A Thanksgiving Inquiry

Psalm 69:30
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
1st Chronicles 29:13
Now, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name.
Psalm 9:1 
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;  I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 107:1 
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 95:2-3
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
³ For the Lord is the great God,  the great King above all gods.
1st Thessalonians 5:18
¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 136:1-3
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
Psalm 107:8-9
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
⁹ for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
1st Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord.[a] Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good: his love endures forever.

November is traditionally a month that most people celebrate Thanksgiving. Families all over the country will gather around dining room tables, to eat, laugh, and enjoy spending time with each other. For some this will be the first time gathering since the pandemic, and boy what a joyous reunion that will be!

Today I would like to do something a little different. I have formulated some questions for you to answer, regarding the things you are grateful for this year. Please allow yourself some alone time to think and really ponder the questions as well as your answers. Take this time to be in God’s presence, and praise him through thanksgiving and gratitude.

1. What are you most grateful for this year?

2. How has God shown Himself faithful to you this year?

3. What is the largest thing that you prayed for this year, that God blessed you with?

4. What is the smallest thing that you prayed for this year, that God blessed you with?

5. What prayers were not answered the way you wanted this year, and now looking back, you are grateful that God said no?

6. How will you express your gratitude back to God?

Be blessed and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

A Change In Perspective 

I am going to physical therapy treatments, for some issues dealing with my sciatic nerve.  My sessions are actually in an Oncology center, right across from where patients are receiving their chemotherapy treatments.

A few days ago, after I had finished one of my sessions, I was waiting for the doors to an elevator to open, when I saw an older gentleman approach to catch the elevator as well.  He looked like he was exhausted from his chemo treatments.  He walked with a cane, and it was clear that he was ready to go home to rest. We spoke briefly and he was quite kind.

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and we got on.  As the door to the elevator was about to close, a woman hurried to catch a ride down with us.  When she got on, I cheerfully spoke and said, “How are you doing today”?
Oh, my goodness why did I even ask?   Her response to me was “I can’t be doing too good if I am here, can I?”.   She did not smile, and there was quite a bit of bitterness in her tone.  When that was the response that I got, I noticed the older gentleman lift his head slightly, and looked at me in disbelief at her response.   

I responded to her by saying, “I think that we are all doing good.  We woke up this morning, and so many people didn’t”.   I also told her that we were blessed to be able to receive the healthcare that we needed.  Her response back to my comment actually surprised me.   She said, “ma’am you are right”.   I need to change my perspective.  I need to look at things differently”.

I am sharing this story because, we all have been guilty at one time or another of forgetting that even when we are going through challenging or difficult times, we still have so much to be thankful for.

I don’t know what you may be facing today but trust, that no matter how hard things may be, someone, somewhere, is dealing with something that will make your situation pale in comparison to theirs.

One way to combat the feeling of despair and hopelessness is to take a few minutes at the end of each day and write down the things that you are most grateful, for that day.  When your focus shifts to a place of gratitude, it is amazing how much better you will feel about your situation, even though nothing has really changed.

God is blessed when we are grateful and when we sincerely express our gratitude to Him no matter our circumstances.

Remember when our attitudes change our perspectives change, and the secret to all of this is gratitude.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Chronicles 16:34
³⁴ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 50:20
²⁰ You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son.
Philippians 4:6
⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Psalm 107
¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let’s Be Givers

Girlfriends and Birthdays

It was a beautiful sunshiny September day, and it was just perfect for an outdoor Birthday celebration.  As I sat outside on my girlfriend’s patio, eating the best salad that I think that I have ever tasted, that was followed by the best chocolate cake that I think that I have ever tasted,
I felt complete gratitude. 

My gratitude was not because the food was so good,  but because my two girlfriends and I, could be together again, for our yearly Birthday celebration. This year was really special, because we had missed the last two years, due to the pandemic and also due to some health issues. 

We were so excited to be together again in person.   It was great for the three of us to catch up on how things were going in our lives, and to just sit and enjoy each other’s company.  We had some serious heart sharing moments, and some giggles too of course.  More giggles than heart sharing probably.  God had blessed all three of us to see another birthday and our yearly Birthday tradition was back on track.  God is good!

When I returned home I reflected on the time that we had spent together that day,  and it made my heart feel warm.  There is nothing like having great friends!   

God in His infinite wisdom,  knew that we would need to be connected to one another.   Our connection to one another gives us  support, relationship, accountability and  recreational fun and enjoyment with one another.

 My prayer is that you are not choosing to live life isolated from the great friendships that you could be enjoying.

If you are a person who struggles with  building friendships, I encourage you to get connected to a local Church in your area, and attend a few of the events that they are having for the congregation.  At first it may feel a little awkward but keep going, slowly you will start to make friends and the quality of your life will become so much richer.

Both of the friends that I share my birthday with each year, are women that I met at church almost thirty years ago.  They both have been such a blessing to me and I hope that I have been the same to them. 

If you are in need of a great friend, I encourage you to pray today and ask God to bless you to meet a good Christian friend, and He will certainly bless you with one.  Before you know it,  you will have traditions that are special to you as well.  Most importantly remember this,  to have a good friend, you have to be a good friend.

If you already have great friends, but you have not connected with them in a while,  I encourage you to reach out to them, even if only by phone.  Stay connected!   Remember great friends are like jewels.  They are rare, so cherish them.  May God bless you as you start to experience the richness of true friendships!

Proverbs 18:24
²⁴ One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 17:17
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,  and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 27:9
⁹ Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,  and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.
John 15:12-13
¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Ecclesiastes 4:10
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,   one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Psalm 133:1
¹ How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
1 Thessalonians 5:11
¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Romans 12:10
¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Mark 12:41-44
⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
1st. King 17:12-16
¹² “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the highest, how would you rank your giving?  Most of us would probably feel that we give adequately.  Some would probably admit that they don’t give nearly enough.  And even fewer would say that they have ever given sacrificially.

I have come to realize over the years, that my level of giving is in direct correlation to my view of who God is. When I finally wrapped my head around the fact, that I own nothing, and God owns everything, I was able to release that which He had loaned to me more freely.  I am not the source of my provision, but God is.

It is one thing to be a good steward of that which God has entrusted to us, and it is totally another to be stingy. When I looked up the definition of the word stingy it said; unwilling to give or spend, to be ungenerous.  I personally would not like to have that label associated with my name.  What about you?

Could it be that those who are stingy, think that they are the source of what they have been blessed with.  With this thought pattern, it is easy to become a person who starts to worship and hoard their possessions instead of worshipping the God who is the source of everything.   We should always be mindful to worship the Giver instead of the gifts.

In Mark 12:41-43 Jesus speaks of the sacrificial gift that a poor widow gave.  She only had two small copper coins to give, which were only worth a few cents.  Jesus told His disciples that the widow had put more into the treasury than all of the others, because they gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty,  put in everything- all that she had to live on.  This would definitely be considered sacrificial giving.

In 1st King 17  the widow at Zarephath had only a handful of oil and a little olive oil in a jug. She made Elijah a loaf of bread with all that she had, even before feeding herself and her son.  Although the widow initially thought that after she and her son ate what little they had, that she would lay down and die.God honored her  generosity by promising that; “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends the rain on the land”.  What incredible faith she had, sharing when she didn’t even know where her next meal would come from.

Giving is absolutely an act of faith.   It’s trusting that  some way, some how God will continue to provide more.

Please be clear,  I am not referring only to our financial gifts, but also your time, gifts and talents.  Any resource that God has given to us is to be generously shared with others.  Why not start today looking for more opportunities in which you can serve God by giving to others.  When you feel hesitant to share just be mindful to remember that you can’t beat God giving, no matter how hard you try!

Other Scriptures On Giving

Acts 20:35
³⁵ In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
2nd Corinthians 9:7
⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Luke 6:38
³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Hebrews 13:16
¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,  and he will reward them for what they have done.
Proverbs 22:9
The generous will themselves be blessed,    for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 28:27
Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,   but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

THE JOY OF PEACE

Philippians 4:6-7
⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Do you tend to worry or feel stressed out a lot of the time, or live in a state of constant anxiety?  Well, I can definitely tell you, that when I was younger I had many stressful days and sleepless nights.  You see even though I was a Christian, and I prayed and read my Bible almost daily, I still worried when I felt like things were out of my control.

Over the years as I continued to spend time studying my Bible, and growing in the knowledge of God and His character, I truly came to realize that He can always be trusted no matter my circumstance.  As I look back over my past, I can clearly see that time after time, He came through for me, and usually in ways that far exceeded my expectation.

It is our human nature to want to be in control of our circumstances, but I am here to tell you, that we are not in control of anything at all. God runs the show, and He is the boss of you and me, and the sooner we realize that the more we can relax and live the peaceful life that He intended for us to live.

To live a life free of worry, stress, and anxiety, is to live a peaceful life, and the only way to have that life is to spend time with the Prince of Peace, God Himself.  He will give you peace in the midst of your storms, He will give you peace when the rest of this chaotic world is going crazy.

When you are wearing this peace that passes all understanding, others will know that God truly has imparted it to you.   They will notice that you go through life happy and joyful.  They will notice that you are smiling when most would be crying.   They will also notice that you don’t sweat the small stuff and rarely will anyone be able to rattle your cage because you are trusting God to work out your difficult situations.

The true joy of peace is being ok with whatever God’s will is for your life and knowing beyond a shatter of doubt that that His love for you, will only allow Him to do what is best for you at all times.  So continue spending time with the Prince of Peace and before you know it, you will be at peace.

Are you currently lacking peace in some area of your life right now?   Below I have listed some scriptures on the peace that are sure to bring you comfort.

John 16:33
³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,   because they trust in you.
John 14:27
²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
1st Peter 5:7
⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Matthew 11:28-30
²⁸ “Come to Me, all ^[a]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is ^[b]easy and My burden is light.”
Romans 15:13
¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 4: 8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
Psalm 29:11
The Lord gives his people strength.  The Lord blesses them with peace.
2nd Thessalonians 3:16
¹⁶ Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
Isaiah 54:10 
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken  nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 9: 6
For a child is born to us,   a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.  And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,^[a] Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions,  he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

What Does It Mean To Live Holy

Recently my husband and I watched a video, regarding a new album that a famous recording artist has released.   This video was made by a Christian brother, who wanted to express his view, as to why Christians should not be supporting this type of music.  When he shared the lyrics that are on this new album, my husband and I were totally shocked at the level of vulgarity we were hearing.  It was absolutely appalling as well as disgusting.

 My heart broke first, for the artist who apparently, had no moral standards whatsoever.  My heart broke secondly, for our youth as well as adults, who will listen to this music and get caught up in the beat and may or may not even be listening to the offensive lyrics.  And thirdly, my heart broke for our society in general, and how far we have gotten away from what it means to live holy.

God’s heart has to be broken, as He looks down and sees this kind of thing.  After much thought about this, I decided maybe I should share straight from God’s word, what the Bible has to say about living holy.  You see how we live matters because we are ambassadors for Christ and we should hold this assignment as something sacred. 

What we watch and what we listen to matters.   How we dress and how we carry ourselves matters. 

This is a test that I encourage you t take.  When you are partaking in something that you don’t quite feel comfortable with, ask yourself if Jesus came back right now, would I want Him to see me like this?  If your answer is no, then more than likely what you are doing would not fall under the category of holy living.   Let’s commit to living in a way that God would be blessed and others would be influenced for good. When we live holy it allows God’s light to shine brighter in this dark sinful world.

Below I have listed the definition of holy as well as some scriptures that encourage us to live holy.

What does the word holy mean? According to the dictionary to be holy, is to be dedicated or consecrated to God, it means sacred.  A person dedicated to the service of God.   Will you choose to live holy today?

Holy Living

1st Peter 1:15-16
¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy because I am holy.”^[a]

Romans 12:1
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

2nd Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Romans 13:14
¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[a]

Ephesians 4:1-3
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Romans 12:2
² Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1st Corinthians 6:19-20
¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

2nd Corinthians 6:14-18
¹⁴ Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial^[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”[b]
¹⁷ Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
 and I will receive you.”[c]
¹⁸ And,
“I will be a Father to you,
 and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”[d]

Prayer + Praise = Power
Psalm 145^[a]

Have you been waiting to see God’s power released, regarding something that you have been praying for?   When you want to see things shift in your life, start praising God.  I am talking about authentic, sincere praise for who He is, and not just for what you want.  God knows our hearts and he will certainly know what’s sincere and what is not.

Praise may not always change our circumstances, but it can certainly change how we view our circumstances.  Praise takes our focus off of ourselves, and our situations and it puts our focus back on God.  Through our time of praise we will be given the strength, to wait a bit longer and to trust God’s timing for right solutions to our problems.

Praise is like a medicine for our souls.  It calms us down and removes our anxieties, it restores our joy and it reminds us how sovereign and mighty our God is.  It also reminds us that He and He alone, is in control of everything and that our total dependency should be on Him.  When we exalt Him, He exalts us.

Don’t fret and don’t worry, just pray and praise.  Remember prayer plus praise equals power!

Here Are A Few Great Scriptures On Praise

God Is Our Praise

Deuteronomy 10:2
² I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.”
Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Give Praise To God

  Psalm 34:1
 I will extol the Lord at all times;  his praise will always be on my lips.
Psalm 147:1
Praise the Lord.[a]
How good it is to sing praises to our God,  how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Hebrews 13:15
¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Isaiah 25:1
Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
Psalm 150:1
Praise the Lord.[a] Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
Psalm 100:1-5
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
  It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
 we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
 give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

A Thankful Heart Is A Heart That Praises God
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 105:1
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;  I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 106:1
Praise the Lord.[a]Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;  his love endures forever.
Psalm 108:3
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;  I will sing of you among the peoples.
Psalm 92:1
It is good to praise the Lord  and make music to your name, O Most High,
Psalm 109:30  NLT
But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone.

Praise Him Even In The Midst Of Trials
Acts 16:22-25
²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. ²³ After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. ²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Will You Trust God ?

Today as I sit to write, I do so with a broken heart.  You see in the past seven days,  two couples that my husband and I consider dear friends, have each lost a child.  I cannot express how hard it has been these past seven days,  knowing that our friends were suffering through such unimaginable grief.

I have found myself praying for them numerous times, throughout the days and nights since I heard this sad news. I know that there are no words that I can say to them, that will really help at this time.  So I have chosen to simply pray, and ask God to give them strength, comfort and peace during this difficult time.

When things like this happen, it is really hard for us to wrap our heads around it.  Our human minds want to understand it.  We want to know why?  Tragedies are always a challenge for us to accept, especially something like an unexpected death of a child.   It reveals to us that no matter how much we think we are in control, we really aren’t.

During times like this,  we can choose to trust that our God is sovereign, and that He is still in control.  We can also choose to believe that He is the same loving Father that He has always been, and that whatever He does is with purpose and for purpose.

Our other option is that we can choose to become angry and  bitter and turn away from God, because we resent what He has allowed to happen to us or to others.  Some may choose to change their view on who God is, but be clear He has not changed.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He is loving and compassionate and faithful.  And no matter what you or those that you love are going through,  He really does still love you.

Today as I deal with these sudden losses,  I choose to encourage myself with the word of God.  I also choose to trust Him remembering that His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than mine.   My question for you today is; Will you trust God no matter what?     Remember no matter how hard it gets, He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us.

I choose to trust God, will you?