Show Appreciation

Colossians 2:7

"Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done."

 

 

 

 

 

Whom do you need to thank? A host of people have helped you! Did you ever thank your sixth grade teacher, or the coach who taught you to work hard?

Have you thanked the person who led you to Jesus? The counselor who helped you overcome?

 

A few well chosen words of gratitude go a long way!

 

 

 

1 Timothy <3 "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching."

 

Romans 13:7 <3 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe... revenue, then revenue, if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

 

God wants us to reward those who have sacrificed to help us grow!

 

 

 

2 weeks ago, my husband and I, who have barely been married a year, are unfortunately having the "1st year of marriage struggle"... so we sat in a conference room with our pastor and the elders of our church.

 

James 5:16 <3 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

 

A church body, church family, elders, mature Christians, are God given gifts to help us grow. To encourage and lift us up. We cannot do this thing called LIFE on our own. We must look to God first and foremost.

 

 

 

We prayed to our church family about us growing together in Christ. And how the enemy is prowling to devour us, to kill, steal and destroy anything that is bringing God glory in our lives. God has big plans for our lives together. To serve Him, to spread His message. To raise our beautiful babygirl to be a woman of God. If the enemy can distract us in any way, he can and will. We have to stand firm in our faith. Pray together and encourage each other everyday!

 

 

Today, my husband and I owe respect, honor and thanksgiving to these honorable men of God who came together to lift us up and pray.

 

Matthew 18:20 <3 "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

 

The past few weeks I have been doing a study, "When God writes your love story"

Everyday, I write in my journal how I am thankful for my husband, thankful for all of my blessings. Even days that I don't feel like picking up my bible, and barely have the strength to breathe much less pray... my love and obedience for Him gives me strength. And I am training my brain to "live as if God has answered all of my prayer requests."

 

If I don't "like" my husband on a certain day. I'll pray harder, and write it out in black and white why and how I love him. I do not speak unkindly about him, or negative. I write out positive blessings, and believe me, THIS WORKS! Train your brain to be thankful and grateful, even more on days you just don't want to. God blesses this obedience and love. Live by faith, that God has already answered your prayers!

 

 

Even this certain morning, I felt defeated before I rolled out of bed.

 

 

While making my family breakfast with a very poor spirited heart, I noticed my daughter laughing and loving on daddy. Daddy, who was getting dressed to go away from his family to earn a dollar. A hungry kitty and puppy relying on me to feed their tummies. Warm heat since it was chilly, food that I was preparing, a cartoon playing for her. All of this? LOOK, how blessed I am. I re trained my thoughts to BEAUTIFUL instead of negative. Yes, I am tired, I'd rather be curled up in bed. But my daughter? This is the last day she will be 15 months and 28 days, the last morning as a 15 month 28 day old babygirl who needs her mommy to cook breakfast and sing Abcs with her.

 

 

She will grow too quickly and these days will be gone. My precious husband driving through traffic to get to the office, tomorrow is never promised with our loved ones. And guess what? As I walked him to the car and hugged him. I was immediately in love with him all over again. God gave me such a precious gift this morning. And without a doubt. Its due to my obedience, to love and trust that God knows what He is doing..

 

 

I have to daily give God the pen to write my love story. And have faith that He knows what I need. Instead of frantically praying like a woman with NO faith, I began to praise God for all I know to be true about him instead of my feelings. My feelings at that moment were negative, hateful, tired, and not clear. My faith, was that God is good, and He gave me a beautiful family to take care of and love..

 

The word Faith is defined as: persuasion, moral conviction, of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher. especially reliance upon Christ for salvation.

Taking the definition apart, faith is living fully persuaded of God's abilities and character. Faith is conviction, a full commitment to the truth and living out what you know intellectually. Faith is relying consistently on God because you believe.

 

 

How are YOU living, how am I living?? Are we shouting at God? Are we angry at His plan? At his timetable? What prayer requests are dominating our days and keeping us up at night?

 

 

Write out how you would live if God answered them all! Would you be less preoccupied? Would you be able to "be in the moment" rather than always planning and fretting? Would you have a longer fuse? Would you treat people differently? Write it out... then live it out!

 

 

 

I have a book shelf  FULL of journals.

Writing things in black and white make it reality to me! This is the way I learn and process my thoughts. You may have a different way of learning or studying. But if you have something in your life you are struggling with, depression, addiction, relationship issues, write it out as though God has erased it! Do it daily! It Is Done! He says, It is finished. TRUST. THIS and LOVE are His commands. <3