It is the second week of the New Year and I could already use a boost! I could use a boost in energy as I strive to get up earlier and make each day count. I could use a boost in discipline as I sit down to read God’s Word each morning. I could use a boost in perseverance as I commit to daily exercise. I could use a boost in will power as I make better food choices each day. It is only 11 days into the New Year and I could really use a BOOST! How about you?

We are not alone! Human nature cries out for encouragement, affirmation, support, and life giving BOOSTS!

Don’t just take my word for it. Take a look at all of the products on the market with the name or promise of a BOOST. There are sports drinks, there are nutritional drinks, there are engine and car parts that offer higher performance. Everywhere we look we can see the need for a “BOOST!”

There was a man who walked on this earthly soil just like you and I do. He gave great effort in serving God and following Him. Most would agree that he was the strong leader of the twelve disciples of Jesus. His name was Simon. His name was Simon that is, until he received a much needed BOOST!

“And I tell you that you are PETER, and on this ROCK I will build my church, and the gates of Hades, (Hell,) will not overcome it.”  Matthew 16:18

Simon receives one of the greatest BOOSTS of all time! Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter. Peter means ROCK. Jesus goes on to tell him that on this ROCK I will build my church. And guess what Peter, NOTHING will overcome it! Not your discouragement, not your trials, not your doubt, not your grief, not your sadness, not your anger, not your frustration! NOTHING will overcome the work that I will do through your life PETER, NOTHING! NOW THAT IS A BOOST! It was just in the nick of time too.

Jesus gives Peter this incredible BOOST of encouragement and support in verse 16.

In the previous verses of chapter 16 Jesus is walking through the disappointment, discouragement and down right disgust of the culture they are living in. And just in case you think it is the secular culture around them, take a closer look at verses 1-12. Jesus is addressing the spiritual leaders of the day, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They are attempting to test Jesus and trying to trap Him. Jesus warns the disciples to “watch out and beware of the “leaven of bread,” the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Then, after realizing that the religious leaders are not strong in their Faith of Jesus, the surrounding culture is steeped in worship of pagan gods.

Wow, Simon and the other disciples must have felt overwhelmed, discouraged and alone.

Sounds like they need a BOOST. Jesus delivers one to Peter right on time!

“…You are Peter, and on this Rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it!“

You will be successful Peter! Discouragement may be all around you, and failures will definitely come, but do not give up! I believe in you! You are a ROCK Peter, and on this Rock, I will build my church and nothing will come against it!

YOU CAN DO THIS PETER!

TRUTH BOMB

JESUS IS THE BOOST WE NEED EVERY DAY TO LIVE THIS LIFE FOR HIM!

What kind of BOOST from God do you need today? What has He asked you to do or overcome? You can only do it in His name and in His strength! If you do it in His name and in His strength, you will not fail!

Speak Truth Love

It’s a new year! The ball dropped, the calendar turned and it’s now the year 2022. So what’s new? It feels like the last year and the year before that. In 2020 we first heard the word COVID. In 2021 COVID became a household term. As the calendar rolled from 2021 to 2022 the cases of COVID seem to have risen and not subsided. Still it is a NEW YEAR and with it comes the promise of something NEW.

NEW promises something different, something better. It implies something fresh or unused. It even stands in the place of the OLD and creates NEW. By definition it brings HOPE. It holds the promise of replacing despair and pessimism with aspiration and optimism. Oh, how we desperately need the NEW!

Well, I have good news and the answer to the question, “So What’s New?”  

The answer is, YOU ARE!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the NEW creation has come: The old has GONE, The NEW IS HERE!”  II Corinthians 5:17

TRUTH BOMB

EVERYONE WHO IS IN CHRIST JESUS IS MADE NEW!

When we are in Christ Jesus we are NEW! The OLD has passed away, it is GONE!

If you are anything like me, you need reminding of that!  It is so easy to fall back into OLD patterns. We continue to go to church and expect everything to be like it was before. Yet, we expect growth and newness. We open our devotionals for the NEW year and read them with the same old mindset and expect our hearts to be made new. We continue in the same exercise patterns, or lack of, and wonder why our body still aches. We continue to make the wrong food choices yet expect our weight to not fluctuate! And we turn the calendar page over from December 31, 2021, to January 1, 2022 and expect COVID to disappear. When we continue to follow our same “old” path, we can expect the same “old” outcome.

There is a parable told by Jesus that illustrates this point for us;

“No one tears a piece from a NEW garment and puts it on an OLD garment. If he does, he will tear the NEW, and the piece from the NEW will not match the OLD. And no one puts NEW wine into OLD wineskins. If he does, the NEW wine will burst the OLD wineskins and the wine will spill and be destroyed. But NEW wine must be put into fresh wineskins.” Luke 5:36-38

Jesus is teaching us through a parable, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, that in order for change to occur we must walk in the NEW! It is good to remember the OLD, learn from it, and even expound upon it. But change and growth will only come as we walk in the NEW! The coming of Jesus Christ brings opportunity for repentance, regeneration and new forms of worship.

JESUS IS THE NEW! He has made us NEW through Him! WE ARE NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD!

Yes, we may still be waking up to COVID, to routine schedules and to chaos in our world.

But make no mistake about it, WE ARE NEW CREATIONS IN JESUS and we are being RENEWED daily as we set our minds, hearts and spirits on HIM!

As we begin a NEW year, I am praying that God will give us a NEW focus, one that is committed to embracing the NEW that God Himself puts before us! I am determined to commit to this with you and look forward to diving deep into God’s Word with you each week of this NEW Year. See you back here next week as God reveals more of His Truth to us, His NEW creations!

Speak Truth Love

It’s over! Another year has come and gone. Today is the last day of 2021! I am choosing to end this year’s blogs on the final day of 2021. So, welcome to Truth Bomb Friday!

As this year draws to a close and we anticipate the beginning of a new year, I have a question for you: did you accomplish everything you set out to accomplish in 2021? If you are anything like me, the answer is a big resounding NO!

So even though we may have failed, are we hopeless? Should we give up and never try again? I believe again, the answer is a big resounding NO!

I believe that we need to reword the question that we ask ourselves. 

While the question, “Did we fail or succeed to accomplish our goals,” may give us factual information, I believe it fails to produce motive.

When our motives are pure and right before God what we attempt to accomplish will be grounded in love. And when our motives are grounded in love we cannot fail!

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6

Some of our goals can be rooted in selfish motives and not in love. 

When this happens we may accomplish something but the only beneficiary is ourselves. However, when we pursue goals rooted in love, even when we achieve our goals, others benefit besides ourselves.

For example, we work really hard to achieve an end of the year bonus. When we receive it we give the first portion of it to God and the work that He is doing in the world.

TRUTH BOMB

WE NEVER FALL SHORT WHEN OUR FAITH EXPRESSES ITSELF TO OTHERS THROUGH LOVE!

So as we begin a new year with new beginnings and fresh starts, let’s look to setting all of our goals with faith rooted in love.

Set a goal, so that when you accomplish it, both you and others will be blessed!

Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to 2022!

Speak Truth Love

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

…he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:10-14

TRUTH BOMB

We can have peace and be fearless every day of the year when Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!

God is with us at Christmas time and every single day!

Praying blessings over you and all your loved ones this Christmas!

See you in the new year!

Love, Lisa

Speak Truth Love

JOY, it seems to be what we are all looking for, especially at Christmas, but do we really know what we are looking for?

My favorite coffee spot tells me it can be found in a cup! Dark, decadent espresso is poured slowly over rich and steamy almond milk. I must admit I am quite joyful as I see the two delicious tastes blend to form a frothy top! Then it gets even better! A small pump of vanilla is added followed by a delicious spicy blend of holidays spices! It is almost too good to be true! And it does make me very happy!

Unfortunately, that joy only lasts for a short time. And I am left wanting more.

Can you have JOY when your heart is breaking?

Can you have JOY when your plans don’t turn out?

Can you have JOY when you receive that diagnosis?

Can you have JOY when that person is missing from your Christmas table?

THE ANSWER IS, YES, YOU CAN!

True JOY does not come from our circumstances. It is not found in another person or position. It doesn’t even come from a cup or a cookie, even though momentary pleasure is found. When the cup is empty and the cookie only resembles crumbs, the momentary joy is gone. 

True Joy can only be found in the foundation of a relationship with Jesus.

JOY did come at Christmas. It was not in a cup or mug, no matter how much whipped cream was added. It was not in the form of a Christmas cookie, no matter how many sprinkles were piled on top!

JOY came in a manger. JOY came in the form of a newborn baby. JOY came through Jesus!

TRUTH BOMB

JESUS IS THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’” Luke 2:10

We have JOY when we have JESUS! No matter the condition of our heart, no matter the state of our circumstances. When we have a relationship with the JOY of the world, our foundation is firm, our strength is sure, and our JOY IS FOUND IN HIM. 

May you have a truly JOYFUL CHRISTMAS as you celebrate the JOY Himself, JESUS!

Speak Truth Love

We are ONE week into Christmas. Yep, that’s right, the minute that December 1st hits the calendar, the countdown begins! Lights start going up on houses (our street looked like a pin ball game last week). One house was lit with lights, then the next, then the one across the street, then the one next to it, and so on and so on and so on. Now the street is lit up and jolly trees appear on roof tops of cars as they are carried home in great anticipation of being decorated! Shopping malls and store parking lots soon become a raffle ticket situation to find a parking spot, and Christmas songs are played every where twenty-four hours a day!

Yep, it’s true, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”  But how are you doing?

Are you feeling jolly as those light’s light the streets? Are you feeling happy as Christmas tree after Christmas tree passes you on the road? Are you turning into Scrooge as you “patiently” wait for a parking spot to open up at the mall? And are you signing along with those Christmas songs or are they bringing you sadness? Christmas can feel lonely.

I listened to a pastor I know share a devotional on Christmas. He started out by saying, “I hate Christmas!” WOW, did that get my attention! I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I can’t wait to go through all of the painstaking traditions and struggles it provides to decorate, shop, bake and sing! As I listened further to his message I understood his point.

He hates that CHRISTMAS distracts from the very name sake it celebrates…CHRIST!

He shared how anxious he gets as he worries about the money it will take to buy all of the presents. He stated that his anxiety grows each year as he faces “getting everything done!” Then finally, he shared that Christmas can distract him from Christ altogether. It can leave him feeling frustrated and lonely.

Have you ever felt like that?  While I cannot agree with the statement, I hate Christmas, I can agree with the sentiment it evokes. By putting Christmas stuff ahead of Christ Himself, we can be left feeling overwhelmed and alone.

The Truth is, the very meaning of CHRISTmas, Christ coming to earth in human form, made it possible for us to NEVER BE TRULY ALONE! HE IS WITH US!

The first name of Jesus on my advent calendar that I shared with you last week is,

THE WORD! JESUS CHRIST is The Word!  What does a WORD do? A word communicates. The WORD, JESUS CHRIST, took on humanity.  God spoke and the universe came into being.

“Let there be light.”  Genesis 1:3a

The Word was God Himself and He was with God from the beginning.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and The Word was God.”  

John 1:1

The Word has relationship with God. They are co-eternal. The Word became flesh. God The Son, who has an intimate relationship with The Father, has made Him known.

Jesus CHRIST, the meaning of Christmas has revealed this to us.

JESUS IS THE WORD.

JESUS IS GOD.

JESUS HAS REVEALED AND EXPLAINED GOD TO HUMANITY BY BEING WITH US, IMMANUEL!

Jeus made the invisible God visible! What we could not know or see in God, we can see and learn in JESUS CHRIST! He is the answer to all of our questions.

Is God loving?  Look at Jesus Christ!

Is God merciful?  Look at Jesus Christ!

Is God compassionate?  Look at Jesus Christ!

“All the fullness of Him, Christ, dwells in Him in bodily form.”  Colossians 2:9

The Phillips translation put it like this:

“IN THE BEGINNING GOD EXPRESSED HIMSELF.” JOHN 1:1

GOD DESIRES THAT WE KNOW HIM! HE SENT HIS SON SO THAT WE COULD KNOW HIM AND SO THAT WE WOULD NEVER BE ALONE!

TRUTH BOMB

BECAUSE OF CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS, WE ARE NEVER ALONE!

I STILL LOVE CHRISTMAS AND WILL NEVER BE A “HATER!”  BUT NOT BECAUSE OF THE TREES, TRIMMING, GOODIES OR GLITTER, BUT BECAUSE OF THE GREATEST GIFT GIVEN, JESUS CHRIST!  

HE WAS FROM THE BEGINNING AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS!

YOU AND I ARE NEVER ALONE WHEN HE IS IN OUR HEARTS!

Speak Truth Love

What Are We Waiting For?
As a child I remember anticipating Christmas! I would get so excited that I would physically shake on the outside! And on the inside I thought that my little self would explode! I simply couldn’t contain The expectation of what was about to happen!

From the minute my mom would walk over to our record player, yes you heard me right…Our record player was the size of a dresser and it held the turntable as well as a radio system, and put the Perry Como Christmas album on, my realization of something great coming was out of control! We would dance and we would sing and we would decorate. My mom was simply the best at it! Then we would get out of school for Christmas break and the greatest anticipation would begin!
My sisters and I would lay on our bellies in front of our huge glass window at the front of our house and wait for it.
That large white Buick that would be full of Christmas presents and Christmas cookies and the two most important people in our lives…Our Grandma and Grandpa! The first one to spot it would jump up and scream and we’d all rush out the front door and into their arms. I can still feel the shrill of joy and excitement surge through me now as I write this.

Then the celebrating would really begin. But it was simply a foretaste of what was to come. We would watch Christmas movies together, we would cuddle up in our Christmas jammies, and we would bake and bake and bake some more! We would prepare every dish that would lay on our Christmas table and we would wait and we would wait and we would wait.

Finally it was Christmas Eve. That day would bring such joy and hope of what was to come the next day that we would barely sleep. We went to church, we celebrated with family and friends and we sang happy birthday to Jesus as my Mom and Grandma held the happy birthday cake to him in their hands and the candles glowed in the dark of the night lit only by the Christmas tree lights. Then we were tucked into bed. 

It was all just a foretaste of what was to come, a true realization in advance of something great that was about to happen. That was when I was a child.

Now that I am an adult I still anticipate something great! I still go through some, if not all, of the same traditions I was raised with as a child. but instead of anticipating a day filled with presents, food and fun, I anticipate the Savior!

Anticipation is defined as, “expectation or hope, a realization in advance a foretaste.“

Because I know that God is God and His word is TRUTH, I realize that in advance the promise of the Savior was proclaimed.

“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”   Isaiah 7:14

And again and Isaiah…

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

Friends, talk about ANTICIPATION! Isaiah spoke the Truth I have this prophecy 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ! After the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC and then after the fall of the southern kingdom in 586 BC the long awaited and great ANTICIPATION OF THE MESSIAH WOULD COME!

IT HAS COME!

TRUTH BOMB

AS WE CELEBRATE THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS AT CHRISTMAS WE ANTICIPATE HIS SECOND COMING!

Beginning tomorrow on December 1, we begin turning over the numbers on our advent calendar as we countdown to Christmas day. It is good and it is right as adult christ followers to focus on the truth from God‘s word as it clearly spells out the advent of Jesus Christ, The long awaited Messiah, The Savior of the world.

But this year I pray that we also realize that the ANTICIPATION we now hold in our hearts is for His return!

I found a wonderful advent calendar last year on the Names of Jesus. Day 1, December 1, is THE WORD.

“THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US.”  John 1:14

At Christmas time it is important to focus our hearts and minds on the divine miracle of God when He sent His one and only son Jesus Christ to earth! 

But it is vital that we live our lives in

ANTICIPATION of His return!

Happy Advent Season Everyone!

May our focus be on Jesus Christ throughout this season and every season of life He gives us on this earth.

Speak Truth Love

As we conclude our GRATITUDE series I pray we never stop giving THANKS to God!

In the frustration, discouragement and sadness, sometimes even anger, about all that we are “losing” in North America, my prayer this Thanksgiving season is that we do not take for granted this North American holiday.

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States of America. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621. These New England colonists were in practice of prayer and fasting to give thanks to God and to ask Him for protection and guidance. The first Thanksgiving was a three day long feast thanking God for the successful harvest, their families and new friendship with the Native Americans who helped them!

Thanksgiving was celebrated nationally with a proclamation by our first President George Washington in 1789. However, Thomas Jefferson chose not to observe the holiday and it was put on hold until 1863. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” Lincoln called on the American people to also, “With humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience- fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal wounds of the nation…”

Sounds like the perfect proclamation for our Nation today!

Abraham Lincoln declared it to be observed on the last Thursday in November.

On June 28, 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed it into law in the ‘Holidays Act’ that made Thanksgiving a yearly appointed federal holiday. President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the date to one week earlier and there it has stayed.

The observance of a holiday, a day set aside to Give Thanks to God for His provision, is nothing to take for granted!  

As Halloween becomes one of the most popular holidays in America and the most decorated, only to be surpassed by Christmas immediately after, Thanksgiving is in danger of becoming ‘The Forgotten Holiday.’ I believe as Christians we need to thank our God and our country for a day to “Give Thanks” to God. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate God’s Love. We can invite others to feast with us. We can have hearts full of gratitude and thanks and ask God to forgive us when we fall short. 

Above all we can remember to be thankful and grateful for the privilege of celebrating Thanksgiving!

“Give thanks with a grateful heart, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I Thessalonians 5:18

TRUTH BOMB

GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART, IT IS A PRIVILEGE!

LET’S PRACTICE

T – Time – Thank you God for time with those I love.

H – Hot Chocolate – Thank you God for the joy of drinking hot chocolate with my grand babies.

A – Apples – Thank you God for apples. I especially love them with almond butter and cinnamon.

N – New Friends – Thank you God for bringing new friends to our church.

K – Kettle corn – Thanks you God for kettle corn at Apple Hill enjoyed every year with my family.

S – Snow – Thank you God for SNOW! I LOVE the snow! I love skiing in it, sledding in it, building snowmen in it and throwing snowballs from it. I even love just staring at it!

G – Green Grass – Thank you God for luscious green grass that looks like a velvet blanket spreading over the rolling hills.

I – Invitations – Thank you God for invitations to meet new people and to invite people to church!

V – Vines- Thank you God for grape vines that show your splendor through every season.

I – Ice -Thank you God for Ice.  I really do not like warm drinks!

N – November – Thank you God for the month of November when the weather turns cool and we get to celebrate Thanksgiving.

G – Gifts – Thank you God for the many gifts you so generously give us.

Now it’s your turn! What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

May we never take for granted the true gift that it is to give THANKS to our Great God!

Speak Truth Love

I have a question for you! Are you growing? 

I’m not talking about in size and I’m not even talking about your plants outside. I am asking if you are growing in gratitude?

Last week I challenged myself and anyone else who wanted to join me, to practice habits of gratitude. I suggested we write five things every day that we are thankful to God for. 

How far did you get? Shamefully, I got as far as the five things I wrote on my blog last week! Oh sure, I thank God throughout the week as I thought about giving him gratitude. I sat in church on Sunday and I thank him during prayer. I even got up several mornings during the week and thanked him for the day. But did I name five things every day, on purpose and offer thankfulness in my heart to develop a habit? No, absolutely not. I blew it!

I sadly allowed this “INSTANT” culture that I have allowed to seep into my character prevail.

We live in a world that is “INSTANT” driven.

INSTANT COMMUNICATION, we have cell phones that never leave our hands except to be transferred to a nightstand.

INSTANT SOCIAL MEDIA, we can make a response simply by clicking an emoji! One source even bears the name “INSTAGRAM!”

INSTANT POTS, that cook the food we dump into them in half the time as normal.

And INSTANT FOOD, better known as “FAST FOOD.” It is handed to us in an INSTANT through a drive-through window.

INSTANT has not just become second nature… It has in many cases become our very nature! We have become so accustomed to having everything in an INSTANT, that working hard and developing a habit towards some thing can seem like a flat out failure!

As sincere as we may be about having GRATITUDE, and giving praise to God, it can become an almost impossible task!

We cannot simply push a button, flip a switch, drive through and pick it up or have it delivered to our doorstep! Therefore, it can easily get tossed in the “non-valuable“ pile!

GRATITUDE is not some thing that happens instantaneously! it is some thing that is developed, it is a process and it takes time! It is possibly, the most valuable trait we could possess.

If we would stop trusting the world, and begin trusting the Word of God, we would soon see that developing a habit of gratitude and growing in gratitude, is as vital to our well-being as breathing in air!

“Shout  joyfully to the Lord all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”  

Psalm 98:4

We are commanded to shout, to break out in song, to rejoice and to sing our praises to our great God! If we his people don’t, then his earth, his creation will!

To praise our God should be as easy as breathing or eating to us. No one should have to remind me to breathe! And no one has ever had to remind me to eat! Yet again, and again, and again I naturally fall into complaining and forget to praise my God. He is so deserving!

A form of gratitude is praise. Praise is defined as, “The offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship.“

So this week, I am determined to do better than last! I am determined to grow in gratitude and to develop a character of praise! I am also determined to fight against the INSTANT culture that I live in and take the time that is needed to Praise my Great God who is SO deserving!

TRUTH BOMB

GROWING IN GRATITUDE GOES AGAINST THE “INSTANT” CULTURE WE LIVE IN!

Any one else need a “re-do?” If so will you join me?

I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND FOR SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH CHANCES!

Speak Truth Love

Let’s make it a HABIT!

A habit can be positive or negative.  

They can help us or hurt us. When the word ‘HABIT’ is spoken it normally brings up negative connotations. However, the definition of a ‘HABIT’ leans as much toward positive behavior as it does to negative behavior!

In the dictionary a ‘HABIT’ is defined as;

“An acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.”

The problem is not in the definition, it lies in the action! A HABIT can be either positive or negative depending on the action taken.

Look at these examples:

1. The habit of exercising regularly.

2. The habit of eating healthy foods in smaller portions.

3. The habit of drinking 8 or more glasses of water a day.

All of these “Healthy Habits,” take time, commitment and sacrifice. They call us into ACTION. We will feel better in the long run, but we are sacrificing the momentary pleasure.

Now look at these examples:

1. Eating a sweet or salty treat every day, or maybe several times a day.

2. Drinking alcohol after work every day. 

3. Using narcotics regularly to get through the day.

All of these “HABITS” are done quickly and easily and the “feel better feelings” come instantaneously. Instead of sacrificing momentary pleasure, we have made a habit out of momentary pleasure.

The HABIT I would like to make in my life is that of GRATITUDE. Research shows that it is a positive HABIT not just spiritually(with my relationship with God), but also physically, mentally and emotionally!

People who are grateful are known to be depressed less(mental/physical), get better grades in school(mental), sleep better and stay healthy(physical), and have deeper friendship(emotional).

BASICALLY, GRATITUDE IS GOOD FOR YOU!

AFTERALL, GRATITUDE IS GOD’S WILL FOR US!

“GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.”          
I THESSALONIANS 5:18

As we read God’s Word we see the theme of GRATITUDE! There are literally hundreds of verses telling us to give thanks or offer praise to God.

God knew that GRATITUDE would affect our lives positively!

TRUTH BOMB

LIVING AS GRATEFUL PEOPLE IS GOD’S WILL FOR OUR LIVES.

So, whether your life is moving along smoothly or you feel like you are walking in quicksand, GRATITUDE is the antidote.

William Penn put it this way;

“The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their trouble.”

So, let’s make it a habit! Through the month of November let’s focus on a way each week that we can make GRATITUDE a HABIT.

This week let’s make a daily habit to write down five things that we are thankful for.

I’ll get us started;

1. God

2. Family

3. Friends

4. Church

5. Music

Now it’s your turn!

Speak Truth Love