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31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 28 – Heather Cofer

Thanksgiving

The sun was just beginning to stream through our living room window as I opened my eyes. In the wee hours of the morning (shortly after our son joined us and had given me a few good smacks to the face as he adjusted his little body) I had moved from the bed to the couch, taking yet another round of ibuprofen to try to dull the pain in my mouth. I had recently had my wisdom teeth removed, and the recovery wasn’t going quite as planned. I was in excruciating pain from developing two dry sockets, and had to make several unexpected visits to the oral surgeon’s because they just wouldn’t heal.

As I laid there on the couch that morning, wanting so badly to get more rest and hearing three little people beginning to wake up and joyfully make their presence known, I could feel the discouragement coming in like a heavy cloud. “I’m a mommy with three little kids and a home to care for. I don’t have time for this.” Internally, I did the only thing I could think of to do in that moment; “Oh, Lord, I need your help. I know you’ve given me what I need to walk through this, but all I can sense right now is this despondence that wants to come in and take over. Help me, Lord Jesus.” Almost before I finished my plea, God so graciously answered.

Thank Me.

So I began thanking Him. For my husband, who so graciously took days off of work to help me. For my sister, who was willing to stay with us for almost a week while I recovered. For my children, who brought so much joy through the recovery with their snuggles and tender little hearts. For my friends, who brought Frosties and meals and sent texts just to let me know they were praying for me. For the access to excellent medical care. For the flowers that graced our countertop from my dad (I can’t get enough of flowers)… And the list went on and on. Once I started, I could hardly stop. God had displayed His love for me in so very many ways, and when I simply chose to turn my eyes from focusing on the hard things to giving thanks to Him for His goodness, my entire perspective was altered.

Psalm 107:21-22 says, “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.”

This is just one of many passages that tells us to give thanks to the Lord. As fallen human beings, we have a natural propensity to turn inward and focus on the bad that is taking place in our lives. But God knows that keeping our eyes fixed upon Him in thanksgiving is what will be the very best thing for us in every way.

In our own strength, having a continual heart of thanksgiving is impossible. But by God’s enabling grace through His Spirit, we are able to offer praise in any circumstance! It’s not promised to be easy. In fact, in the verse above, it calls it a “sacrifice of thanksgiving.” When we are in pain, in mourning, overcome with grief or depression or sadness, it may be the hardest thing we do. But that sacrifice of thanksgiving is what He uses as His channel of grace to draw us out of that state into one of joy and peace and hope.

And no matter what we are facing, there is always something to be thankful for. Even if every calamity known to man happened to us, if we were afflicted with the worst of diseases, and everything was stripped from us, we would still be able to say, with Job, “blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21).” Why? Because we are deserving of death, and Jesus, by His love and mercy, died in our place to free us from the power of sin and death, and to give us the hope of being with Him for all of eternity. This in and of itself should cause us to leap with joy and continually pour forth praise from our lips.“[clickToTweet tweet=”To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us — and He has given us everything.” quote=”To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us — and He has given us everything.”]

As Thomas Merton put it, To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us — and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.”

When we gaze at the vast and incredible kindness of our Heavenly Father rather than the trials we are facing, God is glorified, and we are blessed beyond measure. God never asks something of us that won’t be for our greatest good and for His glory. So we can trust that when we offer our sacrifices of thanksgiving, He will fill our hearts with hope and joy that is beyond what we can even comprehend.

In the words of A.W. Tozer, “Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and not be poorer but richer for having made it.”

About the Author:

Heather Cofer is a wife and mother with a passion for encouraging others to love Jesus with all their hearts. This comes through writing, leading worship, and being actively involved in life-on-life discipleship alongside her husband, Judah, who is one of the pastors at their church. She is also a regular contributor for the ministry of Set Apart Girl, and is in the process of starting up her own blog in the near future (visit her landing page here)

Heather loves spending her days with their three young children, enjoying quality time with Judah, and having sweet conversations over cups coffee with friends.

Heather is a Colorado native, but spent most of her childhood in the country of Mongolia, which is where she and Judah met after his family also moved there several years later. After getting married in 2011, they moved to Windsor, Colorado, and have been there ever since.

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 27 – Koral Dean

How easy is it as women to dwell on the negative? What you don’t have or what you don’t look like or what you don’t get to do. It’s so easy to look around and compare. If I’m being one hundred percent here, I’ve been really convicted lately about not being thankful and grateful. When I was asked to do this blog post, I had to do some soul searching and thought… how in the world am I going to do a blog post about thankfulness and gratitude if I’m not being very thankful and grateful on a daily basis? It was as if the enemy had pulled a sheet over my eyes and was whispering lies in my ears. When I opened my eyes, I saw so many good and beautiful blessings. There will always be that next big thing, or that next big opportunity, or that next big season. We spend so much of our lives thinking, if I could just get here, if I could just get that, if I could just get past this. If we spend our lives just waiting for that next big thing we “want”, we will miss what we already have. We are called to praise God in the good times and the hard times. Even in the hard times when life can look so bleak, He is faithful. [clickToTweet tweet=”We have to stand up to the lies of the devil and practice gratitude even still. ‘But even if not…” – Daniel 3:18″ quote=”We have to stand up to the lies of the devil and practice gratitude even still. “But even if not…” – Daniel 3:18″]

We have to stand up to the lies of the devil and practice gratitude even still.But even if not…” – Daniel 3:18

I am reminded of the story in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. When they were told that if they would not worship the idol put before them by their king, they would be thrown into a burning furnace. Their life was looking pretty darn bleak… in spite of it all they said:
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”But even if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”… – Daniel 3:17-18

What challenge in your life has the devil been trying to set up before you? Will you praise him and be grateful in the valley as well as the peak? There is always something to be thankful for. Joy and gratitude is a choice and, unfortunately, a choice I’ve not been very good about making every day lately. I would say that my life, marriage, and job has been in a bit of a slump as life, marriage, and jobs tend to do on this roller coaster of life. I’ve been choosing to focus on that instead of all the beautiful blessings. I don’t have a sad story to share, no big event that would cause major heartache and grief, I’ve been very blessed and have a beautiful life with so, so many things to be thankful for. But I’ve been in a headspace where I think a lot of women can find themselves in with the mundane and day-to-day demands of being a mom to little ones and a wife. When you just get to that place of complacency and blah. Those are lies from the devil. Today, I woke up and chose to focus on the positive and, I want to challenge you to do the same. See if making a conscious choice to focus on all the things you should be thankful for instead of all the things seemingly going wrong. See if that doesn’t change the perspective on your whole day. And soon, those days will turn to weeks and weeks into months and before you realize it, you’ll look back and see that you have been able to climb out of that “slump”. Anytime you want to feel thankful for what you have, go back and look through the camera roll on your phone. I take pictures of the moments I don’t want to forget or the things that make me laugh and when I look back at those things I am always reminded of how good my life really is.

About the Author:

Koral is the Creative Director at Scarlet & Gold, a gift and lifestyle brand whose mission is to equip women with resources to live a joyful and content life. She is a contributor to Scarlet & Gold’s weekly podcast, the Give Grace Podcast that speaks to women about finding joy and community in the hard seasons of life. She is a wife and mother of two little ones. Her and her husband have a 3 year old daughter and 7 month old son. She and her family live in Birmingham, AL.

Instagram:

@koraldean

@scarletandgoldshop

www.scarletandgoldshop.com

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 26 – Hannah Walker

“I think I need to be committed. I keep having these thoughts, and I can’t make them stop…”

That was the beginning of having my world turned upside down for the next couple weeks.

“If you try to leave, you will be arrested.”

“We’re here to make sure you’re safe.”

“Well, yes, we do have to protect ourselves as well . . . If you did choose to leave, and something were to happen . . .”

“My name is Doreen. I’m here to watch you tonight.”

“You look fragile. Why don’t you just have a seat there while I check your things to make sure they’re allowed?”

I was beyond fragile. I was in shock. What have I gotten myself into? Why did I ever say anything at all?

I think the moment you realize you’re locked in a psychiatric hospital is the moment it hits you. It was elusive. It was impossible to see when you’re on the outside. In there, it was inescapable.

It was a reason to live. When you’re told you can’t go anywhere, you (all of a sudden) have a long list of places you’d rather be. You don’t miss people until you can’t see them anymore. You don’t have things you really want to do until you no longer have the ability to do them. It was perspective.

I hadn’t been in there long before I made friends with the other inmates . . . I mean, patients. When you’re locked in an under-staffed for-profit hospital, your MO changes. You know you’re not getting help, so you focus on getting out (and finding what enjoyment you can until that happened).

Some of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve met were in that hospital – all patients. With them, it was okay to say, “I have bipolar II” – many of us in there did. It was also okay to admit why I ended up there.

One thing we were taught there was to process our emotions through gratitude. I listened attentively and participated – anything I could think of that would contribute to an early release. Six months off for good behavior – type thing. All the while thinking it was a load of hooey – nice in theory, didn’t change squat.

At that point, I hadn’t seen my kids in five days. I hadn’t heard their voices. They were just too young to know or understand where mommy was. I asked my husband to bring in pictures of them when he came for visitation. Anything that came in had to be searched before given to us.

I asked for them that night. Too busy, they said. Understandable. I asked for them the next morning. Too busy, they said. Okay . . . I waited a few hours and asked again (surely a fragile mom would be allowed to see her children, right?). Too busy. Deep breath – in and out. Waited a few more hours. Oh, you can’t have them without doctor’s orders. Tears rolled. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I knew it wasn’t true, but they had chosen to keep them from me. Now, six days, I couldn’t take it anymore. I found a doctor, and he began to look for my pictures.

All of the items we weren’t allowed to have were stored in a closet and labeled. No pictures anywhere. They were hidden, and I was broken. Everyone knew the pictures didn’t just disappear. Everyone knew they were choosing to keep them from me. That was just the kind of place this was.

I got out my journal and decided to focus on things I had to be thankful for:

1. That I know how to be kind. (Okay, so this actually wasn’t very kind of me to write down, because it was meant to point out how some people were really good at being unkind. Some folks just weren’t raised right.)

2. That I have a family I love and want to see. (I had a home I wanted to go back to. I even missed doing laundry.)

3. That my family wants to see me. (I got a visitor or two every time there was a visitation. Most people didn’t have anyone come to see them.)

4. That I have a husband who’s willing to fight for me. (I’m married to a man who’s going to ask to speak to a supervisor until he gets the problem solved.)

5. That I won’t be here forever. (Finally found some hope – when you’re at rock bottom all you can do is look up.)

At this point, I was feeling a little better and determined to make it to 10 . . .

6. That I have a comfortable bed to go home to. (Anything other than two inches of newspaper wrapped in vinyl would be a step up.)

7. That Tippy will be happy to see me. (I make sure she’s fed every day. Of course, my dog is going to be happy to see me.)

8. That there’s a hot shower and razor waiting for me. (A button operated the showers. Press the button, and you’d get a few seconds of lukewarm water. There’s no telling how many times I had to push the button just to get their three-in-one shampoo out of my hair. If you wanted to shave at all, you had to wait until a staff member was willing to watch you shave. No, thank you – I’ll just go home Sasquatch.

9. That I was able to get in the gym and play. (They have a gym you could go to if a certain staff person was there and willing to go. I did have a close game of HORSE with a one-armed man, but I managed to pull it out in the end. Such a fun guy – he was also very good at football.)

10. That I have supportive people around me despite where I am. (All of the patients knew what had happened with the pictures. They knew how much it hurt, because they had all had similar experiences. One of the greatest blessings was getting to meet my fellow inmates and share the struggles we go through in and out of that place.

I finished my list and felt better. My pictures were gone, but I’d found other things to focus on. I found my perspective through gratitude. I wouldn’t be in there forever, and I would be able to see my kids in person. That evening we had another group session, and my one-armed friend sat beside me. At groups, we were given worksheets to fill out. Basically saying, “On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel?” My friend leaned over to me: “Can you read this and write my answers for me?”

11. I can read and write.

It’s hard, almost impossible, to find perspective when you’re sliding down the rope. All you feel is the pain of the rope burn. All you can see is the top getting further and further away.

Perspective is found most easily when you’ve reached the end of your rope. And for heaven’s sake – tie a knot on the end of that sucker and hang on, because there is so much to be thankful for.

About the Author:

I get to be the mama to Irish Triplets (If you don’t know what that is, look it up. It’s worth a google.). I was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder a year and a half ago, but this is the first time I’ve said it publicly. Yikes – guess when God lays something on your heart, you’ve just got to go with it.

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 25 – Jana Bishop

The phone call left us both silent. My husband stood there, stunned at the news. We were on vacation and the little gas station tucked off of the dusty road held a moment in time for us. Tears racing down our cheeks as we turned the car around. The news was more than we could handle, but one thing was certain we not on vacation anymore.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

We sat in the back booth. Jackets and purses shoved to the side so that we could all squeeze in. The restaurant was cozy and inviting, my favorite kind. I glanced at my phone. The urgent message caught my attention. I tried to stay composed as a flood of emotions washed over me. Tears filled my eyes and hope filled my heart. There was no doubt about it, a miracle was on the horizon.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Two very different instances. One full of immense heartache and grief. Another filled with joy and hope. They changed my life forever…those moments in time. It’s amazing how one year can hold such incredible hope while giving way to unbelievable pain. The good and the bad. The bitter and the sweet. The truth is, there are so many moments and memories that make up a year. There are times when it is a daily choice to walk in gratitude and joy, while other times it just flows out of our hearts like a rushing river. As our family has walked the highs and lows of this year I have been asking God how to stay steady in my gratitude, despite the circumstances. How can I shift my focus when my heart is overwhelmed?

And I’m here to tell you, I don’t really know the answer to that question. I wish I had a concrete, no fail answer. I just don’t…

But what I do have are stories and memories. Times where I have quieted my heart and looked for the good. Moments where my heart felt heavy and burdened, yet I found a glimmer of hope. If you were to ask my husband what he does, he would tell you that he takes physical action to help point his heart in the right direction. When he feels low, he goes for a walk and thanks God for his very breath, life, family. Each physical step representing the distance he is placing between his heart and discouragement or fear. My way is a bit different. I’ll go for a drive or take time to create in silence. It’s those quiet moments that help steer my perspective and allow me the space to let go of negativity and anxiety. Because, if I’m being honest. Those are the two things that can easily rob my heart of joy

Gratitude is a powerful medicine. It is intentional and vital. It can take the bitterness of life and turn it into something we hold dear. It is a gift. A heart song…a way of saying I trust you, God. And I have not forgotten Your goodness towards me. Even if I can only find one thing to be thankful for today, I will find it. And I will offer it to you with a pure heart.

The amazing thing about that action is that it usually multiplies. One hope-filled, thankful thought can turn into a flood of gratitude if we allow it…

This year. 2017. It’s been a lesson in trusting God for more while staying content and thankful for what others may consider less. It’s contained gut-wrenching loss for our family and yet, it’s also been a season of incredible joy. Through it all, we have held on to this year as a season of dwelling in hope. Life is life. It’s never perfect. But declaring each day as one worthy of thankfulness has allowed this year to be one that we can look back on with fondness.

As much as we cringe at the thought of bitter moments, their sting seems a little less when our hearts are cushioned with the beauty of gratitude.

stock images for social media

About the Author –

My name is Jana and I’m a native Texan with a true love for sweet tea, teased hair, and big ole thunderstorms. In the last two years, I’ve helped entrepreneurs stand out from the crowd, increase sales and attract their ideal customers by establishing a visual presence online with styled stock photos. Especially on Instagram!

Instagram: @twigyposts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twigyposts/

Website: www.twigyposts.com

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/twigyposts

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles, Uncategorized

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 24 – Anna Kooiman

Hi friends. I’m so thankful to have Anna Kooiman guest posting for me today. Below she shares about her blessings and the many wonderful things she has to thankful for during this busy but good season of life. I enjoyed reading her post and I know you will love it too!

[clickToTweet tweet=”I think it is so important to count our blessings instead of misgivings. ” quote=”I think it is so important to count our blessings instead of misgivings. “]

I think it is so important to count our blessings instead of misgivings. It helps me stay positive and get the most out of life. I believe it is a great challenge for us to take, when we try to always see the glass as half full.

These days I am most grateful for a baby boy on the way. I just ordered my stroller, bassinet, & car seat today!!! I am 26 weeks along. I got to announce my big news on my favorite Aussie Morning Chat show, Studio Ten. My husband and I are expecting our first child at the end of January. We know how much our lives are about to change and can’t wait for this new chapter.

To view Anna’s pregnancy announcement watch this video –

Since finding out about my pregnancy I have been doing a lot of traveling for my fitness, travel, & lifestyle website,

AnnaKooiman.com! Traveling is one of my favorite things to do and I can’t even imagine how difficult it will be once we welcome our bundle of joy. So I have a very well traveled fetus! He was conceived in Sydney and been back to the USA twice, to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s capital- Canberra, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, all over Northern Italy & Switzerland. I am currently back home in the USA for some television work in Los Angeles and New York City.

Since moving to Australia I have absolutely adored the time I’ve been able to spend getting to know my Aussie hubby’s family in Sydney. But of course I have missed my immediately family and culture a ton. They just flew out to LA from NC to spend some time with me. Although it was just for a couple of days, it was fabulous! This has been such an amazing opportunity to be back doing what I love in Los Angeles, hosting Good Day LA… and doing appearances on my old TV home, Fox and Friends in New York City.

I fly back to Sydney on Friday night. Looking forward to seeing my husband and yellow lab, Baxter. And plan to slow down and enjoy this special gift growing in my belly!! This is such an exciting time! I can’t wait to start getting things in order for his nursery at Bondi Beach!

About the Author:

Anna Kooiman is an American television host and fitness, travel, and lifestyle blogger living in Sydney, Australia. She and her Aussie husband moved to Bondi Beach from New York City. Anna is the former female anchor of the number one weekend cable morning show in the world, ‘Fox and Friends Weekend.’ The four hour breakfast ad-lib show is a mix of politics, current events, lifestyle, and fun. Anna spent 5 years at Fox News Channel in New York City. She also anchored and contributed to multiple New Year’s Eve specials aired internationally on FNC.

Anna was a major contributor to the show’s 2016 US presidential election coverage… interviewing the candidates (including Donald Trump frequently), as well as crisscrossing the country to find out the issues that mattered to everyday Americans. Anna covered major US events from both the studio and the field. Anna was live on the ground following the terror attacks in San Bernardino, CA and Orlando, Florida. Among many other natural disasters, Anna was out in the elements during Hurricane Sandy, and the NE Blizzard of 2015, as well as the devastating Moore, Oklahoma tornadoes. To read more about Anna visit her website here.

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days Thanksgiving – Day 23 – Blythe Hunt

When my close friend Kara died of breast cancer a couple of years ago, the question I got asked most frequently was how her four small children were doing. It was a difficult question to answer; sometimes, an angry part of my grieving heart wanted to respond, They just lost their mother! How do you think they’re doing?! But even in the midst of our mourning, I knew that wasn’t fair because as Kara’s mentor and intimate friend observed, the children were doing well because their default was to choose joy—that children in general tend to make joy their mindset of choice. I mulled that over again and again—choose joy. That certainly wasn’t my default as an adult. My own mother died when I was 20, and I don’t think a day passed during that season of intense grief when the thought of choosing joy even crossed my mind. What would it mean to choose joy now? How would I do that and why?

Choose joy. The more I thought about it, the lovelier it sounded. It seemed simple, although not simplistic; hope-filled but not empty; intentional, yet certainly not easy. It also seemed biblical—scripture after scripture came to mind about joy: joy being a fruit of the Spirit (Galations 5), Psalm after Psalm praising God in joy; passages in the New Testament, like Philippians 4:4, which commands us to Rejoice in the Lord always; and one that I found particularly challenging, Habakkuk 3:17&18:

¹⁷Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
¹⁸yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Somehow, even though the writer speculates about life falling down around him and appears hopeless, he still anticipates finding joy in the Lord—he says he will choose joy, and choose it with determination: yet I will rejoice…I will take joy…And this declaration is after a confession of all that could wrong, an emotional vomit, if you will. I admit that I am no theologian so I don’t know the ins and outs of this passage, but even I can see the vulnerability in these plain verses. There is no false optimism or sugarcoating here. There are no conditions that if God provides what he wants or makes sure his family is fed, then he will choose joy. No! To the contrary, he says, yet he will rejoice.

I think back to when Kara died. She had been very present on social media, and to honor everyone who had been praying for their family, her husband posted a picture of himself with the kids out for ice cream so folks could be comforted by knowing they were doing okay. I remember the looks on the kids’ faces—they truly did look fine. They were smiling and their faces reflected the joy they were choosing each day. I remember thinking that joy doesn’t negate bad circumstances or make it go away. By choosing joy, we don’t also choose to pretend that our situation is okay or that our hearts aren’t breaking; joy and sadness can coexist, and maybe that’s the best place for joy to reside—next to sadness. Maybe sadness is the best companion for joy because it’s in the midst of sadness that we can best experience and taste joy. After all, how good can joy taste if we’ve never tasted the bitterness of loss?

I had my first baby when I was 35. He was a blessed surprise; I am always surprised at happiness. You see, after losing my parents in a car accident when I was 20, nothing in my life went the way I had planned. When you lose your parents at that age, you also lose your home and a large sense of your identity. I suddenly had no provider, no place to go on college breaks, no protector. During that initial, intense season of grieving, I wasn’t thinking about choosing joy, I was thinking about how to survive. I just wanted a normal life, but it became increasingly clear that was not going to happen. I fell into a deep depression that lasted for years and years. I became angry at God and walked away from him. I flailed for most of my 20s, trying desperately to just find stability through various ugly means. In the end, I realized that the only true security was in Christ.

Long story short, I married and had my babies in my 30s. And let me tell you—I don’t take one day of life with my amazing husband or precious children for granted. And it’s not because they’re so great, although they are, but because I remember so clearly how awful and tormented life was in my 20s. Joy is my companion today because sadness was my companion then; when sadness is my companion now, like when Kara died, joy remains.

And Joy remains because gratitude is present. I see that in the Habakkuk passage—the writer doesn’t simply say that he has random joy; his joy is rooted in the God of his salvation. He is joyful because God has saved him. At the end of the day, even if he loses everything, God has saved his soul. I understand the key to his joy—gratitude. And not gratitude for things going his way or all his awesome stuff or his dreams coming true, but for God’s hand on him. Wow.

Back to Kara—I can’t think about her without equating her death with joy and gratitude. Is that strange? We had so many conversations at the end where we would talk about heaven. She’d be in her bed or maybe her hospital bed, and I’d be right at her side, and we’d imagine what it would be like. She was so close to heaven in those moments; her body was in horrid physical pain, but she had an excitement to see her Savior, to look him in the eye. We’d dream about that together, joy filling our hearts, gratitude filling our souls. For how could we not be grateful that her suffering would soon end and she would be face-to-face with Jesus?! Yes, her family and friends would miss her desperately, but we couldn’t begrudge her the ultimate redemption that being in Christ’s presence would bring. Her suffering would become undone. God would wipe away her tears for the last time. Can you imagine that without feeling thankful? For me, joy flies on the coattails of that gratitude.

Of course, the tricky part is to believe that all of this truly is good. When my mama and daddy died, I didn’t believe; instead, I became angry and bitter. I was too focused on circumstances instead of God. I couldn’t see past my situation to thank God for his hand on me. I couldn’t trust his sovereignty and believe that he was using ugly, broken things of this world for beauty and his glory. I couldn’t believe that he wouldn’t withhold anything good from his children (Ps. 84:11). Yet the Lord has saved me from the mire of that muck of disbelief, and I am so grateful. My gratitude isn’t because I’m not angry and bitter anymore, but because I’m saved. Does that make sense? The gratitude that fills my heart, with joy on its coattails, isn’t rooted in the relief of not being a bitter, angry 20-something woman, but in God’s salvation. I don’t think, Thank God I’m not bitter and angry anymore (because, by the way, as long as I’m on this earth, I will still struggle); no, I think, Thank God that he saved me! Thank you, Jesus, for loving me and drawing me close to you and lavishing me with your love and delight even when I’ve done nothing to deserve it! That is the true foundation of my gratitude. God is a god of mercy, salvation, and love! And through that lens, I see everything differently. Kara didn’t simply die and leave her four children; she walked cancer and death beautifully with deep grace, inviting others in and opening the door for thousands of people to hear the gospel and be introduced to Jesus. Her children were transformed because of how she used her illness and death to point them to the Lord. And she has been united with her Savior, who has erased her cancer and made her new again, restoring her to him. This is cause for joy, this is cause for gratitude.

So will I choose joy today? Tomorrow? I think the deeper question is if I will choose gratitude. Will I choose to believe that God loves me, he delights in me, he doesn’t withhold anything good from me or any of his children, and he promises eternal redemption of his creation? If so, how could I not be grateful? How could I not be joyful? As Henri Nouwen says, We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God our refuge and our safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us. Thanks be to God!

About the Author:

A freelance writer and editor, Blythe Hunt is also an orphan who once could not have fathomed the love and safety she would eventually find in community. In her mid-twenties, God rescued her from a den of depression, loneliness, and isolation by restoring her heart through the love of others. Her passion is building community, which includes hosting parties and asking awkwardly personal questions; she is currently writing a book on introverted hospitality. Blythe and her husband Aaron have two children, live in a bungalow in downtown Colorado Springs, and dream of being minimalists. She can be found all over social media at Mundane Faithfulness.

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 22 – Kristin Weber

When Amelia asked me to do a post for her 30 Days of Thankfulness series, my mind immediately jumped to all the things I take for granted on a daily basis: family, friends, Chipotle, abundant hiking paths close to my house, coffee, etc.

I generally attach thankfulness to the things that bring me joy or warm fuzzy feelings.

When I was a kid I’d sometimes hear adults say they were thankful for a difficult season. Some even had the audacity to say they wouldn’t change their weaknesses or circumstances because of the good they’d seen come out of those situations.

While I still don’t completely understand the why of our weaknesses and trials, I have a little more perspective on how God uses these things to shape us, mold us, and make us more like Him.

So, this year I’ve decided to specifically give thanks for the circumstances that have brought me the most trials. Specifically:

1.I’m thankful for my lack of natural talent. Because of it I’ve learned how to work hard.

2. I’m thankful that God has withheld a number of life’s milestones and successes. Because of it I’ve learned to celebrate the “little things,” which are often actually the “big things” in the long run.

3. I’m thankful for my singleness. Because of it I have the freedom to serve, go, learn, and grow.

4. I’m thankful for the long season of loneliness and depression I experienced in my teens and 20s. It’s driven me to reach out to others who might be lonely and to encourage young women that life gets better.

5. I’m thankful for not having it all together. Because of it I have compassion for others who are struggling.

6. I’m thankful for my tendency toward cynicism. While cynicism isn’t a godly mindset, recognizing my bent toward it has taught me to always go back to the joy and purpose Christ offers unconditionally.

7. I’m thankful that I can’t keep up with technology. It’s kept me reading real books.

8. I’m thankful I’m a slow learner. As a teacher I know how to patiently motivate my students to persist and overcome.

9. I’m thankful I’m not athletic. It’s really fun to run like a Muppet.

10. I’m thankful for my weakness. They’ve taught me to rest in Christ’s strengths.

About the Author –

Kristin Weber is a comic, writer, speaker and music teacher. She loves hiking and Chipotle. You can find out more about her by visiting www.kristinweberonline.com

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 21 – Angela Hoover

First, I want to thank wonderful Amelia for asking me to write about being grateful. It’s a wonderful assignment and I feel no pressure after reading all the others.

It was my 25^th birthday. I was celebrating by laying face-down crying in the shag carpet of my bedroom floor. I was living in an apartment in Redondo Beach with my sister. (Not the reason I was crying.) At the time I was the executive assistant to Jack Canfield the co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and today, on my birthday, I felt like a total failure.

Jack had just started to see some major success with his new book and I was his new executive assistant. I handled his bookings, spoke with clients, and tried to look executive assistanty, since my training consisted of someone showing me my desk.

From time to time I had to put press kits together for Jack. Copies of newspaper articles, photos, reviews, awards, celebrity joint ventures, etc., were all stuffed into one glossy white folder.

To me, it was the “look at all the things I’ve accomplished and you haven’t” folder.

Honestly, I thought I was going to be the short stocky Julia Roberts by 23. Here was the plan. I would be working on feature film after feature film by my early twenties, I’d absolutely be set financially and at this time I would have already surprised my hard working mom and dad with a new home. It would have Spanish tiles. Because my mom loves Spanish tiles. They would cry, and I would say thank you for everything (while still crying) and they would be blown out-of-the water ecstatic, but unable to get the words out because of their crying.

I had won all sorts of awards in high school drama and I loved performing so much so I just knew that this was going to be it for me. It wasn’t until I took my first professional acting class that I found out, I had no idea how to act.

So, I started taking acting classes in LA, sang in a gospel choir in Inglewood, and did theater in the South Bay. I really hustled. I did all this with the undercurrent of feeling that I was behind. I had missed the boat. Yes. At 23.

This went on for years. And then more years after that.

I had a very disciplined practice.

It consisted of looking at, and focusing on how far away I was from what I dreamed my life would be, feeling terrible, and then holding that feeling.

All day, err day.

It sort of stopped when I had my first child. But then, before long, it was back. Of course I had many moments of joy. My wedding, my 2 babies, all the moments I got to experience with the kiddos working from home. But I would always go back to feeling like I was getting farther and farther away from my calling. My dream. From where I was “supposed” to be.

I knew in my mind what I was grateful for. You know that obligatory check list you go through in your head?

I was thinking gratefulness, but I wasn’t feeling gratefulness. I was feeling more like a victim.

So, the question. How does one feel gratefulness?

Practice. Gratefulness is a practice, which means it takes practice. And most of us, don’t like to practice. Anything.

My dad was the ultimate provider. He worked his life away providing for my mom and three girls. For the most part, I don’t think he really ever really felt proud of what he had done for us. He couldn’t feel it. He was racing. He too felt like he had missed the boat. From drying his shoes in the oven as a little boy, to buying a home in Palos Verdes, Estates, California. He still felt like he hadn’t grabbed that brass ring. But he had. I used to tell him that all the time. It’s difficult to feel grateful when you set an impossible standard for yourself because it makes you feel like you never ever get there.

I was blessed to be able to make it out to Florida to tell him how grateful I was to him for everything he had done before he passed in 99. I was out there for two weeks and at 5am before I headed back to the airport, he finally sat up in his bed and spoke. We had a beautiful conversation. After we talked, he gave me 2 free drink tickets for United Airlines. Ultimate provider.

Being grateful does not mean that everything is just the way you pictured it to be. Or that you don’t want more. As my friend Diana Lang says “Acceptance is not resignation.” I love that saying. It’s saying things are what they are right now, and you know what? It’s okay. And, the more you make it all okay, the more things magically seem to change. Without you forcing them to.

I’ve had a lot great opportunities in my life. I’ve been flown to Cannes. I’ve traveled to London to interview Renee Zellweger and my imaginary husband Colin Firth. (Yes. More handsome in person.) I’ve performed at Radio City Music Hall twice and have had an absolute ball on some really hilarious and silly productions. I’ve been able to mostly work from home raising two kids. Only one of these things were in my original vision.

The most important lesson I learned from my dad was to make sure that I feel my life while I’m in it. I’m in charge of that everyday. To accept my life and know that it’s perfect just as it is. And even if it’s not perfect, it’s perfect. Just saying these words, I feel grateful. Because truly, I would take my family on the couch with me, over a month in a Honeywell trailer any day of the week.

Unless it’s a 3-episode arc, then that’s totally doable.

About the Author:

Angela Hoover is mother of two, a comedian and a lover of all things character. She owns more wigs than shoes.

Angela was a semi-finalist doing celebrity impressions on season 8 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent has guest starred on Inside Amy Schumer and Casual, and you can see her on Disney’s Walk the Prank if your under 12.

Last year she did 30 celebrity impressions in 30 days. To see all of them or to be notified of her next challenge you can follow her on @angelahoovercomedy on Instagram. Her strengths are cake making, impressions and hugging her kids. Her weaknesses are too long to list but include time management and weighing the pros and cons of a situation for hours on end.

Instagram: AngelaHooverComedy

Facebook AngelaHooverComedy

Twitter: AngelaHoover07

Visit the website: angelahoover.com to subscribe to her newsletter

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 19 – Joy Mason

Being the 19th day into this awesome series on thanksgiving, I am intimidated, to say the least. I also do math all day, so writing is not my forte’. All that aside, I know that we always have a story to tell!

I have been meditating immensely on the human coping mechanism of “foreboding joy” recently. This idea is not mine, but from my favorite researcher, Brene’ Brown*. She presents that when the vulnerability of pure joy comes our way, we try to counter that deep joy with a splash of reality so that we are prepared if/when the source of our joy goes away.

How silly is that!? Instead of basking, dwelling, and enjoying our JOY from a blessing or answered prayer or little gift from God, we “sterilize” it so that we’re not as disappointed when/if it goes away!

For example, I have some new, wonderful friends that have taken my husband and I under their wing, since we’re the newbies in town. I can barely wrap my mind and heart around the fact that they are my friends, love hanging out with me, and are intentional about our time spent together. We have conversations about meaningful things and silly things. It’s so enriching and energizing to have them, to need them, and to be needed by them.

I realized, after meditating on the concept of foreboding joy, that I had been “splashing” this blessing and the joy that it brings me with the foreboding “Joy, you’re going to mess this friendship up! You’re going to do something that will turn them off to you. Then, your relationship will slowly fade away and you’ll grow apart and distant from each other.”

Just writing that out makes me shudder. Thankfully, Brene’s research gives us a great counter action to these silly stories we tell ourselves. The Holy Spirit has been telling us the same thing: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). The perfect reaction to pure joy is gratitude.

[clickToTweet tweet=”The perfect reaction to pure joy is gratitude.” quote=”The perfect reaction to pure joy is gratitude.”]

The next time I’m sitting in the middle of a blessing (i.e. having a glass of wine with my friends, walking my sweet dogs on a beautiful day, reading a really good book, etc.), I am going to smile in my heart, mind, soul, and body, giving deep thanks to our wonderful God, who wants us to have pure joy when he gives us gifts and blessings. I am going choose not to listen to the foreboding joy tapes our enemy likes to replay in our heads.

Let us move forward, letting God’s full glory shine through our thanksgiving instead of numbing it down to protect our hearts. Let us play the tapes of child-like joy instead of adulting all the time. Let us thank the giver and fully take the gift!

*I have read her book, Daring Greatly and am currently reading Rising Strong. Both will rock your world.

About the Author:

I grew up in SC, but now call Chicagoland my home. I am a wife, dog mother of 2, and do math all day as a risk analyst. I love seeing how God is in all moments, people, and arenas of life, and am personally called to be in the “secular” space. My days are usually filled with one or more of the following: chatting over a glass of wine with a friend, walking my dogs along the Fox river, or reading a book after dinner (currently, my husband and I are reading The Chronicles of Narnia). I love cooking for people, so if you are an adventurous eater and chat as if nothing is forbidden to talk about, we would have fun in my kitchen!

31 Days of Thanksgiving, Articles

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 18 – Janice Thompson

LIGHTEN UP! HOW TO LIVE A JOYOUS LIFE

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.”
Bill Cosby

Living on the light side comes easily to some; other have to work hard to be funny. (Sounds funny, doesn’t it. . .working hard to be funny?) I’m one of those who came into the world with an overactive funny bone. Oh, it occasionally gives me trouble. Life’s woes kick in and my funny bone gets arthritic. It locks up. Whenever that happens, I trip myself on purpose, just to loosen it back up again. (Hey, a girl can only go so long without laughter!)

Yep, from the time I was a little girl, I was the happy-go-lucky sort. Giggly. Goofy. My mom always called me a ham because of my overly-dramatic style. Not that I minded. Oh no. Drama was my thing. And performing comedy on the stage was the thing that made me happiest.

Then I grew up. . .and life happened. Unfortunately, some of the events of my grown-up life weren’t funny. In fact, they were pretty tragic. Still, through my faith and my innate desire to keep on keepin’ on, I managed to keep my smile intact much of the time.

They key? Let humor lead the way! Be known as an easy-going person. As an author, I find that being funny on the page is easier when I’m truly walking through life with a joyous attitude. It’s not always easy (and life often intervenes, threatening to remove any hint of humor), but for those who live a life of faith, it is possible.

1. TIP ONE: THINK OF LIFE LIKE A TELEVISION SITCOM OR COMEDY/THINK “SITUATIONS”: Think of Larry, Mo and Curly. Sure, their antics got a little old after awhile, but you get the idea. For me, Everybody Love Raymond is near the top of the list. Why did I love that show so much? The characters were (individually) hysterical. Each one had his/her own quirks. And those quirks got them into (and out of) jams. Funny characters also mess up. . .a lot. They get in trouble and need help getting out. We relate because we’re the same way.

2. TIP TWO: CELEBRATE YOUR IMPERFECTIONS. GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO MESS UP. In my “Weddings by Bella” series, I created several funny characters (and boy, have I heard from readers about them). These characters include Aunt Rosa, Uncle Laz, Bella and the trio of “sisters” from Splendora Texas. These wacky people will stay with me for the rest of my life! I think some of my readers have adopted them, as well.

3. TIP THREE: REALIZE THAT WE’RE ALL CREATED DIFFERENTLY. This is what makes TV shows work! A diversified cast! Were there ever four more different people than Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel? Because of their differences, we knew there would be conflict. And because of the conflict, we knew it would be chaotic and funny.

4. TIP FOUR: MAKE A SMALL DEAL OF THINGS. You have a choice: Big deal, or small deal?

5. TIP FIVE: HUMOR IS CONTAGIOUS: USE IT TO DIFFUSE ROUGH SITUATIONS. Think of Everybody loves Raymond. Raymond’s brother Robert was an exaggerated character. His moodiness was definitely over-the-top. But it worked, especially in contrast to the silliness of some of the other characters.

6. TIP SIX: TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEMPLE. Nothing will kill your sense of humor quicker than not feeling well.

7. TIP SEVEN: MEMORIZE SOME GREAT QUOTES OR SCRIPTURES. Put them around your house. The Bible is loaded with all sorts of great scriptures about joy. Check out this verse: “‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Proverbs 17:22)

[clickToTweet tweet=”‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Proverbs 17:22)” quote=”‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Proverbs 17:22)”]

8. TIP EIGHT: WHAT WOULD JAY LENO DO? WHAT WOULD LUCY DO? WHAT WOULD CAROL BURNETT DO? When you’re in a rough situation and are tempted to react, think of your favorite light-hearted character or comedian and say, “What would so-and-so do?

9. TIP NINE: DO THE OPPOSITE THING. When you’re tempted to react (or over-react) say these words: Do the opposite thing. It will throw people off every time.

10. TIP TEN: LIVE IN THE MOMENT (FORGIVE THE SINS OF YESTERDAY, DON’T FRET ABOUT TOMORROW) No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Philippians 3:13

ONE FOR THE ROAD: LET YOUR FAITH LEAD THE WAY: You can’t drum up what isn’t real.

About the Author:

Award-winning author Janice Thompson got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over 100 books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more. She particularly enjoys writing light-hearted, comedic tales because she enjoys making readers laugh. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. Her tagline, “Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters!” sums up her take on life.

Janice can be reached at:

Facebook: JaniceHannaThompson
Website: www.janiceathompson.com
Twitter: booksbyjanice
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31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 28 – Heather Cofer

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 27 – Koral Dean

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 26 – Hannah Walker

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 25 – Jana Bishop

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 24 – Anna Kooiman

31 Days Thanksgiving – Day 23 – Blythe Hunt

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 22 – Kristin Weber

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 21 – Angela Hoover

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 19 – Joy Mason

31 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 18 – Janice Thompson

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