Episode 77: Jody Noland

Jody Noland joins me for Episode 77. She is a Jesus follower, mom, author, speaker, and fiance at the young age of 60. But mostly she is an encourager. She loves to encourage people to encourage people. And because of that, she has a ministry called Leave Nothing Unsaid. It’s a ministry that encourages people to express their thoughts and feelings and affirmations about someone through a written letter. She has become a sort of letter evangelist.

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Most people don’t know how to be encourager and how to pour their life into the people they love. And something powerful happens on someone’s heart when we put pen to paper. We talk about her story of why she started this ministry and practical ways to write a letter to the people you love.

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Connect with Jody: Instagram // Website  //  Facebook

Takeaways From Our Conversation:

  • I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Jody. And I hope you were inspired and challenged to write letters. I know I was. Maybe you are like me and you have a million reasons to put off writing letters to the people you love. You don’t have time. You don’t know exactly what to say. But like Jody said, it doesn’t have to perfect. Don’t let perfection keep you from writing a letter. Don’t put off doing this because only God knows the number of our days. We should do this because our written words give life to the people we love. So, my first step is going to be writing a list of the people I need to write. Then, I’m going to look at a calendar for specific milestones is someone’s life and use that as a deadline. And if you need some help and direction, Jody’s workbook would be a great resource for you. It is a step by step guide to writing meaningful letters. 
  • Three things a letter contains: gratitude, appreciation, affirmation. Gratitude is the key to unlocking joy. Appreciation is about something you are glad they did for you. Affirmation is hard for people because its looking under the covers of someone.and saying these are some of the things about you that are so special. 
  • Do’s and Don’ts of letter writing:
    • just do it.
    • don’t get hung up in perfectionism
    • don’t use it as a platform for apologizing or criticizing.
    • don’t feel like your letter has to measure up to anyone else’s
    • don’t tell someone something that is not true
    • always sign it by hand even if you type it. seeing handwriting brings has memories & emotions
    • use memories as a way to support your affirmations
    • I was also challenged to pray big prayers. She was a widow for 9 years almost expecting that she wouldn't remarry, but at the age of 60 she is getting married. We run the risk of disappointment when we pray big prayers, but it is worth it.

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here. 

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

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