How often do you stop to ponder on the things you're grateful for? If this is a habit for you, well done! I've done this on and off, but I have pursued it more intentionally this week and I tell you what...it has made my week pretty amazing!
It all started on Monday, as I was driving to work. I turned off my radio (which if you haven't tried this...you need to #serenity). I began praying (I love talking to God when I'm driving) and realized that my prayer was starting off as a "list" of things I needed to check off from my conversation with God. I immediately stopped and asked the Holy Spirit, "How should I approach God this morning", and the word gratitude popped up. I began word-vomiting all the things I was grateful for but felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to slow down. I was doing the same thing of just mindlessly talking to God. It's as if the Holy Spirit was guiding me to pick one thing and dissect it. Why am I grateful for that? What about it makes me want to thank God for it?

I began by thanking God for the simple fact that I was breathing. I was grateful for it, because...well...it's a sign that I'm alive! I can breathe without complications, using the healthy lungs God has blessed me with. The quality of the air I was breathing was good, the air was fresh and crisp, and when I breathe in slowly it calms me. (I love how the Lord works) I began with a pretty surface-level but factual truth about my breathing. Then the Lord took me deeper. The breath that I got to experience that morning was a gift from Him. That gift in itself is that He had given me another day to be able to experience Him in my human nature form. So what am I going to do differently with this gift today? Will I take advantage of that breath He's provided to fellowship with Him? Who will I share that breath with? With every exhale will I get the opportunity to share Him? Whether it's actually sharing the gospel, or encouraging someone, how would I use the breath that he had gifted me that day? Guys...all of that came from dissecting one thing!
Anywho, as the week continued, it was cool to see how God was also applying this to other people in my life. My friend Landon has been reading a book called "Love and Work" by Marcus Buckingham (currently reading as well...he's farther ahead) and began some of our meetings at work by asking questions. These questions are not your typical "how's your day" questions, but ones that made you really think through what you had to say. He was inspired by another one of our friends Jared, who loves to journal, and on top of the book he's been reading, has been challenging himself to journal. So naturally, this inspired me to journal as well! Instead of just having those conversations with God in the car, I began to write them down. It's been nice because as the end of the week is coming up, I've gone back to look at my journal entries and have loved seeing the correlation each entry has had, and how much God has been in all of it. Last week, my boss David asked me what the highlight of my week was and was sharing how he and his wife ask themselves this question. It's as if God was preparing me for the start of this week by looking at the good, being grateful, and being intentional with the time spent thanking God for that one thing. I asked Tyler that question and he ended up saying "Wow, that's actually a really good question!" (Thanks David!).

I've loved seeing how God has connected all of this for me. Gratitude can completely change your outlook for the day. Even in the moments where I was frustrated, or felt down, after experiencing my emotion, I went back to that time with God and my journal and remembered what I was grateful for. It makes the things that frustrate you less important.
Today I encourage you...if you haven't started yet, start journaling! That's one of the reasons why I began my blog. I want to write letters to you and encourage you as I am also figuring things out in life and taking you on a journey with me. However you want to journal, whether it's a letter to God, to yourself, maybe a loss one you wish you could talk to, or whoever it is to, begin writing. Don't know what to journal? Start with gratitude! It might be a bit hard at first because the "one focus" will cause you to go deeper than just mindlessly listing everything you're thankful for. I truly think it does something for your mind and spirit which in return is a blessing to your body. Will you begin today?