I know it’s still a few weeks away, but this is the month for Thanksgiving. This is a month when (if we haven’t already been doing so), we start to focus on gratitude and appreciation for God and hopefully for others. Doing this in November helps us – in my opinion – helps us to prepare our hearts for Christmas.
In Christ, we have so, so much to be thankful for. We are blessed beyond measure.
I was looking through some verses about gratitude, and this one struck me.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)
I like how it’s all about the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts, the peace of Christ to which we were called. Oh, and by the way, be thankful. It’s a little extra tack-on at the end. Almost – and I hope you don’t think I’m taking too much liberty with Scripture here – but kind of a “duh” moment.
Like, who wouldn’t have the peace of Christ and be thankful? Just the thought is ludicrous, right? If you have the peace of Christ, obviously you’re going to be thankful. Not to repeat myself, but – duh! It’s included in this verse for a reason, though.
I wonder why?
Maybe there are people who think they have the peace of Christ but who have no gratitude. If that’s the case, somethings wrong with the picture. Out of sync. Confused. Not quite right.
Gratitude is a part of life for Christians. We know what we’ve been saved from. We know how Christ works in our lives each and every day. And we know what the future holds for us, too. How could we not be grateful?
We’re also grateful for the people God has brought into our lives. For some of us, it’s family. For others, it’s – well, family – it might just look a little different than other people’s idea of family. We’re thankful for the ones we can rely on, the ones who listen to us when we need an ear, and the ones who give us a light little kick in the derriere when we need that, too.
Sometimes I overextend myself. I commit to too much. Part of that is that I have a really hard time saying no to people who need me to do something. And maybe that’s even grounded a little bit in insecurity and a need to keep people happy with me. But regardless – sometimes I get overextended. I had two separate conversations with people last month about two completely different things, and in both cases, the people told me to stop what I was doing. One was a group of writer friends who basically yelled at me to wait until January to do something that I was going to try to get done in November. (They were totally right. I was crazy for thinking November was possible, let alone a good idea!) The other was with my husband who basically told me not to do something. He was like, “It’s my job to look out for you – even when you don’t like it. And this isn’t good for you. Don’t do it.” (He was totally right, too, by the way.) I heeded his advice. In part, because I knew it came from a place of love.
This year, I’m grateful for the people who love and support me, who encourage me, who pray for me, who hug me – in person or virtually – when I need a hug, and who sometimes just silently root for me. I’m thankful for the people God has placed in my life to teach me, to challenge me, to call me on it when I get a little crazy, and to show me Christ in action by the way they walk through life. I’m grateful for good friends, new friends, and that guy I’m married to who’s also a pretty awesome friend.
As believers, we should be thankful all year long. Every day. Every minute. But sometimes we need a reminder. Sometimes we need a little tap to remind us of the things we already know.
I hope you’re reminded this month to walk in gratitude.
In the comments, let me know something – or someone – that you’re thankful for. One random commenter will be selected to win a $5 Amazon gift card. Winner will be announced in the 11/12/23 Sunday Edition. Must have a .com email address to be eligible.
Heather Gray loves coffee, God, her family, and laughter – not necessarily in that order! She writes approachable characters who, through the highs and lows of life, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her. And, yeah, her books almost always have someone who's a coffee addict. Some things just can't be helped. Despite their different lives and situations, Heather’s characters have something in common. They're all flawed...but loved anyway.
I’m grateful for my mother and her Godly guidance.
Happy Friday Heather! Thank you for an uplifting, inspiring blog. This German American retiree loves November and the American holiday Thanksgiving. The news reports negativity, division, catastrophes, war, gloomy weather. Aging is not for the faint of heart. Therefore in November I create my OMA Gratitude Month ABCs. This year I have 58 blessings and daily I remind myself In everything GIVE THANKS (I Thessalonians 5:18)! November 3 – C is for Community and Choice.
I am thankful for the beautiful SW Michigan community – small beach resort town I live in. St. Joseph, MI is the county seat, we have an excellent hospital, great health care, excellent schools, an independent bookstore, library, restaurants, businesses, farm community and wonderful people.
I am thankful for CHOICE! Choice to learn from mistakes, choice in how we live our lives. Having family with dementia – at my 70+ years old that I still have the facilities to make choices. Having had family that lived in East Germany / East Berlin behind the Iron Curtain – that in America we are free to make choices. God is good! My heart is overflowing as I count my many blessings and name them one by one and GIVE THANKS with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the HOLY ONE, because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son!
I’m thankful for a wonderful husband, 3 kitties who bring joy, my grandmother who I talk with almost every day, my parents who love me fiercely, my wonderful friend who point me back to Christ, pray with me, laugh with me, I’m thankful for my job. I am endlessly thankful for all the writers who bring faith into their books to encourage me, I’m thankful for believers who go before us and teach us. I’m thankful for the practice of journaling. I’m thankful for friends who hold me accountable. And I’m thankful for this blog and podcast. It brings so much joy and life. I love all the recommendations!
I grew up in Michigan and now live in Nevada and man oh man do I ever miss the beautiful seasons of Michigan. There’s just something special about Michigan and the unique community it has. I was talking with my dad last night and he was reminding me that as a child he took me to Plymouth, Mi in the winter where they’d have incredible works of art made from ice. He said these ice sculpture were breathtaking. While I don’t remember that I am thankful things like that exist. Things like that are few and far between in Vegas.
I really enjoyed reading your post today! I am thankful that my family all live close so I get to see them all year long!
I’m thankful for my family, my husband of 54 years, my Salvation in Christ, my gal pals and crafting buddies at Church.
I’m grateful for my parents who help me raise my daughters and an extra special mention for my dad who drives all of us, including my mom because she has cataracts bad, everywhere we need/want to go.
Hi Kris C. Loved your comment. Glad you have fond memories of Michigan and your dad. Plymouth is near Detroit and the Canadian border about 200 miles East of St. Joseph. I live directly across Lake Michigan from Chicago, Illinois about 100 miles away. Spent 3 hot hot days in Vegas in 1984. Best Wishes!
You are so right Heather, I have been trying to take time each day to thank God for all His blessings, being thankful is so important but somehow I get caught up in other stuff and it gets overlooked.
I am thankful for my family, for my warm home in the stormy weather we have been having, and supportive work colleagues.
Amen! What a blessing!
Yes! So much to be grateful for! I think sometimes as we get older – or perhaps just as we mature in our faith – we see more and more for which to be grateful. We begin to better understand all that God has done for us and all that He continues to do in our lives each and every day. Your community – and even the ability to choose joy and gratitude – are gifts from God.
Wow, Kris! I love your attitude. Your thankfulness gives me so much joy! Family is such a blessing. My grandmother has been gone for almost twenty years now, and I still miss her. I still want to pick up the phone and call her. Sometimes, when my son was little, I’d call my grandmother and ask her to “babysit” him for a few minutes so I could have a moment of peace while I fixed dinner. They would have these delightful phone conversations. He would rattle something off. She would say, “I see. That’s so interesting.” It took us a little while to figure out that he thought she could actually “see” what he was talking about, so he’d take the phone around his room and “show” her each of his toys and tell her about it. Not on a cell phone, either. On an old-fashioned cordless landline. I still laugh about that. (My son’s very literal even to this day!) And despite the fact that I still miss her – I wouldn’t trade the years I had her in my life for anything. I am so grateful for that time. Thank you for reminding me!
And as a fellow cat mom of three felines, I share in your joy! ^_^
Yay! Having family close – and having a close family – are such blessings! Thank you for sharing!!
Fifty-four years!! That is such a blessing! And yes – our salvation is always at the top of the list, right? Even if everything else in our world seems to be going to pot, we cling to the cross, knowing that in Christ, we have already overcome it all. And yay for gal pals and crafting buddies! I’m not a crafter – I’d be a hot mess of a disaster if I tried – but I have coffee buddies, which is probably about the same. ^_^
Oh, Joannie – thank you for sharing! This is a teeny tiny little snippet of who your family is, but I already love the picture you’ve drawn us! Your parents sound wonderful, and your dad’s a rock star for sure!! It’s that kind of sacrifice that teaches us what love truly looks like in action, isn’t it? Hugs to you and your family!!
You made me chuckle with the weather comment. I used to teach a group of kids with another gal, and whenever we’d pray together, she’d pray for warmer weather, and I’d pray for cooler weather. ^_^
Sometimes our lives get so busy that we get caught up and forget to make the time to rest in Christ. A friend and I were talking this morning about how we all need a little speed bump now and then that forces us to stop “doing” so that we take that minute to simply reflect on who God is. We get so much calm and peace and joy – and did I mention peace? – when we stop to reflect on who God is. So, so much to be grateful for!!
I have so much to be thankful for. But one big one is my mom. She was a Christian and a huge believer in we reap what we sow. So we all learned from an early age to be happy and to put others first. Oh but the joys that those two things gave back is so incredible. I still love to be happy and to put others first. But now I know where my “joy” truly stems from.
I am thankful for God’s grace that saved me and continues to carry me through each and every day!
Good morning, I am grate to our Heavenly Father that provides us with everything. Have a great weekend.
family
Yes! There’s something special about doing for others – much more so when we know that our “doing” is an expression of God’s love at work in us.
Amen, Denise! God’s grace knows no ends, and He pours it out on us each and every day. He doesn’t just save us at that point of salvation, either. He continues to save us (often from ourselves!) each and every day, and that’s definitely worth being grateful about!
What a great answer! I was reading in James just yesterday about how every good and perfect gives comes from above. God DOES provide us with everything we need, and He does it with such grace – and often patience. So much more so than we rightly deserve. Amen to being thankful for that!!
ALWAYS a good answer!!
A friend of mine does a countdown to Thanksgiving every year by doing different things they’re thankful for each day. This year, that really hit home with me, and I decided to do it, too. I’d thought about it before, but kept forgetting. This year, I’ve decided to do it as I’m being faced with possible breast cancer. And, because when a friend found out I had to go back for a diagnostic mammogram, she didn’t ASK me if she could go with me, she TOLD me she was going with me! And then, after I had it and saw the doctor and found out I had to have the biopsy and it was scheduled, she took me out for brunch. That whole experience was so much better than if I had done as I’d planned, which was drive myself there and back!! So, this year I’m extra thankful for all God has done for me! And, she’s going with me for my biopsy, unless something unforeseen happens!
Lately I’ve been trying to be more grateful for all that I have in my life. I’m especially grateful for my family and our home.
I am thankful for the love and support of my precious family.
I am grateful for my good health and loved ones.
I am grateful for my husband. As my Mom’s health declined as well as his own, my husband took on the task of helping my Mom stay in her own home. We moved in with her. I was still working full time so most of the work fell on his shoulders. As my own health declined, he became my caregiver. He never complains about one thing that is needed to take care of me. He does all he can physically when he has his own challenges. I thank the Lord everyday for my husband. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I am thankful for my brand new granddaughter, I’Somi Diane. She was born on October 2nd, she had to have heart surgery 3 days later and it was a complete success! She is now home with my son and her mommy doing just fine. She is off of all the tubes and eating just fine. All of our prayers were answered!
I’m thankful for my salvation and my family.
I moved 13 weeks ago tomorrow. My cat Henry came (and his sister Libby) well he decided he didn’t want to stay I got him back and he went off again to the old area better and has been there for over 3 weeks. We have tried to trap him and he is just so clever. I am thankful for the neighbour from several doors down who is feeding him and trying to help catch him. We are waiting another week as in a week I am away from 6am to around 6pm for a trip to the city and cant leave him and Libby in the house together. Next weekend ironically I will be feeding him at her home. I am so grateful she loves him too and doesn’t want him to go hungry. I provide food but know she gives some of her own to him. It lessens the stress of him being gone. Right now we are deciding if it is better to let him stay and I provide food to give it a few more goes. (I do love him but want what is best for him). I am also grateful for those who understand rescue cats that have a free spirit and that not all cats can be contained. I am grateful for Henry helping me get fitter with all the walking!
What a fabulous post Heather. Sometimes if I end up sucked into the craziness around me I too need to have things repeated, lol! I am thankful for the early Spring, the beautiful blossoms on Gods creations and especially thankful when the tourists descend on us and everyone stays safe. Thanks
I’m thankful for my husband that does life with me & loves me despite all my flaws.
I’m thankful for the beautiful sunny skies and remaining colorful fall leaves today. I’m not a big lover of fall but I do love seeing all the trees change color.