Formations: Introduction

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I am insatiably curious about everything, well almost everything. From snails, horse racing, and architecture to travel, history, and biology, I read, research, and run down rabbit holes on a diverse number of subjects. In looking back, childhood trauma stifled my curiosity, but it was reawakened when I home educated my children. The fires were fanned while watching their deep brown and shimmering blue eyes sparkle when learning how pitcher plants could trap small mammals, and the frigate bird stole food from the blue-footed booby. I readily engage in conversations with strangers, listen to a wide array of podcasts, and have a never-ending stack of books on my nightstand to satisfy my curiosity. As I grow older, I hope to keep these fires burning, forever positioning myself to be a life-long learner.

One of my favorite areas of study is learning how the brain’s wiring changes with new interactions. For many years, we thought that brain development became static as we age. But we are learning that even people 50 and older can change due to neuroplasticity. They are not trapped by their childhood and early adult patterns of viewing the world. Instead, they can move towards being more healthy, whole, and wise as they age.

One of the simplest ways to change is to express gratitude. Various studies have demonstrated that practicing gratitude daily can reduce cortisol, which lowers stress. It also provides more structure for the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that deals with difficult emotions. Building neuron connections through gratitude helps us feel good both in the short term and in the long term, by strengthening our emotional resilience.

I could go on about the benefits of gratitude, but I know firsthand how it has improved my life. For about 10 years, my daily gratitude journal has been an important rhythm in my life. Expressing gratitude daily has helped me pursue peace during adversity, demonstrate kindness to others, and remain hopeful in hard circumstances. It confirms Paul’s words in Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.”

For the next 30 days, I am going to share with you a glimpse of what this daily practice has looked like in my life. I am doing this for several reasons. I need to reincorporate this practice with more consistency. I also need to make writing a priority in my life as well. Writing helps me process and is an important creative outlet for my life. It may be just a few sentences or a few paragraphs, but each day, I invite you to see a window into my soul.

I am going to title this series Formation. Formation means an act of giving form or shape to something. I hope this practice of writing gratitude helps shape my brain to focus on the goodness of God and gives form to my writing habit. So come along with me for the month of November, and practice daily gratitude with me. Feel free to share in the comments about your own gratitude.