One of the speakers from our FAM Conference sent a thank you letter to my home. It was short, sweet and specific. I showed it to my 20 year old son and said, “This is rare, powerful, and important. In today’s text/email world, this stands out.”

I recently read a blog titled “Walt Disney Understood the Drama and Power of the Letter” and it triggered this post. In it, the writer ended the post with these words:

“Emails suck; write letters and touch a heart and , in so doing, be touched. Be “new” again. Write a letter.”

Writing letters is so distant and I’m lobbying for it to come back around. I used to be great at writing letters! I’ve got out of the habit. It was so easy when I was on a church staff to jot a quick note and have my assistant address it and add postage. Now, those luxuries are gone and it simply requires a little more work. For the month of August I’ve made a commitment to write a hand-written note every day.

Here’s 4 reasons why I think notes are powerful:

1. They’re memorable. We delete emails and save notes. I’ve got friends in their 40’s who have shown me notes that I sent them when they were in my youth group (way before email… and, yes, I am that old).

2. They’re personal. With a hand-written note, it goes against the “reply to all” feeling that emails communicate. Even when I get a personal email, I often wonder if it was a cut/paste that the other speakers/leaders/etc… received. I don’t question the “mass distribution” of a mailed note.

3. They communicate value. With dozens of texts and 100+ emails I receive every day, a note stands out. When I get an occasional hand-written note I feel valued by the person who took the time and spent the money to communicate with me.

4. They’re powerful. I’d go so far to state that a note can make someone’s day. Before my kids could even read they’d follow me to the mailbox and ask if they got any mail. I’d usually say, “Yes you did… Resident.” I believe everyone wants to be invited to something and I also believe everyone likes getting personal, affirming mail.

Consider joining me this month and send notes to kids in your youth group, your own family members, people you appreciate, and friends you value.

It’s super easy! Here’s my suggestion (1) buy small stationary (no pressure to write a novel), (2) buy cheap stationary–people don’t care what it looks like (I’ve got a drawer full of Christmas cards–I think it’s funny), (3) make a list of names that God’s Spirit puts on your mind/heart, (4) write one a day so you don’t feel the pressure to “crank out 7” so you can meet your weekly goal, and (5) send and smile.

Question: What’s your experience with note writing and/or receiving? I’d love to hear your story. Share it here.

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