“Gratitude is one of the strongest and most transformative states of being. It shifts your perspective from lack to abundance and allows you to focus on the good in your life, which in turn pulls more goodness into your reality.” – Jen Sincero
Several months ago, I happened to be complaining to a friend about how the COVID-19 pandemic has created so much loss. Loss of jobs, family gatherings, in-person school, vacations, even going to our local zoo. I was feeling pretty low that day and quite honestly a bit pessimistic for a few weeks, and my dear friend, while listening to my woes, suggested that I start a “Gratitude Journal”.
She explained that for the next 30 days, I should write down something that I am grateful for. I’m not one for journaling, but if it was just one or two sentences each day, I figured I could easily manage that. So, I pulled out an old journal and gave it a go, soon the pages in that little book started filling up!
Looking around for the blessings in my life helped me turn my focus from the inward loss to all the wonderful things that God was providing in my life. Things such as movie night with my family, discovering a new local ice cream shop, a hug from my sweet little 3-year old, birds chirping in the morning, and so much more. Those 30 days came and went and I continued filling up those journal pages. It’s now been several months and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon because the experience has been so good for my soul.
It's been fun to go back and reread my entries from time to time. One entry that appears several times in the journal is my gratitude towards A Nun’s Life Ministry. It has been such a blessing to have worked with the team for over 7 years. Actually, I met Sr. Maxine and Sr. Julie Vieira in Chicago more than 18 years ago and felt drawn to how they were truly living out their vocation. They were two of the most joy-filled and fun Sisters I had ever met. My heart still holds the great adventures we shared in the Windy City!
Our friendship continued through the years and in 2014, I became part of the A Nun’s Life team. I was so grateful to join, not only this dynamic group of women but also a ministry that was and still is all about helping others! Through the published content—blogs, videos, and podcast—I get to witness first-hand just how much A Nun’s Life is impacting and changing lives! A true blessing in my own life.
As A Nun’s Life approaches its 15-year anniversary, I realize how grateful I’ve become for this great ministry and even more so, for the people who support it! Whether through prayer, encouragement, or financial support, our online friends are generously present.
So, now it is your turn! What are you grateful for? We’d love to hear about the blessings in your life. Better yet, why not start a gratitude journal of your own. Each day take 5 minutes to write down something that you are thankful for. I just know that this simple act of gratitude journaling will have a profound impact on your life as it did on mine.
