30 Days of Gratitude – Day 18:
Express gratitude to a single person who encourages others.

While working at a small college near the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I had the privilege of meeting many students who have remained my friends through the years. Many of the young men would come and talk with me about the girls they were dating, seeking advice or ideas, and I became “Auntie Brenda” to several of them! One is a young man who remains single and who periodically takes time to send me a note to let me know he’s praying for me that day or to share a verse God is using to encourage him on his own journey. It takes mere minutes each month to send me these notes, but this gift of encouragement seems to come at exactly the right moment, from someone who “gets it,” and it provides both joy and hope. In return, I pray for him each Tuesday and ask God (if it is His will) to provide a sweet young wife for my friend. Today, however, I will send him an e-mail to thank him, because his ministry as an encouraging single continues to make an impact on my life.

Take time today to e-mail, send a card to, or buy a gift for the encouraging single person you chose to thank.