What is the first thing you open up when you get the mail each day? Let me guess, the bills! Nah, those go on the desk and are opened last. If you are anything like me, you love to get real hand-written letters. I have always loved getting the mail. I would fight my roommates in college to get the mail. I know exactly what time my mail arrives each day because I stare out the window in anticipation of the U.S. Mail truck.
Last week, I challenged myself by being the initiator of the letter and put on my to-do list; write a letter a day. It may have been a thank you card that I needed to write or just an old fashioned “how are you today?” letter. Either way, I would not let myself mark it off my list until it had a stamp, an address and was in the mailbox with the flag raised. I cannot tell you how many times I have written a letter only to find it a year later! That is atrocious, isn’t it? I wanted to take the time to bless others like I have been so blessed in the past.
My whole purpose behind writing these letters to my friends and family is found in this verse.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (New International Version)
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Writing heartfelt letters are encouraging to people and it builds them up. Letters can be the push that someone needs to get them out of the funk that they have been living in for weeks. Sincere letters can be just the encouragement that a family member needs to forgive you and bring healing to a relationship. Letters can be read over and over again in finding hope after losing a family member.
One thing I have done to help my kids in this area, especially when they have more downtime in the summer, is to have “Writing Wednesday”. Every Wednesday they are responsible for writing and sending a letter to one of their friends or family members. In our “techy” age, we need to help our kids to learn this lost art. But to ask them to write letters, we need to take the time to write them ourselves.
Think for a moment about someone who you know is struggling in life or think about someone the Lord may be continually putting on your heart and mind. Take the time to encourage them today. You may get to be the recipient of one of those encouraging letters one day. But even more than that, you will be blessing someone through the lost art of letter writing.
Before I read this I was just thinking about someone I’d like to write to. I guess that’s confirmation of what I need to do today! Thanks.
I think I am gong to do this challenge and write a letter each day this week.