Book Review: 52 Weeks of Gratitude from Ink & Willow

About the  Book:

Infuse spirituality and thankfulness into your daily life with this beautiful journal that offers a simple way to lower stress and improve happiness.

Scripture says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” But we could all use a little help actually making room for gratitude among our everyday busyness and concerns. 52 Weeks of Gratitude offers you a space to record and reflect on your blessings each week as you focus through the year on four major themes: Home, Community, Faith, and Beauty.

With its lovely full-color photographs and illustrations, this textured hardcover book is a perfect keepsake. The weekly format offers just the right amount of encouragement to inspire, motivate, and create a grateful heart in all who write in its pages.

Where to Buy: Amazon | BN.com | Books A Million | Christianbooks.com | Target | Walmart

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My Thoughts:

The 52 Weeks of Gratitude: A One-Year Journal to Reflect, Pray, and Record Thankfulness from Ink & Willow addresses many topics within four main categories: home, community, faith, and beauty. The journal is not seasonal based and can be started at any time of the year. Personally, I liked doing one entry every 2-3 days instead of one per week.

Each journal prompt in 52 Weeks of Gratitude covers a two-page spread. The topic is highlighted at the top and followed by a Scripture. A few sentences about the topic come next and a related reflection question offers the prompt to respond to. While many of the questions could be answered in 3-5 quick sentences, there was so much space to write that it felt like an invitation to dig deeper beyond the first answer – to question the why, to think of memories, or to compose a prayer of thanksgiving. At the bottom of the second page, there is a brief call-to-action.

I have enjoyed using the 52 Weeks of Gratitude journal and will continue to do so. It is a nice way to take a few minutes to reflect and be mindful. Thankfulness has a way of turning my mind to a more positive state and reminding me of my blessings.

I recommend 52 Weeks of Gratitude from Ink & Willow to anyone looking for an inspirational journal that mixes Scripture, faith, and thankfulness. The journal itself is beautiful, sturdy, and has the look/feel of a premium product. It lacks a built-in bookmark, but would still make a lovely gift for anyone who enjoys journaling.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal is part of the Living Expressions Collection by Tyndale Publishers. The introduction invites you to “connect with God in a fresh, new way” through creative expression (drawing, coloring, journaling, etc.) that supplements prayer and meditation on Scripture.

The journal's cover is eye-catching and the inside pages are tastefully illustrated. Each entry is two pages long and most coordinate a prayer, a Scripture, illustrations to color, and a lined space for writing thoughts and prayers. The lined space is limited and easily filled up, but there is usually blank space that can be used for overflow. Lest the journal be too uniform, the topics vary and sometimes there is simply blank space instead of lined space or a Scripture thought with no pre-written prayer. While coloring and journaling comprise most of the encouraged artistic activities, some suggest making a collage or drawing.

A few other things I liked about this journal:

It's challenging: The prayers often express thankfulness and then ask God for personal growth (which we all know can be difficult).

It's flexible: On days that you have plenty of time, there are pages with space for a lot of intricate coloring. For busy days, there are some that don't require coloring or very little coloring. The pages and thoughts don't compile, so you can skip around as needed.

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal would make a lovely gift for a woman of any age.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."