Preparing Our Hearts with Gratitude

 

Praise the LORD!
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 106:1 NKJV

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In Autumn we begin preparing our hearts with gratitude. Gratitude is how we remember what God did for us yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

In Autumn we begin preparing our hearts with gratitude. Gratitude is how we remember what God did for us yesterday, today, and tomorrow. via @deborahrutherford#gratitude #rejoice #devotional Click To Tweet

 

 

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It begins as weather cools, mosquitos go away, and the leaves change from greens into a glorious symphony of golds, oranges, and reds.

 

Everywhere are gratitude challenges, at church, on social media, in books and blogs, and in our conversations.

 

Although God calls us to live with grateful hearts all year long, there are times of the year, moments in seasons, when we can refocus and discover the glory of living in the moment of gratitude.

 

Then as the leaves drop, the trees begin their winter rest as we, too, follow along. For this winter rest, we rejoice and give thanks for all the goodness God gives because God is our good God. Psalm 106:1 invites us to praise the LORD! To give thanks because He is good. And because His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 106:1 invites us to praise the LORD! To give thanks because He is good. And because His mercy endures forever. via @deborahrutherford #praise #gratitude #devotional Click To Tweet

 

Because God gave us His breath, because all creation is His.

 

In our November of beauty, rains, and snow for some, family and friends gather for Thanksgiving to be thankful. Holidays and feasts are one of the ways we remember what God has done for us in the past, present, and future. His providence, blessings, goodness, and love. Then that Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend, we begin the Advent season preparing us further to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

 

We follow along with the trees through this celebration when all creation rejoices first for our Lord’s birth and next for His second coming to rule the earth.

 

Because this Spring, as the trees, wake up and the flowers blossom, we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. How can we not be grateful when we know what is up ahead.

 

Gratitude is how we remember what God did for us yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

God gives us new blessings and mercies each day. Our hearts should always be spilling over with praise and rejoicing in His goodness. The beautiful thing about gratitude, much like joy, is that it is contagious. Because God has given us His grace, we can be thankful in all circumstances.

God gives us new blessings and mercies each day. Our hearts should always be spilling over with praise and rejoicing in His goodness. The beautiful thing about gratitude, much like joy, is that it is contagious. via @deborahrutherford #gratitude… Click To Tweet

 

I was with visiting a friend, and as I ran out to my car to get my purse, I saw a sweet exchange between mom and daughter. Later my friend told me she was explaining gratitude to her daughter. That we must be grateful for everything God gives, even when life is challenging and we are not necessarily happy about it. This had do to with Christmas presents and rising prices but it was a perfect opportunity to share God’s truth. Because when we are grateful we are acknowledging that God is a good God and that He loves us. Although we don’t understand the why behind everything we can trust that it is for our good.

 

By turning our grumbling into rejoicing and giving thanks, we step out of the dark into the light. By expressing gratitude for God and all His provisions, whether lack or abundance, we step out of fear and into love.

By turning our grumbling into rejoicing and giving thanks, we step out of the dark into the light. By expressing gratitude for God and all His provisions, whether lack or abundance, we step out of fear and into love. via @deborahrutherford #gratitude… Click To Tweet

Some favorite ways to encounter gratitude:

• SPURGEON AND THE PSALMS NKJV

• SARAH GERINGER’S HIDDEN MANNA ON A COUNTRY ROAD

• ANN VOSKAMPS 1000 GIFTS

• SERENITY IN SUFFERING THE GRACE OF GRATITUTDE DEVOTIONAL

• TAMMY KENNINGTON GRATITUDE PRAYERS

 

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