Most nights before bed, I write in a gratitude journal a few things from my day that made me smile, that I’m proud of or that brought me a sense of peace. Journaling trains me to focus on life-giving, joyful moments and not lose track of these when I’m struggling or feeling overwhelmed. Something about physically keeping track of joys helps me remember them and look for more of them the next day.
Cultivating gratitude helps me take more notice of what I focus on. Even if it is just that a particularly hard day is over, goodness exists. Naming this goodness helps it to become more real and present. I think of Scripture, where the author of Lamentations writes: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (3:22-23). When I write down the goodness I see, I tend to see goodness more easily.
This message is excerpted from “Singing, writing, moving, connecting” by Jordan Miller-Stubbendick in the December 2020 Gather magazine.
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