‘Tis the season for writing out wishlists, filling the calendar, and stuffing our stomachs! Our to-do lists our longer than usual. At this time of year, we tend to spend more time thinking about we need, want, or plan on than usual.

Sometimes it’s refreshing and helpful to remember what we already have.

What We Have as God’s Children

• The Spirit

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” –Romans 8:6

• God’s Own Word

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” –2 Timothy 3:16

• The Riches of Christ

“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ.” –Ephesians 3:8

• A Place in God’s Kingdom

“Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” –James 2:5

• Faith, Grace, Hope, and a Testimony

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” –Romans 5:2

Ideas for Thinking on God’s Good, Perfect Gifts

• A few years ago I heard someone on the radio say that when they found themselves dwelling on lists of hurts or worries, they tried to switch and think on a list of blessings from God.
• Memorize Scripture! God gives His Word to us as a good gift and we can never spend too much time learning from Him through it.
• Focus on someone you love- thank God for them, pray for them, consider what a blessing they are to you.
• Recall your testimony. Remember how God has saved you. Praise Him for answered prayers and times when He has especially apparently worked in your life.
• Look up one of the names or character traits of God and consider the glory, matchless implications of God being who God is.

What else would you add? Any tips for re-orienting your mind to think on what you already have in Christ?

{A version of this post was previously published here}

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Let's pause to think on what we already have. Join my friend @BethanyMcIlrath as we take a moment to praise God in a busy season. Share your blog! #rechargewednesday #Grateful @bethanymcilrath
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It’s that time of year. We know how the season is supposed to go down. Besides pumpkin pie and turkey, we are encouraged to cultivate attitudes of gratitude. Something accomplished by growing grateful hearts.

Such as these attitudes:

Count our blessings.

Be thankful.

Express our gratefulness.

Show our generosity.

And when we look at this list, do we think of our lives, our family, and more importantly, our God? 

So how do we cultivate attitudes of gratitude in all the areas of our lives, for the people in our lives, and for the God who gives us life? 

Even further, are gratitude, generosity, and thanksgiving possible January through December—not just during November or on Thanksgiving Day?

And where do we start? Let’s use the list in the introduction and unpack each one.

(1.) Count Our Blessings: Growing Grateful Hearts

Everyone brace yourselves. This is going to blow our minds! The Lord provides:

• Basic needs. 
• Our people: spouse, children, extended family, friends, and Himself in the three persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• Skills (jobs), talents, spiritual gifts, and identity in Christ. 
• Life: eternal life, abundant life, and life itself…the very breath in our lungs.
• Every spiritual blessing. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) While it’s not an exhaustive list, these include: amazing grace, never-ending mercy, unconditional and undying love, unsurpassed peace, real hope, authentic faith, unwavering truth (the Bible), overflowing joy, God’s fullness for our emptiness, and the Lord’s goodness, kindness, and compassion. 

If we counted our blessings, really made a list, our mouths may gape open and our hearts fill with gratitude. So, go ahead, make a list. Count your blessings. 

(2.) Be Thankful: Growing Grateful Hearts

Psalm 100 exclaims a thankfulness to the Lord. Look at verse 4, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (ESV) The psalm paints a picture of thankfulness for God’s goodness and mercy in our lives and so much more. 

And thanksgiving often changes our perspective. Whether life is going great or we are walking through hardships. Thanking God for all He’s done and all He will do cultivates a grateful heart.

Whether life is going great or we are walking through hardships. Thanking God for all He’s done and all He will do cultivates a grateful heart. #thanksgiving @fridaykaren
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(3.) Express Our Gratefulness: Growing Grateful Hearts

Recently, I told a friend I was grateful for her friendship. Yet, when was the last time I expressed those same sentiments to family members and to the Lord? Some examples: 

• Spouse, “Honey, I’m so grateful you’re in my life and for all you mean to our family.”
• Children, “I thank the Lord He allowed me to be your mother. You are special to me.”
• Friends, “Your encouragement in my life and my Christian walk means more than you know. I’m grateful for you.”
• God, “Lord, I stand amazed at Your craftsmanship in me as Creator, Your faithfulness and care to me as Father, Your voice and direction to me as Guide, Your revelation and wisdom to me as Truth, and Your redemption and protection for me as Rescuer and Deliverer. Thank You, Lord. I’m so grateful.”

(4.) Show Our Generosity: Growing Generous Hearts

Our gratefulness directly affects our generosity. Years ago, as I reflected on gratitude, God spoke to my heart. 

Grateful people are generous people. Generous people are grateful people. 

It proves true with me. When gratefulness rises in my heart, I’m more generous with my money and time and service to others. Likewise, when my generosity bubbles over on others, gratefulness swells in my soul. 

Therefore, we ask ourselves if we are generous with our time, money, service, love, spiritual gifts, and forgiveness. 

Do we show acts of generosity to our family, friends, neighbors, community, and the least of these—hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and imprisoned—as defined in Matthew 25?

Yes, it’s that time of year. But let’s ask the Lord to help us in growing grateful and generous hearts all year long.

Also see Sincere ThanksGiving Through ThanksLiving.

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Whether it’s our favorite foods or trying something new, recipes assist in the desired result. Even online dish-and-recipe photos pull us in with the promise of achieving success as the cook.

Every Thanksgiving, I follow a special recipe to make my Grandmother Clarkston’s lemon pie. Yum. It’s my favorite dessert of all time.

Then, as soon as I post pie photos on social media, family and friends, far and wide, ask for the recipe.

Stirring up a Thankful Heart

Recipes always call for measurements—a cup of this or a tablespoon of that. Likewise, we often make other measures in life.

But where do we find the recipe for a thankful heart? What ingredients work together to make a heart full of thanksgiving? 

A real thankful heart never comes easy, much less during the last few difficult years experienced around the world—including my world and perhaps yours.

Because we don’t have to look far to see devastation, need, loss, hurt, lack and hopelessness.

You see, these factors only affect our heart if we allow it. We decide whether our hearts turn hard toward God or thankful.

Our circumstances never dictate true thankfulness in our heart.

Our circumstances never dictate true thankfulness in our heart. @FridayKaren #thankful #recipe #blog
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So here are eight ingredients to stir up a T-H-A-N-K-F-U-L heart.

Thankful Heart Recipe

T – Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)

The first bite of lemon pie always reminds me of its goodness. Similarly, God reminds us over and over He’s a good, good Father. God alone is reason enough to give thanks.   

H – Help others. (Philippians 2:4, Matthew 25:42-44)

Kingdom principles rarely make sense to our limited minds. When we look to the interests and needs of others, and when we help the least of these, it grows a thankful heart.

A – Accelerate praise and giving thanks to the Lord. (Psalm 7:17, Psalm 69:30)

As our voice sings praises and gives thanks, and raises Hallelujahs!, our heart naturally overflows with thankfulness. Praise + giving thanks = a thankful heart.

As our voice sings praises and gives thanks, and raises Hallelujahs!, our heart naturally overflows with thankfulness. Praise + giving thanks = a thankful heart. #thanksgiving #blog
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N – Nourish our soul. (Isaiah 55:1-3, John 6:35)

Holidays and special occasions find most of us nourishing our body with nutrients and vitamins (and other stuff we won’t mention here). But replenishing our soul with spiritual nourishment brings spiritual vitality and life. We go to the bread of life, Jesus, to satisfy our hunger and thirst.

K – Keep the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Like straying from a recipe botches the dish, straying from the foundations of our faith leaves us open to worldly perspectives and a less than whole heart devoted to God.

More Ingredients

F – Form an attitude of gratitude. (1 Timothy 4:4, Hebrews 12:28)

An attitude makes all the difference. Forming a specific one doesn’t happen overnight. Hebrews 12:28 encourages us to “be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” (ESV) And 1 Timothy 4:4 says, “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” (ESV) Attitudes of gratitude connect thanksgiving to our heart.

U – Understand God’s blessings. (Ephesians 1:3)

We’ve heard it said to count our blessings. And we know we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. While it’s not an exhaustive list, these include: amazing grace, never-ending mercy, unconditional and undying love, unsurpassed peace, real hope, authentic faith, unwavering truth, overflowing joy and God’s fullness for our emptiness.

L – Lay up treasures in heaven. (Matthew 6:19-21)

We have all lost earthly treasure. Maybe especially over the last few years. Perhaps income, home, retirement, investments, insurance, or other.

One sure-fire way to cook up a thankful heart? Lay up treasures in heaven. A place treasure is never destroyed and no one steals from us.

One sure-fire way to cook up a thankful heart? Lay up treasures in heaven. A place treasure is never destroyed and no one steals from us. #thankful #blog
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Have you left out any ingredients for a thankful heart?

Let’s put this recipe to use this Thanksgiving and all year long.

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LINKUP is open. Join my friend @FridayKaren for a special recipe this Thanksgiving. Just as a great recipe makes a delicious dish when we add all the ingredients, there's a recipe to follow for a thankful heart. Share your blog! #blog
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The Rev. Alexander Whyte was a Scottish minister and author of the 19th century known by his congregation as a man of an unwavering grateful spirit. Regardless of the circumstances, he seemed always to find something for which to be thankful. One of his parishioners told a story about a gloomy Sunday morning when a friend commented, just before the service started: “Certainly the preacher won’t think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this.” However, no sooner had the man said these words, the reverend opened the service with a prayer: “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.”

The story reminded me of a research I did several years ago for a message I prepared for my first large conference as the keynote speaker. As I prayed about the theme of the message, I felt led to Psalm 42. The first verse of this psalm became well-known inside the Christian community after Seattle-native Martin J. Nystrom launched the song “As the Deer” in 1984.

“As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee.”

Both the song and the psalm’s emphasis are on the writer’s trust, love and hope in God, but a study on chapter 42 in its entirety finds a man fighting against the shadows of depression that threaten to steal his peace and his faith.

Scholarly opinions diverge concerning the authorship of this psalm. Some believe the “sons of Korah” wrote Psalms 42 to 49. They were a clan of Levites appointed by King David as the temple’s musicians. According to these scholars, these psalms were composed during the Babylonian exile when the writers were far from their homeland and their place of worship, fighting depression and reminiscing the days when they worshipped in Jerusalem’s temple.

Other scholars, such as the notorious Matthew Henry, attribute this psalm to King David. As Henry states in his commentary: “(…) we may conjecture that it was penned by (David) at a time when, either by Saul’s persecution or Absalom’s rebellion, he was driven from the sanctuary and cut off from the privilege of waiting upon God in public ordinances.”

We may not be sure concerning this psalm’s authorship, but the sentiment behind the famous words is broadly familiar. As one reads Psalm 42, one finds a man caught between depression and faith, struggling to keep his heart anchored in God’s promises while facing desperate circumstances.

“My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” (v.3)

The author’s pain and sense of isolation are deep and real, and yet, as we read on, we witness his steadfast determination not to succumb to depression:

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, for the help of His presence.”

The psalm is, by all accounts, a lesson in thanksgiving during difficult times. And I believe it is a message much needed this year, as many of God’s faithful children have faced incredible hardships or find themselves isolated from their loved ones this Holiday season.

Depression is indeed one of the most common emotional issues during life’s difficult trials. This psalm reveals a man caught in deep emotional pain but who refuses to succumb to its tentacles. His answer is simple yet challenging to anyone in the middle of a personal crisis: He looks back to remember God’s faithfulness in the past and looks forward, by faith, declaring that the same God who was faithful then, is still faithful now.

Remember God’s faithfulness in the past and look forward, by faith, declaring that the same God who was faithful then, is still faithful now. @AJC #Mondaydevotional #MondayMotivation #Thanksgiving2020 #Thankful
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God had not abandoned him, and His deliverance would undoubtedly come. The author proclaimed God’s redemption, even though his eye did not see it coming.

Maybe this holiday season finds you in a similar place. Perhaps like the author of Psalm 42, your life has changed so dramatically that you find your heart’s song wavering between depression and hope, anxiety and trust. Maybe, like a deer panting for water, your soul is dry, longing for God to revive it again.

If that is you, let the psalmist’s lesson on Thanksgiving guide you today. Look back. Remember the countless ways that God rescued you in the past.

And then, just as The Rev. Whyte boldly declared his trust and thanksgiving to God on that gloomy day, dare to say:

“We thank Thee, O God, that it will not always be like this.”

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, November 21, 2020. Click HERE to read it on the AJC’s website.

Hard to find things to be grateful for these days? Do as the author of Psalm 42 did: look back, remember God's faithfulness in the past, and rejoice! The same God who was faithful then... is faithful today and forevermore. @AJC…
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The post Look Back to Bring Forth Thanksgiving {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Although Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, I enjoy celebrating the time set aside for giving thanks.

Maybe you’re one of those people who already has your home Christmas-ready. That’s awesome for you. I say, To each her own.

Yet, it’s not my cup of tea. Not even holiday spiced tea. For me, I like both feet firmly planted in our thankful holiday before moving on. But the weekend after giving thanks? Then, I’m all about hanging ornaments, positioning blinking lights, and spreading Christmas cheer.

You see, I’m a straight lines kind of girl. So I never like to blur the lines of one holiday and cross over into another one at the same time.

Further, my family knows how much rule-keeping runs through my veins. Perhaps, this plays a role. Regardless of the reason, celebrating holidays distinctly, separately, and in chronological order remains my thing.

ThanksGiving Around the Table

This makes the fourth year to host my immediate family (kids and grandkids) and part of my husband’s family in our home for ThanksGiving. I enjoy everything about it: gathering with loved ones, decorating the table with my little pilgrims and a few pumpkins, and doing a portion of the cooking with my guests bringing dishes to add to our spread.

And the overall menu lands in the top spot as my all-time-favorite meal. A menu of turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, mac & cheese, green beans, sweet potato casserole, homemade rolls, and pies—pumpkin and lemon (my grandmother Clarkston’s recipe).

Yum! I can hardly wait!

ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving

Still, we know the celebration isn’t just about taking our seat at the table to gobble down savory and sweet delicacies. Instead, it’s about ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving.

To encourage our thankfulness along, let’s remind ourselves to give thanks for and to our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many gifts. And He has done great things.

To encourage our thankfulness along, let’s remind ourselves to give thanks 'for' and 'to' our great God. Because He's a good, good Father who's given us many gifts. And He has done great things. #Thanksgiving @FridayKaren
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Then we remind oursleves to give thanks to God through living a life of sincere ThanksGiving by ThanksLiving.

ThanksLiving is ThanksGiving supercharged and supersized.

ThanksLiving is ThanksGiving supercharged and supersized. #Thankful #Thanksgiving @FridayKaren
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But what does this look like? How do we go about it?

Perhaps in part like this acronym.

T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G:

Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)

Honor the Lord with our lips and obey His commandments in our heart. (Isaiah 29:13)

Abide in Jesus as the vine for a fruitful life. (John 15)

Number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

Keep the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Satisfy our longing soul and hungry soul with good things from God. (Psalm 107:9)

Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. (Isaiah 12:4)

Increase our praise to God, for His steadfast love is better than life. (Psalm 63:3)

Value our life, and every good and perfect gift from the Father of lights. (James 1:17)

Invite others to the foot of Calvary’s cross and an empty tomb, not ashamed of the gospel. (Romans 1:16)

Name God as Lord of our life, living in righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

Gain godliness with contentment. (1 Timothy 6:6)

Happy ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving! 

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LINKUP is open! Join my friend @FridayKaren to discuss giving thanks to God through living a life of sincere ThanksGiving by ThanksLiving. Because God is Lord of our lives. Share your #blog #thanksgiving
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What if you woke up this morning and found the only things you had left were the things you thanked God for yesterday? ~ Terry Shock

I am afraid I would lose many of the treasures I take for granted. What about you?

Did you thank God yesterday for your ability to see, hear, touch, taste, and speak? What about for your sense of balance, ability to sleep and to digest your food? Did you thank God for clean water, hot water, and indoor plumbing?

What people would you miss if you hadn’t taken time to thank God for them? Not just the ones in your family, but the ones who grow your food, repair your car, treat your illness, and serve your coffee.

What people would you miss if you hadn’t taken time to #thank God for them? Not just the ones in your family, but the ones who grow your food, repair your car, treat your illness, and serve your coffee. #RechargeWednesday @DebbieWWilson
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Are you more likely to notice what’s broken or what works? Our local newspaper quoted a former soldier who said many of his buddies have lost feet and knees from roadside bombs. Now when his hurt, he’s thankful he still has them.

Listen to Paul’s words:

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB)

Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father. ~ Ephesians 5:20 (NASB)

Thankfully God doesn’t take away our gifts because we forget to thank Him. But giving thanks opens our eyes to how rich we are.

Pausing to thank God for all I wouldn’t want to lose showed me how wealthy I truly am. And guess what. You’re on my list of thanksgivings! May God grant you a wonderful Thanksgiving and us all grateful hearts.

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The dreadful, tormenting gadget blinked once, twice …  and thus, the hopes of eating nothing but salads and protein went down the drain.

Great.

Let me tell you — of all the curses humanity inherited from Adam and Eve’s Fall, hormones are certainly among the most annoying ones. If you are a woman, they torment you from puberty to your early 60s, give or take. That’s almost half a century of ups and downs of emotions, energy, and, to many of us, weight fluctuations.

I stepped down from the scale, determined to stay the course of my journey. I put on sneakers and workout clothes and went outside for my morning walk. While climbing the first steep hill, an inventory of the previous week ran through my mind: I stuck to my eating program and exercised three times that week. I drank plenty of water and slept well. Yet, my metabolism seems to have slowed down to a stop.

“Hormones,” I thought. “I hate hormones.” Frustration built up as my legs marched toward the top of the hill. That’s when that Still Small Voice interrupted my tirade:

“Give Thanks … and open your eyes to see what I see.”

As the uphill journey became increasingly harder with each step, God shifted my thoughts from the pettiness of my complaints to the mountains I climbed by faith and the many valleys I crossed.

I remembered how not long ago, my legs would not have had the strength to stand, much less run, as several health problems and surgeries made it impossible to move at a fast pace for many years.

I remembered my friend’s husband, who currently struggles with terminal cancer, and how I am sure he wishes he had the strength to climb a hill.

I remembered that the same hormones that currently fluctuate inside my body made it possible to conceive our precious daughters, while so many women struggle with infertility every day.

As the top of the hill approached, my heart’s attitude started shifting while an image popped in my mind: the life-giving message printed on a beautiful canvas that a dear friend gave me for my birthday this year. The words, penned by King David in Psalm 139, present a poignant invitation to shift our perspective from what we see in the mirror to what God sees when He looks at us:

“For You formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.”

For You formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well. #MondayDevotional
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As I repented from my shallow point of view, God filled me with thanksgiving and praise. And so, I thanked Him for legs that may not be as muscular as they once were, but which are certainly healthy and strong enough to carry me throughout my days. I thanked Him because, regardless of how much I weigh or how many new wrinkles show up on my face as the years go by, God sees me as beautifully, skillfully, and wonderfully made.

We are beautiful — not because the world says so, the mirror agrees, or the scale confirms. We are beautiful because we are made in God’s image and skillfully crafted by an Omnipotent God.

We are beautiful — not because the world says so, the mirror agrees, or the scale confirms. We are beautiful because we are made in God’s image and skillfully crafted by an Omnipotent God.
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As the one-mile walk up and down the hills reached the lake in my subdivision, one of my favorite worship songs by Lauren Daigle started playing. In this inspired song, Daigle calls us to fight the voices in our minds that say we are not enough, by reminding ourselves of whom God says we are. The words pierced my heart as a journey to blow off steam from my frustrating experience with the scale that morning turned into praise:

“The only thing that matters now is everything you think of me. In you I find my worth, in you I find my identity.”

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday – July 6, 2019.

Watch Lauren Daigle’s YouTube video for “You Say”:

The post Who (or What) – Determines your Worth? {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

The sentence is repeated again and again throughout November.

Facebook friends start a “Gratitude List” on November 1, listing one reason to be grateful for each day of the month. We open social media and it’s everywhere. Cooking channels and magazines devote their November issue to the celebrated holiday.  We feel the crisp autumn air, take out heavy jackets that were tucked away in the closet and prepare our palates to taste the turkey and dressing (and, my favorite! Sweet potato casserole – another reason to be grateful for Turkey Day.)

We sit around the table, filling our bellies and hearts with comfort food and easy conversations. To some, a wonderful day to reconnect with family. To others, a bitter-sweet day, as we remember Thanksgivings past, when loved ones who are no longer with us graced our table with their laughter.

Whether we are in the mountaintop or in the valley, Thanksgiving rings as a reminder that we have indeed much to be grateful for. #Thanksgiving
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I have been studying the book of Psalms for the past many months and came across Psalm 89 this past week.

This Psalm was written by a musician called Ethan, at a time of national distress in Israel.  It is uncertain when it was written. Some scholars believe it was written during the Absalom rebellion, and therefore this Ethan would be the one mentioned in the story of Solomon (1 Chronicles 15:17). Others believe it was written during the time of the Babylonian captivity, when the Holy City stood desolate and king Zedekiah was insulted and abused by Nebuchadnezzar, thus making this musician a different Ethan.

What is unique about this maskil (a psalm set to a tune of a song) is how it is formatted. Many psalms begin with complaints and prayers for rescue, and end with joy and praise. But this one flipped the equation. The psalmist starts with praise and thanksgiving for God’s steadfast faithfulness, remembering His mighty deeds, provision and deliverance, and it ends with complaints and supplication.

Ethan looks at the desolation in Israel, acknowledges the hopelessness that lingered over God’s people, but instead of starting with a prayer for deliverance, he reaches deep within his heart, and starts his song with praise.

From “I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations” … (v.1) to “How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is!” (vs. 46-47a), the psalmist worship-turn-to-prayer culminates with an explosion of praise:

Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

It does not matter whether the Psalm was written during the revolt of the ten tribes after Solomon’s death, or if this psalmist penned his words while looking at the ruins of Jerusalem’s temple, the fact is, Ethan and Israel did not have much to be thankful for at the time.

Except… they could look back and remember God’s faithfulness to His people… list their blessings… cry out… and bless His Holy Name. For when they looked back, they knew it. The God of Israel would show up again. The same sentiment filled Job’s heart after losing everything:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

It is the story of the faithful throughout the Bible.

And it should be the story of the faithful today.

Because the same God who inspired Job to trust when he lost everything… and the same God whose faithful deeds prompted distressed psalmists to praise, is alive and well today.

The same God who inspired Job to trust when he lost everything… and the same God whose faithful deeds prompted distressed psalmists to praise, is alive and well today. #Thanksgiving
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Maybe your cup is full this Thanksgiving. Maybe your psalm today looks like the beginning of Ethan’s song… “You are faithful God… thank you God… Bless you, Yahweh!”

But then again, I know many people whose song resembles the end of Ethan’s cry: A desperate plea for help.

If that’s you today…

If depression has set in, and circumstances have you bound in a cloud of doubt and despair…

If anxious thoughts and unanswered prayers make your “Happy Thanksgiving” greeting as empty as your heart feels…

If that’s you today, my friend…

How about you accept my invitation to mediate on Ethan’s song? With a nation in ruins, all hope gone, this man of God set his heart and thoughts into this inscrutable, immutable truth:

Yahweh, the God of the Covenant never changes. Just as He’s done in the past, from generation to generation, His faithful deliverance and grace will reign in your life once again. Thank Him for His faithfulness in the past. Make a list of the times He’s delivered, provided and healed. And then, by faith, rejoice in His faithfulness for your future.

Thank God for His faithfulness in the past. Make a list of the times He’s delivered, provided and healed. And then, by faith, rejoice in His faithfulness for your future. #Thanksgiving
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You may not see it… and you may not feel it. But your deliverance, provision and grace… are certain.

“Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen!”

May that be the anthem of your faith. May it become your Thanksgiving song.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
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The post Not Feeling Thankful? appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

The king continued walking through his garden, dismayed by its desolate state, when he came across a small violet. Its tiny frame was beautifully bright and full of life. The king told the small flower: “You look radiant! You don’t seem to be the least disheartened about the misery and discouragement around you.” The violet replied: “No, I am not. I know I’m small, yet, I imagine that if you wanted an oak tree or a pine tree where I am, you would have planted one. Since I know you wanted a violet, I am determined to be the very best violet I can be.”

This allegory gives me pause. It makes me think of how much time and energy we waste wishing for something we cannot attain, or striving to be someone we were never meant to be.

How much time and energy we waste wishing for something we cannot attain, or striving to be someone we were never meant to be. #RechargeWednesday
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We hear stories of beautiful women who submit themselves to excruciatingly painful procedures to change their body’s shape. We watch as people’s faces become deformed because they cannot accept aging as a natural process of life. We hear about young teenagers who starve themselves in an attempt to look like celebrities and models on magazines. We witness preachers striving to copy famous preachers, parents pushing their kids to the extremes of competition, and employees begrudging their peers for being promoted.

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Envy and jealousy sear in a society that insists on believing that the grass is always greener on the other side.
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I can’t help but imagine God as the king in the story, sadly walking through his garden and watching his plants become gloomy and lifeless where he planted them. He watches as we sneer at his provision and his unique design for each of our lives, and as his work becomes repetitious and dull, rather than vibrantly unique.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

It’s not that we shouldn’t strive to become better. I am certainly not against all plastic surgery, seeking better job opportunities or admiring those who are great examples of leadership for the work of the kingdom. We should indeed look at successful people and appreciate their unique virtues and, whenever their success is more than skin deep, even look up to them as great examples to follow. But the issue becomes when we are so engrossed comparing ourselves to others and desiring their shade of glory, that we forget that God has a unique plan for each one of us, and that our job is to be the very best we can be, wherever he plants us.

It’s true — the happiest, most successful and fulfilled human beings are those who embrace their uniqueness, play on their strengths and find contentment wherever God places them. Whether as a mighty oak tree or a small violet planted on the corner of the garden, their secret is accepting themselves and their place of service with grateful hearts, remembering that if and when God wants them to bear fruit elsewhere, he will make provision to move them to a broader field.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s Column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC)

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LINKUP PARTY is open! As we approach the holidays, @PatHolbrook reflects on one of the reasons some remain ungrateful: Comparison. Join us & share your blog!
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“For several minutes, we both sat silently watching the gulls soar overhead, listening to the surf break on the beach. Then Jones began to gather the empty cans and place them in the plastic bag. Standing, he extended his hand and helped me to my feet. ‘Incidentally,’ he said with a smile, ‘you ate sardines and Vienna sausages in the sand. I dined on surf and turf with an ocean view.’ He slapped me on the back. ‘It’s all about perspective.’”

The text above is an excerpt from one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read: “The Noticer” by best-selling author and corporate speaker Andy Andrews.

The main character in the novel, Jones (the Noticer), is based on a man Andrews met when he was a homeless 23-year-old, living under a pier on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. His real name was indeed Jones and he really called himself a Noticer. According to Andrews, Jones is one of the main reasons he no longer sleeps under a pier.

The Noticer’s objective throughout the book is to show everyone he encounters how gratitude is a matter of perspective. Filled with stories of people who had lost hope and found themselves stuck in self-deprecating, destructive behaviors, this part-fiction, part-memoir masterpiece has become one of my favorite gift items for loved ones and friends.

The above passage in particular, plays in my mind every time I find my emotions stuck in the dooming thought patterns that difficult circumstances can bring.

As part of his homeless dinner, Andrews shared canned tuna and sausages with Jones while sitting on the beach sand. While Andrews saw it as a poor man’s meal, the Noticer delighted himself by choosing to see the meal as a feast fit for a king, simply by focusing on the beauty of the environment and gratitude for God’s provision.

The Noticer was determined to live a life of thanksgiving, regardless of his circumstances, and he made it his mission to help people see the hidden blessings in life’s hard spots.

I believe this mindset is crucial for an abundant, victorious life.

Andy Andrews is not alone in the list of successful people who learned to press on through seemingly forsaken circumstances by maintaining a positive outlook in life, while often leaning on God for strength and hope.

History is filled with amazing characters, who came out of the poorest, most difficult environments, only to rise to stardom, wealth and influence.

The bible itself is filled with misfits, weak and failing men and women, who were successful in their calling, and eventually became giants of faith. They did so because they chose not to focus on their weaknesses and hardships, but rather, believed that God’s omnipotent hand was in their trials, molding and strengthening them for a purpose. Their faith acted as a key to unleash Heaven’s bountiful blessings, and I am convinced that the only reason they received them is because they chose to look at their circumstances through God’s viewpoint.

When asked to list the things that make us grateful this Thanksgiving season, our natural tendency is to name only the seemingly good things in our lives.

But what if we choose to become Noticers, thus changing our perspective in every single circumstance we are facing, even the hardest? What if we choose to see a “surf and turf meal with an ocean view” even when all we have is canned tuna and sausage, while sitting in the sand? Could it be that noticing the blessings and thanking God in the hardest situations is the key to change our future?

Noticing the blessings & thanking God in hard situations can be the key to change our future
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This article was published in Patricia’s column for the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Faith & Value Section on Saturday, November 26.

The post Sometimes Gratitude Is Changing Perspective {Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.