Great is the Lord from Generation to Generation

November 12, 2019 by Jaime Hilton Leave a Comment

November is brown. September is red.

October is orange. No, I’m not trying to write a poem.

I like to make calendar layouts for different projects I work on like our homeschool, writing projects, and my bullet journal. I think about the months in terms of colors, specifically the colors I like to feature when I decorate. December is all the colors of Christmas: chiefly red and green, with lots of whites, blues, golds, silvers, and so on. January is a powdery blue. Do you see what I mean? November is a deep, beautiful, warm, chocolate, nutmeg brown. I cannot decorate for Christmas even a minute before we celebrate Thanksgiving because it would mean missing out on all the beautiful shades of brown.

It’s a silly thing to think about, I know. But whether you are the kind of person who blasts Christmas music the second you feel a chill in the air or the one who prefers to wait until December 1, there is one thing we all basically agree on: for better or for worse, holidays mean family. At some point between November 1 and December 31, you will have to confront the idea of family. Will they share your celebrations? Will you go your separate ways? Will you send a card? Call the day of? Either way, a decision will be made to see or not see, include or exclude, your family. In verses 4-7 of Psalm 145 (part 2 of our Great Is the Lord series), David encourages us to include our families in our worship of the Lord.

Sharing the Story

For many believers, myself included, Thanksgiving represents a season of gratitude that perfectly sets us up to celebrate and remember the grace of God coming into the world as a human baby at Christmas. They are distinct holidays with different functions, yet intricately related, sharing one particularly significant purpose. Holidays are a time when families gather to pass on stories and traditions about who we are, why we are here, and most importantly, who we worship.

In verse 4 we read,

“One generation shall commend your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts.”

Our faith is lived out in the context of family – yes, the ones we’re born into, the ones we make out of dear friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ. The words we study are given life as we play them out in the relationships around us.

This holiday season I will teach my children to set the table, cook a turkey, and play a good game of Skip-Bo. But I will also teach them why we pause in this busy month to give thanks.

I will teach them by example as I make prayer and study a part of our daily experience (remember? A string of todays is what builds a forever!)

“On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.” (v. 5)

Together we will tell stories of God’s provision, deliverance, and mercy throughout the ages. From the Israelites in Egypt to the Pilgrims in Plymouth, we will remember that He is in control.

“They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.” (v. 6)

We will sing songs and play games and create memories around the holidays.

“They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.” (v. 7)

And generation after generation we will add our praise to David’s because,

“Everything which has to do with the Great King is majestic, honorable, glorious. His least is greater than man’s greatest, his lowest is higher than man’s highest.” – Charles Spurgeon

Study/Reflection Questions

What holiday traditions helped shape your faith as a child?
Think through examples of God’s “glorious splendor”, “wonderous works”, “awesome deeds”, and “abundant goodness”, either from the Bible or your own life.
David uses so many strong adjectives to extol the Lord in these verses. Pick one or two and do a word study
Make a list of ways you can use the holidays to remember God’s work and character.

Inspiring Gratitude – and Happy Thanksgiving from our Team!

November 22, 2017 by Ali Shaw 2 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving from your DoNotDepart team! We are so thankful for you! While we love doing what we do, we know our ministry wouldn’t exist with out our dear readers. So, to encourage you as you prepare for the “big day” of gratitude and praise, we’d like to share this image with you— feel free to download it, save it, and share it on your social media. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share the image directly from there.

If you’d like some Thanksgiving articles to prompt praise, here are a few articles and posts from around the web that you might find helpful:

“When You Don’t Feel Thankful” (by Lindsey Bell at The M.O.M. Initiative.) A good read for anyone who has experienced loss near the holidays or when we need a change in perspective.
“How Can We Give Thanks in All Circumstances?” from DesiringGod.org. “If the joy Jesus promises is real and you believe him, there’s no circumstance that can steal your thanksgiving.”
“Look through the Lens of Thanksgiving” — from DesiringGod.org. When you can’t see much (or anything) in your life to be thankful for, or when misery is more prominent that joy in your life, look through the lens of thanksgiving and see how God changes your perspective.
“A Thanksgiving Hallelujah “– from (in)Courage.me. If you’re hurting this Thanksgiving, your giving of thanks may be a true sacrifice of praise. This post has beautiful encouragement!
“Gratitude is the Catalyst” from (in)courage. Gratitude is important because it spurs thoughts, action, and intention.
“Thanksgiving, Thanksfeeling, and the Glory of God” – Pastor John Piper explains to us that not all thanksgivings are true thanks”feelings.” This post will really help you check the posture of your heart while giving thanks.
And last but not least, our thanksgiving series from 2014 where:
- Patti (and her son) reminded us that God loves us regardless and forever, with an abundance of forgiveness.
- Kathy reminded us that God is our refuge, protector, and strength in times of trouble.
- Lisa so powerfully shared that even with all the bruises on our souls, God still has purposes for each of us, and that means we can still share love.
- Lindsey pinpointed one really good reason to give thanks (hint: it has to do with Christ).
- Caroline shared that we can rejoice any day and here’s why.
- Ali highlighted that our best response is to turn this gratitude into praise for His light.

Do you feel thankful? We have links to posts that will prompt praise. Happy Thanksgiving friends!

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We pray that you’d be greatly blessed as you worship the Lord and give Him all the praise and thanksgiving due His name!

Happy Thanksgiving to your and yours from your DND Team: Ali, Alyssa, Caroline, Jaime, Lisa, and Patti.

Give Thanks to the Lord!

November 26, 2015 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Our prayer for you this Thanksgiving, dear friends, is that you will continue to grow in your understanding of the height and depth and breadth of the love that God has for you in Christ Jesus.

You are precious and beloved, and we are so very thankful to be your sisters in Christ.

May you have a blessed and joy-filled Thanksgiving!

~ Your Do Not Depart team… Caroline, Lisa, Lindsey, Ali and Patti

Thanksgiving Blessing Tree: A Family Activity

November 25, 2015 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

Make a Thanksgiving Blessing Tree with your family this year! Count your blessings around the table and create a unique holiday decoration at the same time!

A Thanksgiving blessing tree is a unique way to decorate for Thanksgiving, that also nurtures a heart of gratitude in your children.

This is an activity we used to do every year when my children were small, and that we are reviving this year. After all, you are never too old to be thankful! In the past I have traced leaves by hand on construction paper, but this year I made a leaf printable, with scriptures on one side of each leaf.

The premise is simple – create a “tree” out of bare branches, and attach leaves on which are written things for which you are thankful. Each leaf also has a scripture on it. Reading aloud each person’s blessings around the Thanksgiving table is a family tradition I think you’ll truly enjoy.

Thanksgiving Tree

Materials

vase or flower pot
twigs or small branches
sand, floral marbles or small rocks to weight down your container
card stock or construction paper
scissors
crayons (if using white paper)
pens
tape

Instructions

1) Print your leaves. I like to print enough for at least three leaves per person, but we often use a lot more. If you can, use card stock or construction paper (see special instructions for printing on construction paper here) so the leaves will hold up better, but if all you have is printer paper, that will work too.

Printable scripture leaves for Thanksgiving tree at DoNotDepart.com — *Click on the image above to go to the downloadable file*

2) Cut out the leaves. If you give this job to your children, remember to focus on being thankful that they can use scissors safely and don’t worry too much about whether the leaves are cut perfectly. :-)

3) If you have printed on white paper or card stock, have the kids color the leaves red, yellow, orange, brown and maybe even a few green.

4) Find a few bare branches in your yard and place them in a vase or pretty flower pot. Weight the container and stabilize the branches by pouring sand, floral marbles or rocks into your container while holding the branches in position. Your “tree” is ready for leaves!

5) On Thanksgiving day have your children bring around baskets or trays with the leaves and pens to your guests. Each person can write something he or she is thankful for on the blank side of a leaf. The more leaves on your tree the better!

6) Tape the stem of each leaf onto a branch of your tree.

7) Take some time during or after the meal to read the leaves aloud.

We would love to see pictures of your Thanksgiving trees! Share them in the comments or on our facebook page!

What family traditions do you have that help you focus on your blessings at Thanksgiving?

Try this simple activity on Thanksgiving to help kids focus on their blessings. #LetTheChildrenCome

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Make a Thanksgiving blessing tree using our free scripture printable. #LetTheChildrenCome

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Happy Thanksgiving! {Psalm 118 Study Wrap-Up}

November 27, 2014 by Caroline Leave a Comment

Thank you for studying Psalm 118 with us this month!

We’ve remembered that we can always remain grateful because He is good, His love lasts, and He is our salvation.

Patti (and her son) reminded us that God loves us regardless and forever, with an abundance of forgiveness.
Kathy reminded us that God is our refuge, protector, and strength in times of trouble.
Lisa so powerfully shared that even with all the bruises on our souls, God still has purposes for each of us, and that means we can still share love.
Lindsey pinpointed one really good reason to give thanks (hint: it has to do with Christ).
Caroline shared that we can rejoice any day and here’s why.
Ali highlighted that our best response is to turn this gratitude into praise for His light.

As we stated in the introduction post this month and as Psalm 118 stated in verse 1, it bears repeating:

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” – Psalm 118:29

We pray you and your families praise and thank Him today, and that we all see His abundant love all around us, no matter what form your weekend takes.

And, we are thankful for you, our readers. Thank you for growing and learning with us!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Giving of Self as True Thanksgiving

November 25, 2014 by Ali Shaw 1 Comment

Have you caught yourself doing it yet? Like me, have you allowed your focus to be pulled away from true thanksgiving?

Yesterday our family headed to the grocery store. (I’m not sure why we thought the Sunday afternoon before Thanksgiving would be a good time to shop, but we found ourselves there anyway.) After wedging our way into a spot at the turkey freezer, we found the right bird. We finished shopping for the last few things we needed to complete our menu, and waited in line to pay. That’s when the sweet young checker asked me if I was ready for Thanksgiving.

“Yes! This should be my last trip. I started preparing a few weeks ago, but I think this finishes all of the shopping. Now it’s just cooking.”

We laughed and talked more. When we were done, I felt sort of dissatisfied. I became aware that my focus was in the wrong place. I was thinking “meal” (and serving) when I should have been thinking “thanksgiving” – as in me giving thanks to God. As in pouring out my heart to Him in worship for what He does and has done for me. As in giving myself to Him in response to His selfless giving to me.

As we’ve seen over the past month, Psalm 118 is so beautiful and it gives us so many reasons to be thankful.

26 “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God,
and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.

“Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord…”

These are the very words that greeted our precious Savior when he entered Jerusalem the final time to give His life for us. But here, the Psalmist refers to the champion who has gone out and fought battles in the name of the Lord. So, the words apply to Jesus but also to those who serve in God’s name.

We can easily be overwhelmed or distracted with the details of serving and the serving itself. It’s easy, even in the joy of it all, to have our focus shift to the wrong perspective.

But when we serve in God’s name, we are blessed and we bless God.
When we focus on His light, everything else becomes becomes clear.

We Believers can join together in procession to the “horns of the altar” with a joyful heart, worshiping, exalting, and praising God! On Thanksgiving, as on all other days, our focus should be set on glorifying Jesus through the giving of ourselves in willing sacrifice to God. (Rom 12:1) Yes, on the altar we place ourselves—to the God who is the source of everything we have and to whom we should ever be thankful!

I love these words in reference to Psalm 118:27 by Charles Spurgeon:

“The sacrifice which we would present in honour of the victories of our Lord Jesus Christ is the living sacrifice of our spirit, soul, and body. We bring ourselves to his altar, and desire to offer him all that we have and are.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Yes! All that we have and all that we are!

How can we give ourselves? By giving the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving (Heb 13:15) and by devoting ourselves wholeheartedly to our God and Savior!

“Devotion is the mother, and she hath four daughters.

Constancy: “Bind the sacrifice.”
Fervency: Bind it “with cords.”
Wisdom: Bind it “to the altar.”
Confidence: Even to the “horns” of the altar.
—Thomas Adams, Puritan clergyman

So, rather than keeping our minds on our to-do lists, meal prepping, and getting the house cleaned, let’s create a quiet space in our minds and hearts (and homes, too?) to give thanks and worship to God as we give Him ourselves in True Thanksgiving for His salvation, light, goodness, and love. Let us give ourselves to God in constancy, fervency, wisdom, and confidence!

Has your focus been cloudy? How can you present yourself to God as a sacrifice ready to give thanks?

Give God your self as an act of True Thanksgiving. Psalm 118 study #GiveThanks @DoNotDepart

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3 Reasons to Thank God in Times of Trouble

November 11, 2014 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

Are you in the midst of some trial or difficulty or heartache right now? If not, I know you’ve been there and you will be again.

The writer of Psalm 118 knew trouble. His life had not been easy. For example, verses 8-14 alone hint at betrayal and attack. He had learned that men – whether in lowly or exalted position – could not be fully trusted (Psalm 118:8-9). He had felt caught in a hopeless and dangerous situation with no way out.

But in the middle of those trials, he also experienced God’s personal intervention on his behalf. In Psalm 118:8-14, the psalmist testifies to God’s deliverance and expresses his gratitude. In this passage, we find 3 reasons to thank God when we face times of trouble:

God is our refuge – When storms are raging all around us, we will always find safety in God’s presence. He is our shelter from the storm. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). From experience, the author of Psalm 118 had learned that people are not fully trustworthy, but God can always be trusted. He learned that he could not always depend on people, but he could depend on God in any and every situation. Like the psalmist, when we’re in the midst of trouble, let’s thank God that He is our refuge. When we hide ourselves in Him, He will be our shelter!
God is our protector – When people and circumstances fight against us, we do not have to wonder or worry about victory. God Himself goes with His people and fights for them (Deuteronomy 30:3-4). When the psalmist was surrounded and swarmed by his enemies, victory came through the name of the LORD. Do you ever feel “swarmed by enemies?” Call on the name of the LORD. Thank Him that He is your protector!
God is our strength – Verse 14 sums up this section of Psalm 118. “The LORD is my strength, and my song; He has become my salvation.” God saves! He will deliver us through trouble with the strength of His might. He is our reason to sing, so let us lift a song of praise and thanksgiving to the God who is our strength!

God is our refuge, our protector, and our strength! Thank Him today, especially in the midst of trouble.

How else can you thank God today? Express your gratitude in the comment section.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 28, 2013 by Caroline Leave a Comment

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” – Psalm 95:2

We’re thankful for you all, and we pray today is a day full of thanksgiving and praise for all the blessings God gives!

Favorite Online Bible Study Tools and Thanksgiving Posts

November 22, 2013 by Guest Post 2 Comments

We here at Do Not Depart aim to provide tools and encouragement to abide in God’s Word. We want to “meditate on [His Word] day and night, so that [we] may be careful to do according to to all that is written in it” (Joshua 1:8), and we hope to help you do the same.

We need encouragement, study tips, new perspectives, and renewal, too. And we love how many wonderful believers have a presence on the internet to help encourage all of us to abide united as one body.

So, we thought we’d share some of our favorite tools with you today!

Favorite Online Bible Study Tools

There are SO many incredible tools out there. This partial list below is a sampling of some of the tools our team returns to again and again:

Crossway.org has Bible study tips, ebooks, apps, articles, and a blog to help give you insight for studying.
Most of us love and use Bible Gateway often. Bible Gateway offers many transitions to view online free, plus reading plans, a blog full of learning-focused articles, and more.
BlueLetterBible.org is a useful site for word study, plus more blog posts with study tips and multiple versions to read and compare.
HelloMornings hosts a huge community for multi-annual online Bible study groups. They also offer practical tips and encouragement for study and intentional living year round.
We’ve written many posts with specific Bible study tools here on Do Not Depart over the years. Check out the archives for Bible study tools posts here.

Great (and Grateful) Thanksgiving Posts

With Thanksgiving quickly arriving in the US, we’ve seen some magnificent posts focused on gratitude to our great God. Let a few of these posts inspire you to be thankful always!

“Why Thanksgiving is Subversive (and How to Have the Best Thanksgiving Yet)” from Ann Voskamp. Love this line: “Here is always good if you look at it long enough.”
“When You Don’t Feel Thankful” by Lindsey Bell at The M.O.M. Initiative. A good read for anyone who has experienced loss near the holidays or when we need a change in perspective.
“Gratitude is the Catalyst” from (in)courage. On how gratitude spurs intention.
“How Can We Give Thanks in All Circumstances?” from DesiringGod.org.

What are you favorite online Bible study tools? What Thanksgiving posts have touched your heart this year? Share in the comments below!

The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving {guest post month}

November 19, 2013 by Guest Post 3 Comments

This guest post is from Sandra Peoples. See her full bio at the end of the post.

I love this time of year. I love hopping on Facebook and reading what all my friends are thankful for. I love holding hands with family members around the table and remembering the blessings God has given us. I love putting Colossians 3:17 into practice, “…do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

But sometimes giving thanks is hard.

My middle son has autism. He struggles to communicate. He had digestive and sleeping issues. Can I give thanks in that?

We’ve been in the process of adopting for more than three years. We were recently matched with a little boy in China. But we still have to wait. Wait up to two months for a document to process. Wait until the Chinese government clears us to travel. Can I give thanks in that?

We all have situations in our lives that are difficult right now. Money issues, marriage issues, job issues, family issues. Leakey faucets, broken dryers, a car that needs new tires before it snows. How can we give thanks?

Psalm 50:14 says, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.” It’s such a short phrase it’s easy to read over quickly. The psalmist Asaph is admitting that sometimes thanksgiving is a sacrifice. A sacrifice was offering something to God that costs you greatly–your first born lamb, your finest grain, or the best of your produce. And what ever you sacrificed had to be put to death, burned up, cease to exist.

In times when it’s hard to give thanks, we must also sacrifice. I can give thanks for my son’s diagnosis when I sacrifice (put to death) my ideas of “normal” expectations of how he should be. I can continue to give thanks through our adoption process when I sacrifice (put to death) my time line and expectations. I can give thanks when I sacrifice (put to death) the idea that all our money and time actually belong to us, instead of God.

I can offer God sacrifices of thanksgiving because of my situations (not in spite of my situations).

God gives us opportunities to practice what we learn in His Word. This month, as we all share what we’re thankful for, His Word reminds me sometimes there is sacrifice in thanksgiving. The sacrifice doesn’t take away the joy of thanksgiving; it often adds to it.

What situation are you in that you can give thanks in, even though you have to sacrifice something in order to give thanks?

Sandra Peoples is a pastor’s wife and mom to three boys. She is the author of Held: Learning to Live in God’s Grip, a Bible study for special-needs parents. Connect with her on her site.

Praise and Thanksgiving

November 14, 2013 by Caroline Leave a Comment

“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” – Psalm 69:30 (NIV)

We pray today that all our hearts may be lifted up to Him in song of praise, of thanksgiving, of glory to Him.

How can you praise Him today? What’s your favorite song to sing when praising?

Stay tuned next week for more guest posts to finish out the month!

The ACTS Model – A Simple Method of Prayer

August 14, 2013 by Guest Post 10 Comments

We are pleased to have Julie Reynolds guest-posting with us today. Julie is a seasoned women’s ministry leader who is very active in her local church and online. She has been involved with the HelloMornings ministry for several years. Today she joins us to share the ACTS method of praying, a simple framework that can help guide your prayer time. – Patti

How you pray is a very personal matter. I would not dare tell someone how to have a relationship with their best friend, so I won’t tell you how you need to have conversation/relationship with your most important friend, Jesus. But you can’t have a relationship with someone you never talk to, or take the time to listen to.

Still, sometimes it is hard to know where to start in prayer. The ACTS model is a simple method of prayer that I have used in my own quiet time.

With the ACTS model, we start by focusing on who God is, and praising Him for that (adoration). Then we move into confessing our sins and thanking Him for all He has given us. We conclude with our requests for others and for ourselves (supplication).

Adoration

We adore God and worship Him as we seek to fulfill the commandment to love him with all of our heart, mind and soul.

Spend time praising the Lord and adoring Him for who He is (Matthew 6:9)
Use scripture to praise Him (Psalm 103, Psalm 145, Psalm 150; Revelation 4:8, Revelation 5:12-14)
Be still before Him and enjoy His presence (Psalm 46:10, Psalm 16:11). Use this time to allow God to speak to you through His Word and Spirit (Psalm 40:1-3; Psalm 90:12-17)
Praise the Lord by praying scripture or hymns back to Him (Psalm 84; Revelation 4:8; Revelation 5:9-10, and “Great is Thy Faithfulness”)

Confession

Confession allows you to clear away the things in your relationship with God which are displeasing to Him. Confession should be an ongoing part of your walk with Christ (Matthew 6:9-13).

Spend time asking Jesus to search your heart for areas that displease Him (Psalm 139:23-24)
Spend time confessing and repenting of (turning away from) specific sins. All of us have sinned. John writes “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)
Allow God to cleanse your heart of any unconfessed sin (Psalm 51:10-13)
Accept His forgiveness and cleansing (Jeremiah 31:34)

Thanksgiving

God is blessing us constantly. Every minute we can recall the wonderful things that God has done for us, and the gifts that we have been given.

Giving thanks for all things should be a part of our everyday lives as God’s people (Philippians 4:6-7)
This includes thanking God for specific things such as blessings, people, open doors, guidance, etc. (Ephesians 5:20)
Also give thanks for His salvation and the privilege to serve such a wonderful Savior (1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalm 118:21, Acts 4:12)
Thank Him for his goodness, loving-kindness, and faithfulness (Psalm 100:4-6)

Supplication

Finally we ask God for our needs and the needs of others. We call this supplication, or intercession. There are many demands on our prayer time – many topics and issues that we could pray for, so we need to choose, and to be specific.

We are called as believers to intercessory prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 18:1; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 2:1-4). Thus, we are to come before God on behalf of others (Hebrews 10:19-25; Revelation 1:4-6)
Spend time praying for specific people, events, states, countries, missionaries, etc. (Acts 12:5; Romans 10:1)
Spend time praying for personal needs (see Matthew 6:11-13)
Make prayer lists for your time of supplication. Be sure to include a place for answers to be recorded. Recorded answers can become items for praise and thanksgiving!

Whether you use the ACTS model or some other framework for prayer, remember this: God doesn’t want to give us something else for our do list. He desires relationship with us. Prayer is the doorway to that relationship, to open communication, and to hearing His voice.

Julie Reynolds is a bible study teacher, retreat speaker, and women’s ministry leader. She says “I love to see the look in a woman’s face when she gets it – that the Bible is alive and active for her too!” Julie is a working mom of three, and Gran to one amazing and adorable boy.

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Giving Thanks for the Small

November 29, 2012 by Teri Lynne Underwood 14 Comments

Two years ago I read [amazon_link id=”0310321913″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]a book that echoed deep within the God-seeking, list-making recesses of my heart[/amazon_link]. I’d been listing gifts for several years at that point, though I didn’t number them. Sunday mornings were spent journal in one hand, calendar in the other recalling the little blessings and moments of the week just passed.

I’d learned this lesson about worship: my heart is better prepared to focus on Him when I’ve already spent time focusing on Who He is and all He’s done for me. I enter the sanctuary of our church ready to encounter Him more deeply when I’d intentionally given thanks beforehand. And so my journals are filled with Sunday lists of lunches with friends, moments with my husband, unexpected accomplishments, and opportunities to give. When I started blogging I added a “Fab Five” each Friday numbering five of the joys from the week.

For almost 17 years I’ve been counting in one form or another.

I was looking through some old journals and found lists written by a newlywed … with gratitude for a husband who surprised me with dinner out and the celebration of Christmas in our first home. I found scribbled notes of gratitude scratched out by a very tired nursing mom who wanted to remember the peaceful moments of 2 am feedings and singing softly over her little girl, “Lord, prepare her to be a sanctuary …”

But sometimes habits get old and lists get forgotten. I’ve never made the listing into a discipline or attached a spiritual requirement to it … but I’ve also lost sight sometimes of how numbering changes me. It reminds me to slow and still and notice.

This year, I’ve spent November intentionally counting.

It’s 10:31 am on November 28th as I write this post and I just stopped to list gift #524, a verse I saw on Facebook yesterday and read again today:

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master, now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed in him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7 MSG

Did you catch that last sentence?

Let your living—our living, our love and lives spilled out for Christ—let that living spill over into thanksgiving. Sometimes we neglect to let our living spill over into thanksgiving.

As we close out this month of turkeys and thankfulness listed out on Facebook and rush head-first into the chaotic Christmas season it’s going to get harder.

I love this thought from [amazon_link id=”0310321913″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Ann’s book[/amazon_link]:

Do not disdain the small. The whole of life—even the hard—is made up of the minute parts, and if I miss the infinitesimals, I miss the whole.

Of course we must be thankful for those “big” gifts of salvation, our families and friends, our churches and opportunities to serve … but maybe we also need to be intentional about gratitude for those small things too—quiet moments with a good book and coffee or an unexpected email with a kind word of encouragement. My list for November includes names and places, food and movies, Scriptures and quotes from books, sermon notes and songs. These years of listing have taught me to notice … both big and small. And to remember the Giver of every gift (James 1:17)!

Will you do me the honor of sharing just one thing, something small perhaps, that you are thankful for this day? Just a leave a comment with your note of gratitude.

Thankfulness in a hard marriage

November 20, 2012 by Julie 7 Comments

If being in a hard marriage gives a wife a “pass” on having a grateful attitude, Abigail qualified.

When it’s hard to be thankful

God’s word doesn’t tell the circumstances of their courtship, what the groom was like when they wed, or if they’d met before they were joined. By the time the ugly story unravels in 1 Samuel 25, the wealthy husband is called “Nabal,” meaning full of folly and worthless. “The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved” (1 Sam. 25:25), and her name was Abigail. Her presence in the narrative of scripture testifies that God sees and knows that sometimes it’s hard for wives to have a grateful spirit, but it’s not impossible.

God designed marriage to reflect the oneness He Himself displays, to be the tender blending of mutual protection and singular intimacy that produces a grateful spirit. But sometimes it falls far short. How can we be grateful in marriages marred by the folly of our flesh?

One woman’s example

Abigail’s grateful display took place on the stage of sheep shearing season, a major event for a businessman with 3,000 sheep and 1,00 goats. As David fled from King Saul, the would-be king sent a request for culturally-expected hospitality; the “worthless” one lived up to his name, inviting David’s vengeance. To have attacked Nabal and his people would’ve tarnished David with “bloodguilt” and spoiled his preparation as future king. Abigail knew David was God’s chosen, anointed king, and she acted boldly out of regard for God’s plans, as well as the honor of her home. Despite her imperfect circumstances and intolerable marriage, she displayed a godly spirit and presented herself in humility. Despite disappointment, she had nurtured a strong heart turned straight after God’s plans. Abigail was satisfied in God and determined to honor Him. The soil of her marriage was hard, but she cultivated an attitude of gratitude.

A God-filled wife is a grateful wife

Abigail found satisfaction, help, and purpose in her Husband-God, and she directed her gratitude to Him. As a God filled wife, Abigail was able to forgive her husband, act for his best, consider his reputation, and give unconditional love aside from his folly. Unable to trust him, she turned her eyes from her human husband and looked to the God she could trust. Sometimes it’s really hard to be grateful in marriage, but it’s possible.

She acted boldly, because she knew, “my lord<David> is fighting the battles of the Lord” (1 Sam. 25:28). Abigail’s story didn’t end with marriage counseling or reconciliation, but with judgment on her husband and a new beginning for her. Declared “Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you” (v. 33) by David, she answered, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord” (v.41). Humility revealed her grateful heart. In the harshest of marriages, she cultivated an attitude of gratitude.

Proverbs 31 gives a composite picture of the qualities of an excellent wife. Written by King Lemuel, this man was probably a contemporary of Solomon, a son of David. I have to think King Lemuel would’ve known of the woman Abigail and the story of her beautiful, grateful spirit that endured the folly of a drunkard husband and captured the heart of the shepherd-warrior David. Perhaps Abigail inspired the kind of woman described in King Lemuel’s proverb about a wife who does her husband good, “and not harm, all the days of her life” (Prov. 31:12).

To cultivate thanksgiving in a hard marriage

First cultivate trust in God and His plans
Grow your individual faith-roots deep
Pray for your husband and act for his good
Focus on God’s grace to you and give it in return to your mate

If your marriage resembles that of Abigail to Nabal, focus on gratitude in your relationship to God. If you are blessed with a husband who loves you well, don’t take it for granted; express thanks to God and to your man. Every wife can have an attitude of gratitude.

If Abigail was your friend, what would you tell her about God to encourage her?

Thankful for Fellow Believers

November 13, 2012 by Kathy Howard Leave a Comment

In our 29 years of marriage, we’ve moved seven times with my husband’s job. Probably the hardest thing about each move has been leaving our local church family. However, the greatest thing about each new place is knowing that God already has a church family waiting for us there.

Thankful for God’s Church

This month we are focusing on thanking God for His tremendous blessings in our lives. His church should be near the top of our long list. The apostle Paul constantly thanked God for his fellow believers and left us a good example to follow:

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Philippians 1:3, NLT
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. Ephesians 1:15-16, NLT
We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:3, NLT

Specific Things to Thank God For

God works through local believers to love us in concrete ways. They are His hands ministering to us. Here’s a sampling:

To teach us God’s Word (Romans 15:14)
To comfort us (2 Corinthians 13:11)
To serve us (Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10)
To restore us (Galatians 6:1)
To bear our burdens (Galatians 6:2)
To build us up (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
To do us good (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
To exhort us (Hebrews 3:13)
To encourage us to do good deeds (1 Thessalonians 4:18, Hebrews 10:24)
To meet our physical needs (James 2:15-17, 1 John 3:17)
To pray for our healing (James 5:16)

I encourage you to use this list as a prayer guide today. As you read through this non-exhaustive list of the way God loves us through His local church, thank God for a specific people and particular ways He has loved you through His church.

I’d love for us to share some specific ways God has blessed you through His people. We can write them as a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

The Most Powerful List You Can Make :: Run to Him :: Psalm 77

March 9, 2012 by Do Not Depart 8 Comments

We make lists. To do lists. To read lists. To buy lists.

We live in a fast paced society that is all about getting things done. Go. Go. Go. Our culture sees the power in movement. But in all that getting ahead, we miss the power of remembering.

Sometimes? At the end of a day, I make a list of the things I accomplished simply so I can check them off. Yes, I’m one of those people. But there is a certain power and momentum in remembering what we’ve done.

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Apparently, the Psalmist was a list maker too. But he didn’t make a list of all the things he has or hasn’t done. Instead, he made a list of all the things God has done. And wow what a difference it made!

In Psalm 77, the writer was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

…I would not be comforted… (v. 2)

I was too troubled to speak. (v. 4)

Ever had one of those days? Ever wonder how to change the course of one of those days? Here’s how he did it:

Starting in verse 13, he began to simply list the wonders God has done.

Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. (v. 13)

The change in tone, attitude and hopefulness of the passage is simply remarkable from verse 13 onward.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph…You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (vv. 15, 20)

He may not have immediately felt different, but he immediately spoke different and that changed everything.

He took his eyes off of himself and what he could or couldn’t do. Instead put his eyes on God and what He has already done and will do again.

You see, God doesn’t change. He has been faithful to do wonders and He will be faithful to do wonders. Our greatest times of struggle are simply when we forget to remember.

Make a list

Keep a journal of the things God has done in your life. When troubles come your way, fight them with remembrance of the wonders He’s done.

What is one thing He’s done that you can remember today?

What did you learn from your study of the Psalms this week?

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Kat blogs at Inspired To Action, a site dedicated to helping moms develop the habits and skills they need to effectively manage their homes and raise children who are prepared to change the world. Kat and her husband live in the great state of Texas and have 3 children ages 7, 5 and 2.