It’s been said that ‘Many things can change a life and a letter is one of them’.

I believe that is true. My great aunt Betty passed away this month. I didn’t know her well, but she sent me a card on my wedding anniversary every year. For 16 years, right on my anniversary date, a card would arrive in my mailbox from Ohio.

After hearing of her passing, I wished I had known her better and had at least written her a letter to let her know how much I appreciated her thoughtfulness.

Words have power. When someone takes time to reflect and write words of encouragement for someone, it is an absolute gift.

WE HAVE A challenge at Ezekiel Ministries this month. We encourage the people of our community to write a letter of gratitude to someone who guided them in their life. That has me thinking about letters.

Letters enhance relationships, record a moment in time for others to later learn from and help us live with no regrets!

I have been fortunate to attend several powerful life-changing retreats that have included special letters from loved ones.

I keep letters such as these in a drawer in my house. I go to this drawer when I need encouragement.

Around my 10 year wedding anniversary, my husband and I attended FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember marriage retreat. While the speakers, topics and activities were memorable, what made the weekend impact my marriage was the love letters that each of us wrote to each other. \

Even though we had lived in the same house together for 10 years, we hadn’t taken the opportunity to really share why each of us was important to the other until we reflected and wrote it in that love letter.

LETTERS THROUGH HISTORY record the times. We can learn so much today from letters that were written years ago.

I think of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s letter from the Birmingham jail: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

I think of each of the letters of the Gospel and how many Christians, including myself, have come to know Christ by reading, studying and learning from those letters.

Letters give us a chance to live without regret. You only need paper, pen and a stamp.

I regret not sharing with my aunt Nancy what she meant to me before she left a letter of her own for my mom and me to find after she took her own life.

I don’t want to live with this regret again.

Before February ends, join me in writing a letter to those who have guided you.

Your words will confirm that they matter, and they just may tuck your letter away in a drawer to read again and again.

Sally Brown is Mentoring Director for Ezekiel Ministries