{Day 2 of Universal Letter Writing Week 2011}

One of the biggest reasons people don’t write letters often is because they don’t have answers for these two questions:

Who do I write to? What should I write?

Below are some suggestions of people to write to, as well as specific ideas both for subject matter and for prayer. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it will get your creative juices flowing.

{friends & siblings}

• Give them updates on your life. Your new furniture, failed recipes, funny stories from work.
• Ask them about their life. Be specific. “What have you read recently?” or “Have you hung up your wedding photos yet?” instead of the generic, “How are you?”.
• Share a favorite passage that you’ve particularly enjoyed recently – from the Bible or another book.
• Pray for their relationships.
• Ask the Lord to bless their dreams.
• Pray that they continue to walk in step with God, following where He leads.
• Ask the Lord to help you be a blessing to them.

{husband}

• Write him a love letter, as if you were courting again.
• Tell him about your day, and how you’re looking forward to seeing him. If you have kids, write down some of the funny or sweet things they said or did during the day.
• Thank your husband for all that he does for you, listing some specifics. Let him know that you appreciate who he is, and that you’re glad you’re his wife and his best friend.
• Short notes tucked into his lunchbox are wonderful, as are letters placed somewhere in the house where he’ll find them (his pillow, the computer desk, etc.), but don’t neglect actually mailing him a letter just because you live together. What a sweet surprise to find amidst the bills and the junk mail!
• Pray for him to be a witness for Christ while he’s at work. That his life will draw others to the Lord.
• Ask God to bless your husband’s dreams and give him the desires of his heart.
• Pray for his safety while he’s driving, and for his health.
• Pray that he continues drawing closer to the Lord, working on becoming a man after God’s own heart.
• Thank God for your husband!

{yourself}

• Send yourself a letter filled with notes from an entire week. Keep it sealed and wait to open it until the same day next year.
• Write a letter listing out some of your goals and dreams. Place it somewhere that you will see it frequently, to encourage you towards those goals.
• Pray for the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
• Ask God to help you seek Him more, turn to Him for every need, and love Him with a deeper love.

{children & grandchildren}

• Write about something they did that made you proud, or that you appreciated.
• Tell them you love them and are thankful for them.
• Ask about their life. “What do you like best about your history class?”, “What’s your favorite position to play in softball?”, or “Do you feel ready for your recital?”.
• Tell them about your life when you were their age, or about something you both have in common. (Such as a love of the violin.)
• Pray for their relationship with the Lord to be strengthened.
• Pray that they “walk with the wise,” and have healthy friendships.
• Pray for them to be bold for God, not afraid to share what they believe.
• Ask the Lord to keep them humble, honest, and obedient.

{grandparents}

• Ask them questions about what their lives were like when they were younger. “Did you go to the prom?”, “What was your favorite thing to eat?”, “What did you do for fun?”.
• Tell them about some of your day-to-day activities.
• Write about some of your favorite memories with them, or something that recently reminded you of them.
• Pray for their health.
• Ask the Lord to show you how you can be a blessing to them.

{missionaries}

• Tell them you’re praying for them. You can even write out your prayer in the letter.
• Tell them how you learned about their ministry.
• Write a little about yourself and your family.
• Pray for their safety.
• Pray that they would be effective tools for Christ. That their work would be blessed and the people they minister to would be receptive.
• Ask the Lord to give them comfort while they’re working far from home.

{soldiers}

• Send a thank-you note via Let’s Say Thanks. If you’re unsure of what to write, use one of their pre-written letters as a springboard. They print and mail the postcards, so it doesn’t cost anything but your time.
• Not all of our deployed troops have access to the internet and other news sources. Give them updates, but keep it light – nothing political or war-related. Tell them who you’re rooting for in the SuperBowl, or about the latest winning streak on Jeopardy.
• Be sure to tell them you’re praying for them. Include some Scripture verses if you’d like.
• Pray for their safety and for their spiritual well-being.
• Ask the Lord to give them comfort as they’re serving away from home, possibly in a war zone.
• Pray for their relationship with the Lord to be strengthened and for their relationships with family to be secure.
• Pray for their families.

{Remember to leave a comment on this post and then comment on my original ULWW post in order to gain an extra entry to the giveaway.}

{Photo copyright © Kostas Tsipos | Dreamstime.com}

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