Search Our Blog Posts
Blog Article Tags
We love building relationships. Subscribe to our blog to receive weekly encouragement in your email inbox.
- Details
Thank you for...
Written by Débora Rodrigo de Racancoj
We have the habit of praying together every night before putting my four-year-old daughter into her bed. Her prayers are so pure and innocent that, at times, I would like to pray in the same way that she does. Each sentence in her prayer begins with "Thank you for ...". It does not matter if she is actually making a request, she will also use the expression "thank you for ...". I do not think I will ever forget that night when, after some thieves entered our home to steal, she ended her day with "Thank you, Lord for the bad guys who have taken our things." Of course her intention was not to be grateful for what had happened, but this made me think about it.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us that God's will is that we give thanks to God in everything. Not only in good times. I personally struggle to thank God for all the good things He gives me every day. There are many of them. But there are very few that I thank, mainly because most of them go by without me being aware that they are gifts from God (James 1:17).
And if I am unable to overcome this first test, how much more will the second cost me: being grateful for those not so pleasant things that happen in my life. James 1:2-4 encourages us to consider the trials as a reason for joy, I surmise that also as reasons of gratitude. It is true that the trials are those moments that make us mature as Christians and help us to be complete and perfect, as James mentions in his letter. It is not, therefore, out of place to give thanks during those times, perhaps not for the pain and suffering that they make us go through, but for the opportunity that they offer for our lives as Christians.
I challenge you to imitate my daughter before going to bed tonight, and try to complete an entire prayer in which each sentence begins with the expression "Lord, thank you for ...". I'm sure that we have many more reasons to be grateful than what we normally find.
- Details
My Thanksgiving List...
Written by Erica Peck
I sat down today and thought I would put on paper some of the things for which I’m thankful. We often feel grateful, but don’t recognize the full extent of how incredibly blessed we are. Sometimes writing it down helps. This by no means is an exhaustive list...it is just the beginning. Things I am grateful for:
Jesus as my LORD
This world is NOT my home
My husband, supportive, loyal, and always makes me laugh.
My first-born son, full of creativity and heart
My second-born son, full of life and giggles
My washing machine
Colorful, crunchy leaves in Fall
This chair I sit in
Jobs I can do and still be at home to raise my boys and support my family
The blessing of friendship
My mom, and all of her counsel, advice and example.
My dad, and his support, example and steadfastness
The Bible, oh the Bible.
Hot, running water.
Doctors and medicine
God’s creation I can enjoy with all of my senses.
My brother and sister-in-law, always so welcoming and caring of others
Delicious, wonderful food.
My cozy bed.
Like I said, this is just the beginning--I can think of many other things I am so, so grateful for, and I encourage you to write down your own list. As the old hymn goes, “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings see what God has done...and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”