Thanksgiving

I know it's not November, when the topic of thanksgiving is more often brought up, but this has been a great theme in my school. The very first week, we were challenged to have a "thankfulness" page, where we could turn to and write down things that came to mind that we are thankful for. Some of the things written down were these:

mercy

friends

poetry

sunshine

green grass

intimacy

clean water

healing

But we were also challenged to go deeper. If we didn't have the luxuries of our lifestyles right now; if we were locked in a dark place being persecuted for our faith, what would we - what would I - be thankful for? Our teacher that week, Mary Jane Powers, asked us to write down heart conditions and the transformation that took place upon receiving Christ's redemption. What did I move from? To? And what Bible verse can express this?

liberation from strongholds to being aligned with the Spirit - 2 Corinthians 10:5

from defensiveness to allowing God to be my vindication - Isaiah 50:7-8

from a wall/prison to safety in Christ's grace - Psalm 84:11-12


My heart has contiued to be awakened to a lifestyle of gratitude. I am learning to continually attribute even the small things, the "quiet miracle", to God, and out of the overflow of my heart joy is expressed!