Gratitude

My bestie and I went and saw Ann Voskamp the weekend before I left for Africa. I love the way Ann writes, and I love following her posts on twitter/facebook. They are so encouraging to me, and usually are just the things I need to hear.  She wrote the book 1,000 Gifts, and she encourages people to write down things they are thankful for. I sat there thinking how ungrateful I am in the everyday.

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?
Giving thanks daily and throughout the day when stress comes upon us can decrease it by half.

People who keep gratitude journals are 25% happier.
Who doesn't want to be happier? Why wouldn't someone want this?

I told myself I would start this last month, and it didn't happen. So today I vow to start again. 3 things a day. 333 days. 1,000 gifts.

Let's be thankful together for the things He has done in us, for us, and through us. The things He provides. The ways He works in our trials and suffering. The things He rejoices in.

Today I'm thankful for:
-the ways God is stretching me to do hard things
-Skype, which enables me to talk to my sister whenever I want to
-a hot water bottle to keep me warm on the cold nights :)


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

 

 

You can visit Ann here. Will you join me in going on this 1,000 gifts journey?

Thankful,
Jess