well, that’s how this book came to be. I hope that you found that experience interesting. (And know that you can have those same kinds of experiences, too!) And now that the book is written, I hope that you enjoy it … evidence of some of the benefits of journaling … recording and setting goals and following through, acting upon inspiration, recording blessings, and more …
Now I invite you to order the book. Available for two weeks at a pre-publication author price. Then it will be published to the “world” at a much higher price.
Kevin
Missionary in Training 