Heart of Gratitude.

I never thought I would be a “journal girly.”

If you know me, you know that sitting down to write out my feelings has never really been my thing. I love to talk. I love to process out loud. But journaling? That always felt like something other people did.

And yet… here we are.

Last week, I was shadowing Student Life at our church — Wednesday nights with our high schoolers where they build community, worship, and grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus. I was sitting with a group of ninth grade girls, just listening and observing, when one of them shared something that stopped me in my tracks.

She said she loves writing her prayers down.

She told us that after she writes them, she goes back later and re-reads them — to remember what her heart was yearning for, to revisit the pain she was carrying, and to see how God answered. She said it helps her see God’s faithfulness.

And I remember thinking, “Man… I can learn something from this.”

Later that week, I was walking through Target and felt pulled toward the notebook aisle. (You know the one — where suddenly you’re convinced a new notebook will change your life.) I found a journal, and on the front it said, “Be Still.” Inside, scattered throughout the pages, were Scripture verses.

I thought, “This is it.”

On top of that, my daughter had just bought a new pack of pens and gave me one. So aesthetically? I was ready. New journal. New pen. Fresh start.

But what I didn’t expect was what would happen in my heart…

Since I’ve started writing down my prayers and reflecting on my days, something has shifted. My gratitude has grown. Sitting down at night and replaying the day — the small conversations, the unexpected blessings, even the hard moments — has given me space to see how much God is moving in my life… Day in and day out.

Another reason this journal has meant so much is because of something I do weekly with my group. I go around and ask everyone to rate their week on a scale of 1 to 10 — one being the worst week ever, ten being the best. And when it gets to me, I usually freeze.

“What did I even do this week?”

I find myself scrambling, trying to replay everything to figure out if it was good or bad — trying to calculate some average in my head.

But now? I know. Because I’ve written it down.

I can look back and say, “You know what? Monday was really hard, but Friday was beautiful. That balances out to a five.” Or, “Wow — God showed up in so many ways this week. That was a nine.”

Journaling has given me perspective. It helps me hold both the highs and the lows. It helps me see that even in an average week, God is still working.

And here’s the part that humbles me the most: I learned this from a ninth grader.

How beautiful is it that the next generation isn’t just learning from us — we get to learn from them too! They carry wisdom. They have fresh perspective. They pursue God in ways that can sharpen and inspire us.

So yes, I guess I can officially say it now.

I’m a journal girly.

Not because I suddenly became poetic or profound. But because sitting down with Jesus, reflecting on my day, and watching His faithfulness unfold has grown a deeper heart of gratitude in me.

If you’ve ever thought journaling wasn’t for you — maybe it’s not about being a writer. Maybe it’s about being still.

And maybe, just maybe, God will use an unexpected voice — even a teenage girl — to remind you how to see Him more clearly.

So here’s my encouragement:

Try it.
Write the prayer.
Reflect on the day.
Listen to the next generation.

They might just teach you how to cultivate a heart of gratitude.

God’s Love and Mine,

Carrie