Ann Voskamp – Me From the Inside Out

Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

Our Eyes Are On You

Posted on November 14, 2024November 14, 2024 by

“Doxology is always the first line of defense against the dark.”
Ann Voskamp

Over the past decade, Ann Voskamp has been a tool in God’s hands, by which He has reshaped my life, so it should come as no surprise that I am sharing one of her blogs with you while we traipse through some side trails as we await our next journey. The timing is perfect because it focuses on gratitude. However, the content is helpful to our walk of faith and, therefore, perfect for any time of the year. I pray it is a blessing.

Ann writes:

“Watching your little sister get crushed and killed under a wheel when you’re only only four-years-old? That’s a moment that’s going to take decades to process.”

My therapist says it steady, his eyes searching mine, reading my face.

And I turn away, as if not looking into his eyes but out the window, I can turn back all this startling wave of drowning ache.

“I’m kinda worried about you, Annie,” a friend comes looking for me after that therapy session. “You… okay?”

“Yes, of course, I am… and no, I’m not… and yes, I am. You know… ” I smile weakly, bravely, through everything brimming.

Every single one of us is walking through some kind of deep heartbreak, and real life strain, and if you look into people’s eyes, and ask the right tender question, there it is: a fracture of pain right up the side of their one life. Bruised relationships, and draining bank accounts, and weary dreams, and sheer mountains ahead of us, and who isn’t a bit tired of the fight called life?

This world is a broken-heart factory, and it’s full of His glory, and it’s only holding both of those, that you let go and find joy.
Ann Voskamp/Blog/When It’s Kinda Hard to Give Thanks

Read the rest of the story here: When It’s Kinda Hard to Give Thanks

The More We Know

*Note: This is a bittersweet glimpse into her life and a glimpse of just some of the trauma and heartache she has known. If you’re not familiar with Ann and her writings, I encourage you to check out some of her blogs or pick up a copy of her book, One Thousand Gifts.

Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, Know These Truths, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time

You are Good

Posted on February 16, 2024February 16, 2024 by

Originally posted July 16, 2015

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 NLT

Father, You are Good – To define it is sometimes difficult – because it is simply and yet profoundly who You are – GOOD! Teach me to know Your goodness – to see it, and hear it, and sense it, and to walk in it, and share it all of my days. For you desire it in me and by Your Spirit have equipped me for it.

Even as I asked this of You – to teach me to know Your Goodness – I lay down my pen and begin to read from my “One Thousand Gifts” devotional and you meet me there on the page revealing Your goodness in Your intimacy with me – for there on the page I read: “Augustine had asked two questions of the world: ‘If there is no God, why is there so much good? If there is a God, why is there so much evil?'” … I continue to read and line upon line alludes to Your goodness. I asked and You begin to answer – and even Your beginning – it is Good. “All this good makes me grateful, and my own heart needs this – A filling of His great-fullness. Gratefulness is always to someone and when I am grateful, isn’t it always evidence of God? – A filling of awe of His goodness.” I turned the page and there it was – the ultimate expression – just what I began this prayer with – Your answer to me – “There are things that need no words. HIS LOVE clearly manifest in the everywhere problem of GOOD.”

WOW God! and I echo the prayer she pens at the bottom of the page – “… in a world that faces the very real problem of evil, may I face it everywhere today – the very real proof of good.” And Father, may I – in seeing it and hearing it and sensing it – may I then be given words that are fitting to proclaim it! Your goodness begs to be proclaimed!

As I drove to work You continued to answer by opening my senses to the the bulging river, green trees, the fresh air, the donkey and the kid (goat) – I love seeing them – it’s the simple things that make me smile. And again, my soul echoes – You are Good!

(quotes from “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp)

Bible study, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, Thanksgiving

The Habit of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2023November 22, 2023 by

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Eph. 5:20

The following is shared from a facebook post by Ann Voskamp on November 15, 2023. Ann is a joy to read and listen to. She is a catalyst of knowing, loving, and worshiping God. She plants seeds and nurtures them and today’s post is a beautiful example – Read each line, read them slow and let them soak in to the crevices of your heart, soul, and mind – and be prepared for joy to abound and thanksgiving to pour forth and become a habit that changes your life and touches the lives of those around you. I praise God for introducing her to me and for how He has used her to grow my faith and ignite a life of gratitude within me. I pray that she will be a blessing to you as well. – Me, from the insideout – 🦋

“As long as thanks to God is possible — then Joy in God is always possible.

But you better believe it: There’s a force in this world that does not want any of us to live in real joy.

Because Joy is dangerous — it’s igniting and contagious and otherworldly and it wins the war against the dark.

Joy isn’t Pollyanna– joy is revolutionary: Joy goes straight against the way the darkness spins.

Joy isn’t the optional feature of the Christian life. Joy is the operative feature of the Christian life –

Joy is a function of gratitude — and gratitude is a function of perspective.

So how do we see, how do we get and keep the perspective to see that there are gifts everywhere to be grateful for?

You trains your eyes to see gifts.

You make thanksgiving your life habit.

So we have got to pick up a pen & wield it like a sword & write down what we’re thankful for, & count gifts & fight this fight for joy because this is the thing:

Our God asks us to give thanks in everything —

because He knows this is the only way to live through *anything.*”

Response of Prayer

Father, thank You for the power of giving thanks and for the joy it ignites in us – a joy that is a force against the enemy and a contagion that spreads among Your people and brings You glory, praise, and honor! Thank You for Your servant, Ann. Thank You for the way You use her to touch and empower others with Your Word. Thank You for what she has taught me about giving thanks and how I have seen it change the way I think and respond and live. Use this post as a catalyst to ignite thanksgiving in the lives of those that read it – that You might be praised and the world around us might be impacted with life-long habits of thanksgiving and joy that flows from the gratitude. Train our eyes to see the gifts of Your grace and to respond with resounding praise! In and through the name of Jesus ❣ I pray – Amen!

Going Further in the Journey

Check out Ann’s book: “One Thousand Gifts” @ https://annvoskamp.com/onethousandgifts/

From the Insideout, God is good, Quiet Time

Perspective

Posted on November 18, 2022November 13, 2022 by

THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM ANN VOSKAMP’S ONE THOUSAND GIFTS

There is a way to live the big of giving thanks in all things.
It is this: to give thanks in this one small thing.The moments will add up

If gratitude is an antidote for anxiety…
and giving thanks is a real cure for stress—
why relegate thanksgiving to a holiday *when giving thanks can revolutionize our whole lives?*

So I just keep doing this, recording the gifts, gather the moments of His grace like manna.

Because joy is always a function of gratitude — and gratitude is always a function of perspective. – And if we are going to change our lives, we’re going to have to change the way we see.

This recording our gratitudes, this looking for blessings everywhere, this counting of gifts — this is what changes what we are looking for. *This is what changes our perspective.*

Thanksgiving is the lens God means for us to see joy all year round.

Because Thanksgiving is more than holiday—

So wherever you are, count your blessings, collect gifts, count it all joy.

Because it’s the brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful, who give thanks for it & discover joy even in the here and now —- they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world.

YOUR TURN: WHAT GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS ARE YOU FOCUSING ON TODAY? WHAT JOYS CAN YOU GIVE THANKS FOR AND BRING LIGHT TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU?

From the Insideout, God is good, Quiet Time

GRATITUDE

Posted on November 17, 2022November 13, 2022 by

Regardless of how many times I read this – it is always a good and necessary reminder. Does regret of the past hinder you from something today or how about anxiety about the future? PRACTICE speaking words of GRATITUDE out loud, right there where you are and see if it doesn’t diminish the regret and anxiety. Make it a habit at night before – or even as – you fall asleep. Speak them when you wake, when you drive, or in any idle moments. You’ll be surprised how it truly does change your present!

YOUR TURN: WHAT WORDS OF GRATITUDE CAN YOU SHARE HERE AND/OR WITH SOMEONE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY?

From the Insideout, God is good, Quiet Time

GOD IS GOOD

Posted on November 13, 2022November 13, 2022 by

“God is good!” We say it all the time, right? Well, we say it a lot – especially when things are going well – right? Admittedly, it is easier to say when things are going our way – but we may need to let the truth of this quote by Ann Voskamp sink in and stir our hearts to praise Him even when life doesn’t seem “good”. Here’s a recent example in my own life … as we waited for the ambulance to come the evening mom fell and broke her femur – in the midst of all the other thoughts going through my mind came this one thought – God thank you that she had her phone with her this time! It was a conversation she and I had had many times because she never kept it with her or knew where it was … but on this late afternoon, when I was out for the evening and most likely wouldn’t have checked on her until much later – she had it with her and I found myself saying over and over – in the midst of the trauma that was unfolding … in the middle of all the unknown that was ahead of us – God you are so good to have had her phone with her… and that one praise led to a host of others. You are so good to have given us friends/family that could get to her quicker than we could … You are so good to have kept her from hitting her head, just inches from a massive table leg that would have surely done damage … You are so good to have kept the spinal injury from being more serious … The ‘declaration’ became a saving grace as we waited out that long night in the ER …

YOUR TURN – HOW HAVE YOU SEEN HIS GOODNESS IN THE MIDST OF THE NOT SO GOOD? Feel free to share your response in the comment bar

From the Insideout

Eucharisteo: Giving Thanks

Posted on October 31, 2021October 29, 2021 by

(all quotes by Ann Voskamp)

Happy Thanksgiving ‘Season’ everyone! As we celebrate Thanksgiving, no matter what is filling your mind, turkey or shopping, football or Christmas movies, abundance or great needs, family gatherings or the loss of a loved one, remember: our thoughts can shape our outlook on the real meaning and even our experiences of the day. However, there is a word that might make the season – and perhaps even all of life – a bit more full of joy. The word is Eucharesteo, pronounced yoo-khar-is-teh’-o, which means – to be thankful. Engraved on a bracelet I wear daily – the word is never far from my mind, and always a reminder to “pursue a lifestyle of gratitude, grace, and joy that flow from giving thanks in all things“, as instructed by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18.

I had never heard the word before reading the book 1000 Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. In her book, Ann describes the word as – “the word that can change everything: Eucharisteo—it comes right out of the Gospel of Luke: ‘And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them…’ (Luke 22:19 NIV). In the original language, ‘he gave thanks‘ reads ‘eucharisteo.’ The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning ‘grace.’ Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be a gift and gave thanks. It also holds the derivative, the Greek word, chara, meaning ‘joy’ …”

In the book, Ann raises this thought-provoking question – “How do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does a life of gratitude look like when your days are gritty, long, and sometimes dark? What is God providing here and now?” She found the answer through the daily habit of writing down God’s gifts. She writes, “when we give thanks, we find ourselves wildly loved by God.”

“The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live…. He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything….”
Ann Voskamp, 1000 Gifts

From the Insideout

Thanksgiving 2020

Posted on November 28, 2020November 28, 2020 by

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

What a year we have had! Different from any other than we have known – which may be said of any year – but let’s be honest – not with quite the magnitude of 2020! It’s been filled with a pandemic that’s included confusion, fears, deaths, arguments, economic struggles, and disasters, loss of lives and jobs and sanity – and the list goes on. We have watched riots of various degrees and reasons, and political chaos, not to mention all of the individual happenings in our own lives.

So how, in this crazy messed up world, can we be thankful? And, for what can we be thankful? As I was typing these questions, a song I heard and sang often growing up in church came to mind. Count Your Blessings, was just a hymn in those days but little did I know that the words were teaching me a lesson I would use throughout the course of my life. I don’t know when it happened, but for as long as I can remember it has actually been a ‘go-to’ for me in times of trouble or sadness. I have used its underlying principle of naming my blessings whenever life is challenging, or disappointing, depressing, discouraging … well, you get the picture. Since any of those words could easily sum up 2020 it isn’t surprising that it comes to mind now.

In looking up the lyrics – so that I could make sure to include all the right words and the writers name, I came across this quote published in a “Story Behind the Song“, in the St. Augustine Record. Since it goes to the heart of the issue that led to me writing today’s post it seems very fitting to share here –

All too often, in this great land of America, we seem to lapse into a state of ingratitude, taking for granted all of the blessings and comforts we enjoy. We revert into an attitude of self-satisfaction, expecting that peace and bliss will always follow us. During those times we should, with sincerity of heart, count our blessings!”
Posted November 20, 2014

The author of the quote, whose name I could not find, hits the proverbial nail on the head with saying that – “we seem to lapse into a state of ingratitude”, though, I would add self-entitlement to the reasoning of “self-satisfaction”. Here’s why, the word attitude is defined as – “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior.” Let’s face it – if our gratitude is dependent on self our preconceived satisfaction and entitlements will always fall short and leave us, ultimately, in some form of despair. However, when our settled way of thinking and feeling about anything is based on God, who He is and what He’s done, we will always find something to be thankful for. Ann VosKamp said it like this, Joy is a function of gratitude – and gratitude is a function of perspective. Yes, even in this epic year there is something to be thankful for. I encourage you – here and now – name one blessing – one thing in 2020 that you are thankful for … then another and another. Count them – name them one by one – I promise you will be surprised at what God has done – in your life, in another’s, or in our world. Stop and take a minute to comment below with one thing you’re thankful for … you might just inspire a list of gratitude in someone else.

No amount of regret changes the past,
no amount of anxiety changes the future,
any amount of gratitude changes the present.
– Ann VosKamp

Count Your Blessings Lyrics

From the Insideout

Life-Lifting Words

Posted on May 4, 2019July 22, 2019 by MaryEllen

I typically share something from the heart of me (and may later), but this morning I was catching up on blogs from my favorite author and blogger, Ann VosKamp, and decided to share her words instead of my own. I pray they are as big a blessing to you as they have been to me. Ann beautifully interlaces her words with her captivating pictures and things dear to her heart – scroll through them or stop and enjoy them – but don’t miss the life-lifting words – from the beginning to the end – shared from her heart ❤️ May they encourage and bless you – From the Inside Out 💕

https://annvoskamp.com/2019/05/this-is-what-you-want-what-every-woman-really-wants-this-year/

Uncategorized

You are Good

Posted on July 16, 2015July 17, 2015 by MaryEllen

A text from a loved one, desperate for peace – and in Your infinite goodness you whisper a line from an old hymn – “Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children, In His arms He carries them all day long.”

(quotes from “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp)