A dear sister shared an article with me. I read this article about the mental health benefits of writing, and I found myself nodding again and again. Many of the sentiments expressed resonated deeply with my own experience. Writing, it turns out, is more than expression. It can be healing, it can be a lifeline.
At the beginning of 2024, I decided to write and later blog devotionals based on the DUMC Bible Reading Plan. At that time, my intention was simple. I wanted to contribute something meaningful to the Cell Group (CG) and to my former Writing Team members. It felt like a way of giving back.
What I did not realize then was that this commitment would also become a gift God was preparing for me.
A Commitment That Became a Calling
I was already following my own Bible-in-a-year plan. On top of that, I committed myself to reading, writing, and publishing devotionals aligned with the DUMC Bible Reading Plan. It was a year-long commitment, one that required discipline, consistency, and time.
At first, it felt like work. But slowly, something changed.
As I wrote, I read more carefully. As I read, I studied more deeply. As I studied, I began to meditate. And as I meditated, I found myself soaking in the Word of God in ways I had not experienced before.
It was later that I realized this rhythm was not accidental. God was meeting me there.
Writing Through a Dark Valley
That year took me through a very dark valley. Writing did not remove the pain, nor did it magically solve every struggle. However, it anchored me.
Each day, words pulled me back to Scripture. Each paragraph forced me to sit with the text rather than skim past it. Writing slowed me down when my thoughts wanted to spiral. It gave shape to prayers I could not fully articulate.
Of course, God also sent family and friends. And Ben. Grace often arrives through many channels.
Still, writing was one of the ways God sustained me.
The Joy of Turning Thoughts into Words
There is something deeply satisfying about turning scattered thoughts into sentences. Writing takes what is formless and gives it shape. It takes what is hidden inside and places it gently before others.
When words finally settle into place, there is joy. Not the loud kind, but a quiet, steady joy. A sense of alignment. A sense that something true has been named.
Writing allows us to share not just information, but ourselves. It creates connection. It reminds us that we are not alone in what we think, fear, hope, or believe.
Grateful for the Gift of Writing
I have since picked up writing and blogging again, with renewed gratitude. I no longer see writing merely as output. I see it as formation.
I am thankful for writing, and for what it continues to do in me. I am thankful for the way God uses words to heal, steady, and guide. And I am thankful for readers who walk alongside, one paragraph at a time.
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