SS2: Find Your Thanks

(No video this week... Just a few words from my heart to yours.  Love, Melissa)

We may KNOW that God wants us to be thankful at all times. We may even WANT to be thankful at all times. But what about when we aren't? I don't think I know anyone who FEELS thankful all of the time, but we can practice giving thanks even when it doesn't happen naturally. (If we practice enough, it may start happening more naturally!) Print out a copy of the thanks below. Pray them out loud. Pray them silently. Pray them in your car and in the shower. Pray them over and over until they become as natural as breathing and you'll never find yourself without a word of thanks on your lips and in your heart.

We can ALWAYS be thankful.

When we look around and can’t find anything good,

we can close our eyes and say thanks to God for...

God’s Promises

Thank You for your Word and the promises it contains.
(Luke 1:45)

God’s Presence

Thank You for being here with me/us right now.
(Matthew 28:20)

God’s Power

Thank You for the strength You are giving me/us as I/we trust You.
(2 Peter 1:3)

God’s Peace

Thank You for your peace that is always available to me/us.
(John 14:27)

God’s Purposes

Thank You for always wanting and working out what is best for me/us.
(Romans 8:28)

God’s Perspective

I’m/We’re thankful You know everything and that nothing is a mystery to You.
(1 John 3:20)

God’s Provision

Thank You for providing everything I/we truly need.
(2 Corinthians 9:8)

God’s Protection

Thank You for watching over me/us.
(Psalm 121)

Click here for a printable version of these prayers.

What else can you think of that we can always thank God for? (The list could go on and on!)  Leave your thanks in the comments by clicking below where it says "Enter your comment..."

SS1: Thanksgiving

Hey, Sisters! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and not just because of the food! I love having a day and a season devoted to thankfulness.

In recent years, you've probably seen a lot of people counting their blessings and posting on social media about what they're thankful for. Books have even been written about gratitude - and for good reason. Gratitude is extremely important for our emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

The more people talk about it, though, the easier it may be to dismiss it as something normal and ordinary. We might start trying to keep a list of things we're grateful for, but forget after a while. Life can be hard and it can be easier to complain or worry instead of being thankful.

In the video this week, I'm talking about Thanksgiving and we'll be looking at some of the different verses in the Bible that encourage us to be thankful. (There is much more that could be said about gratitude and thankfulness. I'm sure it will be a regular topic in studies to come!)

Click on the video below to view this week's study. If the video is unavailable, click here to view it in a different window.

Click here for a printable copy of the study guide.

After you watch the video, think about the questions asked at the end.

How do you practice thanksgiving and gratitude?
What’s your trigger this week?
What are you thanking God for this week?
Tell someone you’re thankful for them!

Leave some thoughts in the comments on this post and have a wonderful week. I'm so thankful for each one of you!!!

Much Love,
Melissa