Thanksgiving is a time when we take stock of everything we have and give thanks to God for his abundant blessings.  Be thankful for what you have, no matter how much, or how little it is.  There is always a way to be thankful for something.  However, in order to give thanks for the abundant blessings of God, we need to notice them.  So find one thing, or even more, to be thankful for each day.  Write them down and keep a thankfulness journal for 30 days.  This month I have been giving thanks for at least one thing each day.  Even on those days when I feel as if there is nothing to give thanks for, I give thanks for air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink, life, the clothes I’m wearing, the sun, moon, stars, nature, trees, snow, rain, sun, beauty, etc.

A shift takes place the longer you do this exercise. Instead of passively noticing things to be thankful for, I’m now actively looking for things to write down. Big things, like you, got to say good-bye before someone died or the little things like you found your car keys.  When you look to give thanks, your outlook changes to include more gratitude.  Give thanks in every situation, just as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”.  Give thanks always!

Questions to Think About:

Why would having a thankful heart be important to Abundant Life?

What steps do you need to take to be more thankful?

Take the 30-day thankfulness challenge!  After the challenge, ask yourself how your life has changed.