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?
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?
Paul has laid out three distinct steps for the believers – rejoice, pray, and “in everything” give thanks. Don’t miss his conclusion though – this isn’t just a teaching that he thinks is important, he clarifies that this is God’s will for us [believers], in Christ Jesus.
YOUR TURN: (IF YOU MISSED YESTERDAY’S POST YOU WILL WANT TO GO BACK AND READ IT) – SO, IN LIGHT OF YESTERDAY’S POST, WHY DO YOU THINK PAUL’S INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDE REJOICING AND PRAYING BEFORE HE SAYS GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES?
A simple but thought provoking definition of gratitude. Give it some thought – it will be useful with tomorrow’s post. Until then make it a blessing to someone today by expressing gratitude or kindness to them – It might just be the spark they need.
Totally dated/outdated song but still as true today as it was when we/I sang it in the 70s –
According to Paul, true thankfulness seems to overflow, not from the circumstances of our life, but from the FAITH we have been taught and placed in CHRIST. When we allow that faith to grow and deepen “into Him” then it becomes unshakable and thankfulness abounds in spite of life’s circumstances. –
MefromtheNsideout –
YOUR TURN: HOW CAN YOU LET THE ROOTS OF YOUR FAITH GROW DEEP INTO JESUS? I invite you to share your answer in the comment bar
“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
But You, Lord, don’t be far away. My strength, come quickly to help me.
Psalm 22:19
The Bigger Picture
Oh how I hope you read the entire Psalm. It’s so easy to skip ahead to the soap verse, I know – because I almost did it (and have done it before). However, I have learned that reading “the verse” in it’s full context is always helpful and often the meat around “the verse” is juicier than “the main portion”. While I love the SOAP passage, I definitely think verses 1-21 enhance verse 19 and bring the fuller flavor or meaning of the verse to the surface. Don’t stop with the main course though or you’ll miss the wonderful dessert found when reading through to verse 31. It’s like icing on a cake.
DETERMINATION
David felt like he had been abandoned by God and so he began groaning and dwelling, it would seem, on thoughts of his circumstances which fed or encouraged raw emotions and disappointment. If we read carefully though we will see that while disappointment was a part of the picture David also displayed determination, particularly in verse 2 where even though God doesn’t answer him during the day David cries out to him without letting up in the night. When we read on to verses 3 and 4, we hear him cry out “You, (God) are holy” and “in You, (God),our ancestors trusted”. Why did David’s earlier cry of abandonment in verse 1 suddenly sound like hope? I believe it’s because he was determined to move beyond the way things felt to recalling and acknowledging that God is holy and was trusted by the ancestors of the Israelites. You see, as with, Asaph’s determination evokes hope and hope builds from recalling what God had done in the past.
BUT GOD
David knew he was dependent on God and began naming his trouble, both from others and from himself as well as his weakening physical state and emotions, verses 11-18. Peter taught that we are to cast all of our anxieties on God because He cares for us so clearly there’s nothing wrong with taking our cares to the LORD. However, when we do, we must be guarded that they don’t push us away from God but toward Him. Which appears to be exactly what happened in verse 19. David, in naming his troubles, realizes his desperation for God and cries out – “LORD, do not remain far away. You are my source of strength. Hurry and help me! Then he becomes more specific with his requests, “Deliver me from the sword”, “Save my life …” Rescue me…” and then there it is … “You have answered me.” It’s like icing on the cake – taking “verse 19” from savory to sweet.
The Move from petition to THANKSGIVING.
I picture myself sitting in the presence of King David, listening to him speak this Psalm. The inflections of anguished cries of – “Why have You abandoned me?” – covered over with the peaceful sigh of the realization that God had not abandoned Him but had answered him. Then watching and listening as He declares God’s name to “his countrymen”. He not only declares praise to the LORD but in doing so he incites the people to praise the LORD. Then, without warning I am giving God praise as well and find myself grateful for those who have faithfully told generation after generation about the LORD, of His saving deeds, and what He has accomplished. Because of their faithfulness I worship the God of David and know Him as the source of my strength, the One I cry out to in times of struggle – the One I know will help me – because time and again He has answered me.
The application
Take everything to God in prayer – even feelings/questions of abandonment
When you can’t see God’s hand, trust His heart
Be determined to pray even when it seems God isn’t answering
Remember ‘who’ God is and what He’s done
Never lose sight of how very dependent I am on the LORD
Watch and wait for His answers
When the answers come – turn my petitions into thanksgiving
Keep the message going to the next generation
Prayer
Father, what a beautiful Psalm! Thank You that you do not abandon your people and thatYou do not remain far off. Thank You that You do hear and answer our prayers and while you allow suffering to touch our lives – You faithfully work all things together for the good of those who love You and have been called according to Your purpose. Help me to faithfully cast all my anxieties on You so that they do not overcome me but draw me closer to You. And may my tongue declare Your name, making known Your saving deeds and what You have accomplished. praising You among the people and may the praise incite others to praise You as well – so that generation after generation will know You. – In Jesus’ name, amen.
Paul didn’t just tell believers not to be anxious about anything – he taught them ‘how to’ not be anxious about anything. He knew, most likely from experience, that anxiousness would be a part of their life. Remember in that day, to do what they were called to do as disciples of Christ often led them to imprisonment or worse. However, it wasn’t just the big stuff that he focused on – he told them, “Do not be anxious about anything“. What I love about Paul is that often when he told the people ‘what not to do’ he followed it up with ‘what to do’. Instead of stopping with “don’t be anxious” he continued, “but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Paul gave them a remedy for their anxiousness. His remedy was to pray. However, he broke it down using three essential elements and one specific focus. The essential elements were prayers, petitions, and the giving of thanks. The focal point was to be God.
“Do not be anxious about ANYTHING but in EVERY SITUATION by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6
To better understand and implement the remedy let’s look at the elements first. Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. Some, including myself at one point, would say aren’t prayers and petitions, and even thanksgiving all the same thing? While, for many years I would have said yes I have come to understand the answer is truly no, they aren’t. I have learned that prayer can be very broad, such as ‘Father, help so and so’, or ‘I need such and such’, and of course the eventual and often obligatory ‘thank you for everything’ – or it can be personal (real) and relational (involving more than self) and heartfelt (attentive and faith driven). I believe the latter of the two choices is the remedy Paul spoke of. Why? Because it is when we pray relational prayers our postures change from a focus of ‘me’ to a focus of God. We’re no longer simply praying words but we are, as Paul instructs, presenting our requests to someone, and that someone is God. Once our prayers move to relational, in my experience, they also convert to heartfelt. When this happens our focus shifts from self to God, from concerns to God, from worries to God, from fears and jealousies and a myriad of other things to God. This in itself begins to calm my anxieties, but it’s the giving of thanks that really changes things. You see, when we are thanking God we are reminded of His faithfulness, not only in the present but often we will recall what He’s done in the past which tends to bring our focus full-throttle on God and results in a calming hope of what He can and will do in the future. Lest we question the validity of Paul’s teaching let’s consider and rest in what God said through the prophet Isaiah centuries before –
God will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him, all those whose thoughts are fixed on Him
Isaiah 26:3
So, does this mean if we pray we will never be anxious? The answer I have found is no. However, I can promise you when our anxious thoughts are truly given to God we will not stay in a state of anxiety. Instead, as Paul goes on to say, “you will experience a peace that passes all understanding and guards your hearts and minds as you live in Christ.” May we faithfully live in Him in 2022, may we become women who are devoted to prayer – with an attitude of thanksgiving being able to boast of His peace rather than wallow in our anxious thoughts.
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
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….”
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.
Me From the Inside Out 