This morning I woke up with a sincerely grateful heart and a song in my head. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know that I hear music all day. I wrote about it back in March 2016 in a post entitled What’s Good? As I read through that post again this morning, I realized that I made a promise to speak about the good things in my life. I also challenged you to do the same. I wonder if anyone accepted my challenge and followed through?
Well, I’d like to issue that challenge again today on the heels of Thanksgiving and in preparation for a new year filled with unmerited favor. I challenge you to wake up each day and give thanks right away. Give thanks for ALL things — especially our hardships.
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~2 Corinthians 12:6-10
As with any lifestyle change, we must begin with good intentions and a goal of being better in some respect. We must practice what we preach and find a trusted friend who will hold us accountable. I know it’s not easy to begin your day in thanksgiving if your body is riddled with pain or your decades long marriage is crumbling. As someone with a chronic illness, I’m painfully aware of the inclination to complain rather than give thanks, BUT God is so good. He uses us even in our weakness.
When you see me smiling, know that it’s a smile of gratitude that God has chosen to use this wholly unqualified chic to minister to you. If you see me frowning or deep in thought, know that I’m listening intently to what God is telling me, and sometimes, I’m not completely on board with what he’s telling me to do. Then, I take ME out of it — I cast aside my limited vision and simple say Yes.
My challenge to you is two-fold: 1. In all things, give thanks. 2. Say Yes to his desire to use you. That’s it! Can you do that? Scroll down to the comments, and tell me what you’re thankful for today. May blessings abound! <3
P.S. Something I’m really thankful for is my Facebook Community of Trailblazers. It’s a space for women just like you who are doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways. If you’d like to spend each day being fed the word of God and encouraged by other women, JOIN US. We welcome all women to learn to love on each other.
I am thankful for a lovely week for Thanksgiving and my birthday with family. ❤️
That’s certainly plenty to be thankful for. Happy birthday!
Thank you!
good morning Miss Michelle! 🙂
Hey Jim! How are things?
great now that you asked. 🙂
I am Thankful for the creation of the Community of Trailblazers it is truly inspiring and uplifting ☺️
Thank you, Millerson. We’re stronger and better together.
I am grateful for having a Soror like you. You push me out of my comfort zone. I look at my trials and tribulations without depression, but with a positive conviction that I must trust in the Lord . I also must pray without ceasing. Every day is a challenge for me to fight the battle of depression.
Hey, Soror! Thanks for chiming in. I’m grateful for you as well. It’s so easy to get distracted by things that weigh us down, but God promises to lighten the load if we would just cast our cares on him. I’m thankful that we’re on this journey together.