Gratitude
means much more than an attitude. Attached to it are a host of soul-stirring
feelings: joy, relief, devotion, admiration, appreciation,
and often love. Gratefulness for the gifts we receive—especially
those that aren't requested or may not be deserved—changes
our whole being. Where before we saw lack, now there's abundance, loss
transforms
to
opportunity, brittle spirits overflow with hope.
But true
gratitude is also tied up with faith. Practicing gratitude means that
sometimes
we must be grateful even when we are unsure of
an outcome,
trusting nonetheless that God’s gifts are never-ending and
far beyond our imaginings. When we are grounded in the surety of
God’s
goodness and the steadfastness of God’s love, and gratefulness
permeates our thoughts, words and relationships, our world is changed,
and with
it our lives.
Thanksgiving
Worship
To use all year round Audio
| Text
The
Gospel of Thanks-living
by Bob Hansel
All other human efforts to infuse life with meaning and purpose start
from the perspective of getting something we don't already have,
whereas Christianity starts with the understanding that we have
already received
all there is to have. What remains is how to say thanks for that
incredible gift…
Grace
and Gratitude
by The Rev. Joanna Adams
The grace of God—in it we live our lives, and if there is nothing we can
do to take that away, then there is nothing left for us to do except to be God's
grateful people, to offer up an overflowing cup of thanksgiving back to God,
a full cup of gratitude spilling out of everything we say and do…
Choose
Contentment
by Renee Miller
Think of what occurs in your own life when you start feeling unhappy
with the way things are and begin wishing how wonderful your life would
be if only… such and such would happen. …It is as if the
thing you want, the thing that seems so ideal, actually steals away the
joy of God’s gifts that are all around you. As your dissatisfaction
grows, so does your complaining spirit.
Giving
in Return
by Bob Hansel
As St. Paul tells us, “Will not the One who has
given us all things, even the life of his only son, also freely give
us even eternal life?” God’s
generosity is a model for us--a standard by which to measure our own commitment.
The question is: Are we ready and able to live a life characterized by extreme
generosity?...
Compared
to What
by John Claypool
I want to give you a sure-fire formula for how to be utterly
miserable at the place at which you find yourself today. And that is to
compare yourself
to
other people. Compare the amount of money you have to the amount of money
Bill Gates has at this moment. Compare your athletic ability to that of
the
man
that hit 70 home runs. Compare your mental capacity to Einstein. You can
always find people out there who have more of everything than you have…
Your
Spriritual Coach
Prayers of Gratitude
Gratitude
for Life
Gratitude
for Family
Gratitude
Prayer
Gratitude
for Self
Prayers
of Gratitude from Different Faith Traditions
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