“Heart-water”

778. I am so very grateful God is writing my story!

779. Grateful for tears. – “heart-water” Ann Voskamp

780. Grateful for grief. (not always – but I’m working on appreciating this season in my life.)

Thank you, God

776. Thank you, God, that you see me differently than I see myself.

The Pastor’s Family

I can’t communicate to anyone my gratefulness for my Pastors without saying how grateful I am for their families.

It’s a hard job being a member of a preacher’s family. You are watched more, criticized more, expect to perform more – better and without complaining than anyone else in the church. When you pray for your Pastor, please remember to pray for their families, also.

765. I am grateful for Robyn. For her steadfastness in being the helpmate of Brad. I am thankful for her friendship. I am thankful for her parenting her daughters and her grandchildren.

766. I am grateful for Rebecca. She always makes me smile! She is always such an encouragement. I’m thankful for the children she and Bob have raised and are raising! She is a pillar in her home. And David is a joy!

767. I am grateful for Kerri. She always challenges my thinking process. I am from a completely different generation from her and I appreciate that I learn from her! And for Henry! Such a joy!

768. This one deserve her own blog!! Audra, she is an entity within herself. Even though I know I’ve put her on my list many times – I just cannot say in words or actions how thankful I am to have her in my life. God is good. And when He brought me back to Wichita He knew who I would need!!

My Pastors

I’m almost certain that I have listed my Pastors on this grateful list before! But in light of my recent blog I Challenge You This Year – I feel as if I should list them again! Because I am so very thankful for them.

761. I am grateful for Brad Cooper. He is the senior minister at my church and I am so very thankful he follows God’s leading and leads our group of Christ followers into a better understanding of what this race really is – and how to finish this race strong.

762. I am grateful for Bob Ingram. He is the man that is often in the background but helps hold it all together! I am so very thankful for him and all he does to encourage me and hold me accountable. (YUCK)  I still like him - even  when he holds me accountable!

763. Ahhhh. Matt Burr! Our fearless youth leader!! Everyone knows I have a special place in my heart for those who brave this age group!! I love teens and I love that Matt loves teens. He leads every week. And anyone who has been in youth ministry knows that his hours are long and very seldom on an 8 to 5 schedule.. I’m very thankful for Matt.

764. I am grateful for Audra Huddleston. She is a wonderful example for the children of our church.  I am so thankful that they see Jesus in her life 24/7. She is a wonderful example of a Spiritual woman. She is a wonderful gift in my life from God.

Winter Mornings

758.   For hot coffee on cold mornings.

The frozen Pond!

                                                              


759.  For a warm house.

760. For hot water, heater and electricity.

My New Season

754. I’m so very thankful that I had Randy in my life – even for such a short time.

755. The gift of marriage.

756. The gift of singleness. – I have to work hard to be thankful for this one.

757. I’m thankful for friends who reach out to me when I can’t reach out to anyone.

Thankfulness

751. Praise Music

752. My Church

753. My Sisters in Around the Kitchen Table

2017

746. New Beginnings.

747. Old Memories

748. History to learn from

749. The future to look ahead

750. The Present – God’s gift to me

3 Gifts on Paper

681. My calendar. I know I have one on my phone but I just haven’t been able to get used to it. I like one with plenty of space to write but that also fits in my purse. I got this one from Lilly Pulitzer and I love it. Perfect size, I can see the whole month at once or work with a week at a time. This helps me keep track of my life!

      682. I have greatly enjoyed Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare. I keep a hard copy on my desk because it’s easier for me to look at it than to look it up online each time. Even though I don’t write 3 gifts everyday, I enjoy having the prompts to encourage me to think “outside of the box” in thankfulness. I am grateful that she has printed prompts for a year.

683. Any printed word on paper is a gift. Newspapers, books – I do realize that with sin in the world not all that is printed is edifying or spiritual but – the printed word is still a gift to us.

A Gift Unexpected

75. Today, Randy and I went to our community Christian Bookstore to buy a couple of Christmas gifts. 

Randy was picking the gift he was wanting to buy for a friend.

I was looking for a book I want for Christmas. - you know, to show him so he won't forget!

: ) 

For some reason I couldn't seem to find it on the shelves. 

So I started looking for a sales clerk to help me. 

She wasn't dodging me, but was staying an aisle or two ahead of me. 

I finally chased her down!! 

I asked for the book I was looking for

 
and this beautiful sales clerk with the name "Tobi" on her name tag gave me such a gorgeous smile! and said:

"I love her books. Have you read 'One Thousand Gifts'?"

We had a wonderful conversation! 

Shared our blog information!

What a blessing an unexpected gift from God truly is!

3 Gifts Preparing

By now, you have probably realized that I am not publishing all of my "gifts." Only a few of  them. I'm also not following the prompts exactly as Ann Voskamp suggests. Just kind of being a free spirit in this "joy dare" that has become a way of living.

We live such a big part of our lives in preparation. Glorious preparation! The birth of our children. The birth of our grandchildren. Preparing for company. Preparing for weddings - all special occasions. But the most important preparation for each of us is my 43rd gift.

43. Preparing for Jesus Return!! 

"It will all happen so fast, in a blink, a mere flutter of the eye. The last trumpet will call, and the dead will be raised from their graves with a body that does not, cannot decay. All of us will be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:52 The Voice

Come quickly, Lord Jesus 

  

 

Giving Thanks

Eucharisteo

This word meaning Giving Thanks.

With a base word of Joy.

And of Grace.

What a challenge from Ann Voskamp in 

 Making a list of 1000+ gifts from God.

I can see the change.

In me.

In how I see others.

In how I treat others.

I am looking at small moments of my life with new eyes.

What a journey my life has been.

What a journey I have left.

The gift of my life, right here, right now-

Thank you. 

Changes

There have been times in my life - where in a moment - a small glimpse of time - I knew my life would be different from this moment forward. Defining moments, so to speak.

Holding each of my new born babies was a moment of change. I knew my life would be different from that point forward. Even with no sleep, dirty diapers (and not the disposable ones!), bottles, just the normal change in schedules I knew this was a good change. Each time, with each child. The love that explodes in a new mother's heart is a moment that forever changes her. Even when Aunt Frances told me I would never get a full nights sleep again - it was okay. I cherished the change that came.

The day my first husband came home from a "retreat" in the Kiamichi Mountains and told me he believed God was calling him into the full time ministry. In that moment, I knew my life would never be the same. It was an exciting change of hearing and responding to the Word of God. 

With the change of each new ministry came a different life. Not on the inside, inside I was still trying to live within the grace of God. But these changes came with new houses, new friends, new styles of ministry. Again, all were exciting times for me.

Then there was the day, a man came to visit and told me my husband was having an affair with his wife. That was a moment that changed me forever. A defining moment in my life. One that changed me inside as well as outside. This was the moment in my life that I knew either I believed the God of grace was in fact the God of my bad times as well as my good times or that I had been living a sham. It was a fleeting thought that He wasn't with me, and I decided to let Him lead me in this new change in my life, in this moment. I determined to let Him give the the strength and courage He gave to Joshua - the dignity and grace that He provided to Ruth, to Esther, to all the women in His Word.  He provided. In my changing times, God led me, He comforted me and at times he admonished me. He showed Himself to me so strongly, being a follower of Him is my only option. I have no other.

Then meeting and marrying Randy was another defining moment in my life. God blessed me - "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over." I am deliriously happy with the changes that have come from sharing a life with this man. Inside and out.

Over the years of changes, I have had many opportunities to attend National Youth Leaders Conventions, of hearing wonderful preachers, God gifted speakers. I have been to many women's conferences, Women of Faith Conferences. All have made changes in my life with encouragement, Bible knowledge and giving me moments to define my walk with God.  I have read books that have done the same.

Earlier this month I had the wonderful opportunity to attend another Women of Faith Conference in Kansas City. I traveled with a group of women that I'm just now getting acquainted with. And the conference  was not a disappointment. Encouragement. Worship. Blessings.

But  there was a point when I realized my life would change from this one moment. It came as I listened to Ann Voskamp speak. In her speaking, I heard the voice of God urging me to take this small simple task and let it change me - from the inside - forever. 

Eucharisteo.

 Give thanks. Grace. Joy. Be grateful.

On purpose. Making a daily change.

A change on the inside which will change me on the outside.

I've taken the challenge. I will make a change. This one a conscience change on my part. Not a change from someone else's actions. A moment each day that can make a difference in my life which in turn will make a difference in other's lives. A challenge I gladly accept. I realized that when I heard a women, striving to live in God's grace, speak about the defining moment in her life, that it can also be a defining moment in my life.

I will make a list of 1000 gifts and more - of all the small things. Of the large things. Of all the gifts from God that I am so grateful for. I will do it with joy.

one thousand gifts 

by Ann Voskamp

http://onethousandgifts.com/ 

I hope you share in my change.