It was a time to clear distraction and focus on the one thing he prompted us to write. We could write whatever came to our heads, and I loved it. It was my favorite part of the class, and I still enjoy that exercise.

So today I want to Give you a writing challenge.

You have 5 minutes to write… The word is GRATITUDE. What does it mean to you? Or what are you grateful for and why. Ready…GO!

Please feel free to share what you wrote. Happy writting.

When I was finishing my second year of ministry development, we were asked to keep a prayer journal for six months.   

Seemed like a simple request. But for someone who had zero time, it felt like an impossible task.  This journal’s point was for us to have a record of where we were in life and watch how God met us in our circumstances. Of course, I didn’t care to be too deep, and I started a very shallow prayer journal. I mean, I talk to God all day; why do I need to make a record of it?  I know how he shows up in my life.

Months had passed, and my marriage was struggling.  Still feeling the weight of over-serving, being over-committed to ministry, and lack of boundaries in my life, I was desperate and lonely.

One evening before bed, I reached over my nightstand and grabbed my journal. Putting pen to paper, I poured my heart out like a letter to an old friend. Before I had realized it, I had over four pages of stuff that I had offloaded to the Lord.  Things I had been keeping deep within and not dealing with.

It felt like I was set free and felt a new closeness to the Lord.  I felt a new hope and looked forward to meeting with him daily.  Journaling became a habit that I still due to this day.  

What was assigned to us as an exercise of faith showed me how to pray more intimately, how to release things, and, more importantly, intercede for others even when I was wronged. The journal revealed when I was angry and yelling at God or times, I flipped thru and saw sorrow with tear-stained papers.  But for each prayer, there was an answer!!! There was a Praise report; there was a tangible communication that I could look back on and say, wow, look at what God did in this situation. 

If you are feeling lonely, ladies get a notebook or a journal and put pen to paper.  Write to your savior a letter from the heart.  Let him minister to your soul as you unleash the burdens or hidden things that keep you cycling in your pain or depression.  Watch how God works in the details. It is truly amazing.