While many of us in the U.S. celebrate Thanksgiving this week with loved ones and abundant food, may we also pause to express thanks for the bounty we have received. To that end, I have rounded up a number of articles that focus on gratitude.
Wherever you find yourself this season, may you experience joy and love.
Like many of your families, we have an extravagant meal do the whole routine of “Let’s go around the table and everyone share something they are thankful for.” We resolve to be more thankful throughout the year. And we do the same thing the next year. So how do we live in thanksgiving in between holiday celebrations?
Overwhelming gratitude is born in our hearts. It begins in our thoughts. It permeates our attitudes. It seeps out in our words. It is heard in our prayers.
I thought of Jesus, his short life on this earth, and the way he died. I thought of the relationship I now have with him, and I thought of the perspective it brings.
When we intentionally choose to name the blessings in our lives, we engage in a transformational experience. It gives us a lens through which we will begin to see life and God differently.
I thank God for your leadership and your sacrifice. For many, it goes unseen by the congregation and unacknowledged. But know that you matter, you are valued, you are important to God
Grief is real, but so is hope. And hope in Jesus carries us through the grief all the way home.
The truth of God’s saving grace through faith becomes realer than real when experienced in life, interacting with those who wear skin. We need to have, to be, a friend.
A Grateful Haiku:
Gratitude unties
resentment’s tangle leaving
fresh eyes for God’s gifts.
At my workplace, we have a jar with the phrase “good vibes” emblazoned on the side. Next to the jar are colorful strips of paper and a pen.
Ingratitude doesn’t just cause you to miss the miracle; it also takes you further away from all that is good.
I want to take a moment to encourage you to lift up those working in ministry during these challenging times.
What will follow this season remains to be seen, but it will certainly alter what church looks like and how we practice the way of Jesus. What should leaders do as we enter into this uncertain and challenging time?
With how much restraint do you enjoy life’s greatest pleasures?
When a biblical writer says something like “this is pleasing to God,” we’d better lean in and take a close look because that sounds important.
The gospel is an emotional story that requires emotional intelligence to discern and follow.
In lieu of fresh material today, I have gathered several posts that reflect on Thanksgiving, gratitude, table fellowship, and food.
You are the ones who often find yourselves on the frontlines of ministry, navigating tricky pastoral issues, coordinating care, and offering compassion.
I have a very simple proposition: rejoicing and weeping, great joy and great sorrow, leave us in places of great temptation to idolatry.
When we neglect to give God thanks, our hearts become darkened, and we perceive everything in shades of grey. Our minds spin in futility, unable to grasp the reality of colors beyond our grasp.
Frequently, leaders find themselves soaring in their respectful arenas, while suffocating at the same time. While there are many practices that are helpful, this article is designed to be a breath of fresh air.
Perhaps, as leaders, we could be more intentional about the practice of gratitude and allow our gratitude toward God to shape the ways in which we lead.
Was I putting energy into anyone’s day, or just cruising through my own day trying to avoid the vampires?
“Every good and perfect gift” is from the hand of God. Once I grasp this truth, I not only want to thank God, I am glad he has commanded me to do so!
How often do we tell our churches that we are proud of them? How often do we express our appreciation for how we see their faith impacting the world around them?
To those who wonder if anyone appreciates what you do for the church, know that your efforts are valued, even when taken for granted.
Father, God of the Christ child,
born into poverty, in the filth of a manger.
It takes little effort to see
that some are blessed,
others not.
Lord, it’s Sunday morning, and I’m at home;
the community is meeting, but I’m alone with you.
One nation devoted to spending money
on things we believe will bring us joy.
