“O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).
In just a few weeks, it’s Thanksgiving week again in the USA. Canada has already celebrated its Thanksgiving last month. Even if your country doesn’t have a Thanksgiving holiday, we know that as Christians we are to be thankful to God every day, right?
What are you thankful for? Who are you thankful for?
“And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will” (Leviticus 22:29).
There are so many verses that show how God’s people are genuinely appreciative of God’s love and care for them. Psalm 100 is such an exciting psalm of thanksgiving. I can almost hear the music playing in this psalm.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 100
What’s your favorite Bible passages in this season of Thanksgiving?
Do you like to read books with scripture verses in them?
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works” (Psalm 26:7).
I am thankful to God for the opportunity to put words together to compose stories that have never been written before by anyone else. I find writing fascinating, and I can’t wait to write the next book.
Having said that, it takes me time to write. Sometimes, a very long time (years). In those times when I am still writing away and The End is nowhere in sight, the Word of God delights my soul and keeps the light on at the end of the journey of writing each book. I remind myself that my goal in writing is to glorify God. That I may indeed “publish with the voice of thanksgiving” and declare all of God’s “wondrous works.”
At the end of the day, I pray that my books will be an encouragement to my readers in their Christian walk.
Right now I am revising Pray for Me (Vacation Sweethearts Book 5). I can’t wait for my readers to read this novel. It’s on preorder on Amazon if you like biracial romance set in the city of Atlanta and on the beaches of the Bahamas.
Meanwhile, are you looking for a warm book to read? Know You More (Savannah Sweethearts Book 1) is still $0.99 on Amazon. You can read this and all my other Christian beach town romance books at no additional cost via Kindle Unlimited.
And one more deal is coming up between November 12-16. Save the dates and download Smile for Me (Vacation Sweethearts Book 1) for FREE in those five days only. Or borrow from Kindle Unlimited any time.
Until then, here’s wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving and may God keep your family warm and safe during this holiday season!
USA Today bestselling novelist Jan Thompson writes clean and wholesome multiethnic contemporary Christian romance with elements of women’s fiction, Christian romantic suspense with an air of mystery, and inspirational international thrillers with threads of sweet Christian romance. Join Jan's mailing list for her latest book news: JanThompson.com/newsletter
I’m thankful for the past 8 years I’ve been home with Mom as her caregiver. We still struggle some days to make the adjustment, but I know I’ll always be thankful for this time with her! I’m also thankful that I was already working from home and didn’t have a big adjustment to make with covid, other than grocery shopping being a scavenger hunt, but even that is getting a lot better!
It’s been a very tough 2020, but still so many things to be thankful for in this mixed-up world of ours. I do like Scripture verses in reading, but when I am reading fiction, my mind is always reminded that it is fiction; however some books are so heavily written with Scripture interspersed within them that it feels more like I am reading the Bible. I have a set time of day for Bible reading, and I don’t like fiction interspersed with the Bible. :) In order for a book to be considered Christian, obviously the power and significance of the Word of God needs to be felt; however, I don’t think readers need to be reading page long prayers and whole chapters of Scripture or full verses of songs, in order for the book to fit into Christian genre. My rant! God is good, all the time.
I am thankful for so many things, and Christian fiction is one of them! I do like Scripture and songs in a story. Usually it’s only a few verses here and there, and maybe a paragraph ot 2 of a semon, or a song title and maybe a few lines of lyrics. Just enough to get the message across, and sometimes if it’san unfamiliarsong I’ll go looking it up to see and hear the rest of it!!.
It sounds like Sandra above copped one of the ‘heavier’ writers in her reading journey.
Trudy – You are a blessing to your mom indeed. My own mom is far away from me, and I wish she was living with me so I can take care of her, even though I am thankful that my brothers are taking care of her (they live near her). I am sure that your effort is noticed by God, and that He will reward you immensely. Yes, it’s wonderful to work from home!
Thank you for your comments!
Sandra – Yes, God is good all the time! One nice thing about Christian fiction books these days is that there is something for everyone. Some readers like more Scripture and look at some stories as parables or what-could-have-been, and some readers don’t want to see God’s Word in fiction at all. For them, there is inspirational lite fiction that are pretty much like Hallmark stories — sweet and clean and wholesome, but not necessarily Christian per se. I myself enjoy some of those stories, as well as more God-honoring Christian romances that are not so world-focused. I read across the spectrum (as long as it’s clean). I’m so glad that we readers have choices!
Thank you for your comments! Have a wonderful weekend!
Margaret – Thank you for your comments! I mentioned above that it’s a nice thing to have reading options so that readers can choose what they want to read. As for me and my house, I want to see Scripture in Christian romance because it can potentially be a small proof that the author’s focus matches up with Scripture. At the same time, there are other books that are super light on Scripture or don’t mention God at all (yes, there are Christian authors who write sweet romance where faith in God is irrelevant to their stories). From an author’s perspective, I can say that we are each called differently. Speaking for myself, I write what I write. I do have hymns and music and scripture verses in my books, especially my books that have church life permeating through the series.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks Jan,
Yes, we are truly blessed to have so many, good, clean books to read and we are truly blessed that we are able to spread the Gospel through literature too.
Hi, I am Thankful for my family, our pets, Good Health, good books to read and the list can go on and on . One thing this Pandemic has reinforced to me is to Never take Anyone or Anything for Granted. God is Good , All the time God is Good. Have a Great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
I am thankful that my Mom is home from the rehab center after seven weeks. It was hard not to see her or be with her. God is so good. We are getting used to a new normal, but she is home.
Thankful for friends and family.
Psalms is my go-to scriptures for anything! They always speak right right into my life no matter what my circumstances are at the time.
And yes, I love stories with scripture in them, it encourages me as a reader :-)
God is good!
Alice – Thank you for your comments! May God bless you and yours also! Have a wonderful weekend!
Indeed. I’m thankful for my family and friends too.
And thank you for your comments!
Debra – Praise the Lord your mom is doing well and is home now! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving season!
Thank you for your comments and have a great weekend!
Trixi – Glad to hear that! Happy reading and may God bless you this Thanksgiving season.
Thank you for your comments!
Thankful for my Savior and my Lord ❤️ For He is faithful!
Hi. I am thankful for many things. I am particularly thankful for the hope we have in Christ as believers – whatever else happens – our Hope in Jesus trumps everything else (no pun intended). Sunsets and sunrises remind me of that hope in Christ – they fill me with awe & give proper perspective in view of His power & might.
One of my favorite verses (currently) is Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth”. Again it reminds me that God isn’t in heaven wringing His hands, saying, “Oh my goodness! How did this happen? What shall I do now?” :D
Knowing Him allows me to appreciate and enjoy the small things in a world sometimes gone a bit “mad.”
I enjoy scripture in a story when it is clear how it affects the people in the story who hear it. If the author is just using the story as an excuse to expose the reader to the Word and nothing more, I think they are doing the reader a disservice. Please don’t misunderstand. I believe that God’s Word never comes back empty without doing what He intended. But I say, show the reader not only the Word but an illustration along with it in the form of seeing how the characters respond.
These days, pretty much every prayer I offer up starts with, “Father, thank You…”. In the midst of pandemic, chronic health issues, discouragement, He has shown Himself faithful in His provision for our family. It has been amazing and humbling all at once. It begins to give me hope that some of the big things before us may be dealt with as well. Either way, as many have already shared, God is good all the time and every time God is good.
Indeed, He is. Praise the Lord!
Thank you, Penelope, for your comments! Yes, I like Psalm 46:10 too. So encouraging to be reminded that God is always sovereign. “He has the whole world in His hands,” as the song goes.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
Thank you, Lincoln! Indeed, it is a good reminder to thank God first in prayer before petitioning. After all, He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. He never comes up short. May God heal us all from our many issues, including health. I am more aware of health issues as I get older!
Thank you again for you comments. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!