Mended futures for every family.
As Thanksgiving draws near, it’s a beautiful time to slow down, reflect on God’s goodness, and express gratitude — for the people we love, the blessings we’ve received, and the quiet ways the Lord is at work in our lives.
One meaningful way to do this is by keeping a gratitude journal. Writing down what we’re thankful for helps us pause and notice the simple gifts woven through our days. Still, starting a journal can feel intimidating—especially if you’re not sure what to write or how to stay consistent.
Here are a few gentle steps to help you begin and enjoy the practice this season.
Begin by choosing a safe place that brings you comfort and feels inspirational to you. It may be a park with beautiful scenery or a comfortable chair in front of a cozy fireplace.
The supplies you choose should also be pleasurable. It’s okay to buy your favorite pens and a new journaling notebook. And plan how to make your journal what you want it to be. You may express yourself better in sketching than words, for example. Planning for this may mean investing in assorted colored pens, pencils, or watercolor paints. In the end, your gratitude journal should be a peaceful place that allows you to be yourself.
For this step, think about what routine may make gratitude journaling doable for you. Your journaling time should be one that accommodates how you want your journaling to help you. For example, if you want to begin your day with peace, consider journaling in the morning. Or, if you want a more restful sleep, journaling in the evening can help you calm anxiety so you can sleep well.
If you think you may struggle to find journaling time, find a way to pair journaling with peaceful activities you already do daily, such as taking a walk in a scenic park at lunch time. One way to use that time wisely is to think about what you want to include in your journal throughout the day and write those thoughts down using short phrases. Then, when you sit down to journal, you can spend less time thinking about why you’re grateful before writing.
If one question that sometimes hinders your journaling is “What if I can’t think of what to write about?,” gratitude prompts can help you think of topics while journaling. Prompts are ideas or questions you can reflect on to brainstorm gratitude topics.
Here are some examples:
Write down these and other meaningful ideas you can use daily when journaling and keep them in the front of your journal. With ideas already available to you, our hope is that your daily journaling will be more enjoyable.
Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to recognize all that God has done for us. As you read your Bible, pause to thank Him for the promises and truths that speak to your heart. As an example, you may read Psalm 25:8 that assures us that God “guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His ways.” After reading this verse, you may reflect on God’s gracious gift of the Bible to teach you what is good for you and to protect you. From there, you may use your journal to thank Him for His goodness.
Some other Bible verses that may help you reflect on God’s love are:
For more inspiration, we invite you to join us for our Thanksgiving Mended Futures Podcast available on November 20th. Our hosts, Evan and Liz, will talk to you about how God has shown up for them this year and our FIVE18 family will share what the Lord has done for them this year.
All of us at FIVE18 wish you a peaceful and fulfilling Thanksgiving season!
Thank you for your willingness to advance the ministry of FIVE18 Family Services through your financial gift.
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