To Inspire:

We’re preparing to take a bus load of our women clients and friends to the Ohio Reformatory for Women – on Tuesday July 14^th. There they will spend the day with a group of women that have experienced great challenges in their life and have committed serious offenses. But in their time of incarceration, they’ve also had a powerful encounter with Jesus Christ and are living new lives – lives of redemption, love, and gratitude.

Our gift to our clients and friends joining us on that trip is a book, The 52 Week Gratitude Devotional Journal for Women: Prompts and Prayers to Give Thanks and Grow in Your Faith – by Kara Adams, MSPH. Kara shares that in today’s fast paced world, it’s easy to overlook the gifts that surround us. Her devotional encourages readers to slow down, connect with God, and develop a practice of gratitude over the course of a year. She includes inspirational scripture passages that emphasize the power of gratitude; thoughtful “prompts” that allow women to journal their thoughts and apply the wisdom of each passage to their own lives; and a format that can accommodate the busiest of schedules.

You can purchase the book online. But, of course, you also can create your own gratitude journal – perhaps make it a summer project. Simply commit to sitting down for a few minutes each day each to reflect on the many things in your life for which you are grateful. Write down the most significant ones – describe what each of those blessings mean to you; the joy and peace each one gives you. Faith, family, health, challenges that keep you growing, summer vacations – the list is endless. I can guarantee you that committing to this kind of journaling for even three months will change you in ways you can’t imagine. Greater peace, joy, and contentment will be yours. You’ll see the world and your own circumstances differently. Try it – you’ll be amazed by the results!

And for all the gals reading this right now, we still have seats available for our July 14^th bus trip to ORW. Just email my colleague, Michelle O’Brien, at michelle.obrien@josephgroup.com and she’ll provide you with details and some paperwork that needs to be completed in advance. It’s a special day – so invite a friend to join you, you’ll be so glad you came.

What are you thankful for today?!

Written by Matt Palmer, Partner & Co-Founder