A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 21)

Thank You Father God

Wow! I did it!

I was worried about whether or not I would be able to follow through with my challenge. I don’t recall ever writing on either of my blogs for 21 consecutive days. It has been a fruitful and satisfying exercise. I do hope you enjoyed reading these posts.

If you have shared this gratitude journey with me and supported me with your visits, likes and contributions, thank you so much. It is truly appreciated.

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

 

Now glory be to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.

(Ephesians 3:20 TLB)

 

Dear Father God,

Today I want to give you thanks for who you are.

You are a miracle-working God. You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything I could ask, or hope for. I want to thank you for those times in my life when you have come through in a way that exceeded my expectations.

And I want to thank you that there are more such instances to come in my future because you are a good, gracious God who delights in blessing your children and you have promised in your Word that you reward those who diligently seek you.

I also want to thank you that you are an unchanging God. I’ve met people who seemed to favour me one minute then ignored me the next. I’ve also had people make me promises but fail to follow through.

Now if I am honest, I myself have let others down. And so I appreciate your faithfulness. It’s so good to know that with you, I can be confident that you will never, ever change because you are the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.

What a blessing, comfort (and indeed a challenge), you are to me.

You are precious Father God and I thank you with all my heart.

Love,

 Carol ♥♥♥

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

 

 

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A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 20)

I run because it’s so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can’t. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought.
Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot

 

We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.
Jesse Owens, legendary American track star

 

I also realize that winning doesn’t always mean getting first place; it means getting the best out of yourself.
Meb Keflezighi, 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medallist

 

When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting.
Doris Brown Heritage, women’s distance running pioneer

 

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Dear Father God, today I want to thank you for the achievement of Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in less than 4 minutes.

I am thankful for his example to me that diligent preparation, personal discipline and a decision to attempt the “impossible” can catapult me into a higher sphere of achievement.

Thank you for Bannister’s reminder to me that experts do not always have the last word. And thank you for his example to me on being a barrier-breaker.

Father God, I want to thank you that there is no barrier to me running my own race according to your pre-ordained destiny for my life—unless I place one there!

I thank you Father God for empowering and enabling me by your Word and by your Holy Spirit to be a barrier-breaker. I thank you that as I run with endurance the race you have set before me, as I keep my eyes upon Jesus (the finishing line of my faith), those barriers to creative imagination, barriers to a renewed mind-set and barriers to abundant and victorious living, are being dismantled within my life.

Thank you dear Father God for all that you have done, all that you are doing and all that you will continue to do, so I may achieve record results… so I may run my race in a manner that brings praise and glory to your awesome name.

I thank you Father God.

With love,

 Carol ♥♥♥

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 19)

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

(Psalm 103: 1-2 NJKV)

 

Dear Father God, today I want to thank you for Sundays.

I am grateful for the opportunity to rest, reflect and review. And whilst I haven’t quite got into the swing of fully planning my week ahead, I do appreciate the fact that I am at liberty to do so.

I’m at liberty to do so because I don’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from. If I choose, I can enjoy a fine Sunday roast, or prepare a less elaborate affair. And I can finish off my meal with a self-indulgent dessert, or choose to skip the sweet. I know that there are others who are not so fortunate.

And Father God, I’m extremely grateful that I don’t have to be concerned about where I’ll sleep tonight and whether I will be safe. I’m both aware and feel sad that this is not the case for everyone.

Dear Father God, the Easter day bombings at three churches in Sri Lanka last month has brought home to me the fact that when I attend church on Sundays, I don’t have to feel anxious or fearful that I risk being killed by terrorists.

My life is so different to someone who is persecuted for their faith, or those who are homeless, hungry, or even housebound.

And so I thank you dear Father God for the everyday blessings I enjoy and sometimes take for granted.

With much love,

 Carol ♥♥♥

Related post:

Dear reader, I trust you are thankful for the blessings Father God has showered upon your life. Let’s not be guilty of hearts smeared with the stain of ingratitude.

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 18)

 

The kiss of the sun for pardon.
The song of the birds for mirth.
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.

(Dorothy Frances Gurney)

Dear Father God,

As we make our approach towards summer, today I want to thank you for my garden.

I appreciate the fact that I (who once didn’t know the difference between a plant and a weed), have been able through books and the internet, to become knowledgeable enough to plan and plant my front and back gardens.

I’m thanking you for the wonderful escape my garden affords. I’m thanking you for those days when I can enjoy sun and solitude, when I can have breakfast or lunch on the patio whilst listening to the sounds of nature and enjoying the beauty of creation. And I thank you for the joy and satisfaction of seeing the work of my own hands.

Father God, I’m also grateful for those extra special days when I share this garden with family and friends for celebrations, fellowship and fun.

It’s a simple but beautiful blessing Father God, for which I thank you.

With love,

Carol ♥♥♥

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 17)

Dear Father God,

Today I wish to remember and give thanks for individuals such as John Wycliffe and William Tyndale who made it possible for me to have direct access to your Word.

Thank you for those who were so committed to ensuring that ordinary people could read the Bible for themselves, they became martyrs. I thank you for their courage.

I thank you that I’m blessed to own several versions of the Bible. I’m aware that this is not always the case for Christians in other countries.  

Given that your Word is a valuable resource which imparts supernatural life, given that it’s my guide to everyday living and, given that it’s a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, I cannot even begin to imagine living without direct access to the Bible when needed. And so I thank you for my privileged position.

My sincere thanks dear Father God.

Love,

 Carol

If you would like to learn more about the Bible Society’s global mission work, please click here.

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 16)

Dear Father God,

Having attended the Premier Radio Gospel awards ceremony last week, today I’d like to thank you for the various creative ways in which the good news of the gospel is shared and the people of God encouraged in their faith walk.

Thank you for those whom you have gifted and whom having developed their abilities, now affix their creative stamp upon our lives through rap, praise and worship songs, skits, blogs and inspirational videos.

I thank you for your rich treasure of talent within the Body of Christ. May all praise, glory and honour go to your name!

With love,

Carol ♥♥♥

 

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 15)

 

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

Before you were born I sanctified you…

(Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV)

 

Dear Father God,

Today I want to thank you for my salvation.

I want to thank you that even before I was conceived in my mother’s womb, you planned to call me from out of a world of darkness into your marvellous light, into the kingdom of your own dear Son.

I want to thank you for orchestrating my steps, and designing my days so that everything fell into place and I “happened” to be in the right place at the right time.

I want to thank you for melting my heart, for overwhelming me with humility and softness when I had determined to harden my heart and walk out of that youth meeting the way I had come in. I wanted to continue living life on my terms.

I want to thank you that your calling was timely. As I’ve heard it said in Christian circles, there are no coincidences – only God-incidences!

And even though the time of your call did not suit me, did not fit into my calendar, it was surely the right time and I am so grateful you did.

Of course I could have still walked away, I could have still hardened my heart, I could have still ignored the tug within my spirit, but oh my dear Father God, how grateful, how absolutely happy I am today that I did not.

Thank you for calling me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for beautifying me both inside and out, with your salvation.

I worship you Father God.

With deep gratitude and love,

 

Carol ♥♥

 

PS: If you are reading this and you would like to know how you too may enjoy salvation, please click here.

And if you have often wondered why you were born and wanted to know your purpose and the meaning of life, check out this post (click here)

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 14)

Dear Father God,

Today I want to thank you for my job.

I not only wish to thank you for supplying the means through which my husband and I can pay our bills, provide food and enjoy leisure activities, but I also wish to thank you that this job has brought me countless opportunities for emotional growth and honing of my character. I thank you for the part I play in providing a service to victims of torture. 

Thank you for the insight I’ve gained from individuals who’ve been cruelly ill-treated, some for harmless activities such as attending demonstrations, or delivering leaflets and others who were targeted simply because family members were involved in political organisations that opposed the party in power.

The resilience  of many of these individuals is nothing short of amazing. I thank you for their example to me of moving on with, and rebuilding their lives. I thank you for their exemplary strength of character in the face of extreme adversity.

For those who continue to struggle with fear, humiliation and shame-inducing memories, I want to thank you for bringing them to a place where they can receive the holistic care and attention they need.

I thank you Father God.

With respect and love,

 Carol

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 13)

Thank You Father God

 

 

We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behaviour. 

― John Stott

 

Dear Father God,

Today I want to thank you for your Word.

I want to thank you that I can depend upon it 100 per cent. You said that heaven and earth may pass away but not one iota of your Word will become obsolete. And in order to guarantee us assurance regarding the truth and dependability of your Word, when you could find no greater, you swore by yourself!

So, I thank you Father God that you are not like politicians, who are notorious for breaking their promises.

I thank you that when I stand upon a portion of scripture, which speaks to my personal circumstance, I can be confident that you are not making empty promises.

Thank you Father God!

With love,

 Carol ♥♥♥

 

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 12)

 

 

Good morning lovely readers!

Today, here in the UK, we are enjoying a beautiful sunny day. I trust wherever in the world you happen to be right now that even if the weather is not so favourable, you are enjoying a beautiful sunny climate within your soul.

As many of you will be aware, I am partway through a personal blog challenge, where I’ve decided to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days. Would you care to come join me?

If so, all you need to do is write a post linking back to this one, or write your contribution in one of the comment boxes below.

I’m surprised that so far more people didn’t feel they could (even once!), or else chose not to participate. My thanks to those who did. He is surely worthy!

And now, what about you?

 

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me, and from finishing his work.

(John 4:34 TLB)

 

When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished,” and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit.

(John 19:30)

 

Dear Lord Jesus,

As someone who has historically failed to finish various things I’ve begun, today I am so appreciative of the fact that you actually finished  what God had sent you to do.

It’s absolutely marvellous that you healed the sick, opened blind eyes, delivered those who were demonically oppressed and possessed. No argument about that in my mind!

But what would have happened to me, what would have happened to the entire world, what would have happened to God’s salvation plan, if you had not finished what you’d been sent to do?

What would have happened, if in the Garden of Gethsemane you had just given up, or decided that you didn’t want to continue to the point of separation from your Father God, to the ultimate point of death (and such a cruel one to boot!)?

What would have happened?

And so today, dear Lord Jesus, I am so, so thankful that you were committed to finish what you’d started.

I’m infinitely grateful that you were committed to honouring and fulfilling your Father’s will, no matter what the cost.

I’m thankful for your courage and self-sacrifice—since you finishing was not like finishing a physical race where all bystanders and participants can see your glorious finish and hail you the victor.

You finishing looked ugly and demoralising and was seen as something utterly shameful! And yet you chose to finish.

Lord, I thank you for your beautiful but challenging example. I can never, ever find the appropriate words, or summon up enough from my reserves of gratitude to offer you thanks fitting enough for what you accomplished.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Lord. And I thank you too dear Father God.

With much love and awe,

 Carol ♥♥♥

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 11)

 

Thank You Father God

 

We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.

Swami Vivekananda

 

It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.

Robert H. Schuller

 

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…

(Proverbs 27:3)

 

“The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts.”
― Marcus Aurelius

 

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Dear Father God,

Today I’d like to give you thanks for the specialised knowledge and expertise of practitioners such as Dr Caroline Leaf  in the field of neuroscience. I thank you for the astounding facts regarding neuroplasticity, which has come to my knowledge.

What an amazing God you are! Truly as the psalmist observed, we are most fearfully and wonderfully made!

I’m so grateful that negative attitudes and patterns of thinking can be changed. Lord, as I look back on my life and recall how depressed I used to be, how negative my thoughts were and how pessimistic my general outlook, I am so grateful for the changes wrought within me.

Thank you for the available knowledge. Thank you for bringing this to my attention and thank you for bringing me to that place where I chose to act upon what I learned.

I recognise that there is still more work to be done, so I commit my thought life into your hands and thank you in anticipation of your continued work within me.

I thank you Father God.

With love,

 Carol ♥♥♥

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

 

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 10)

 

Thank You Father God

Hello dear readers. It’s Day 10 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.

Would you like to join me in this challenge? If so, you can simply share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.

May I encourage you to do this even for one week? Of course you may wish to keep your thoughts private and write in a journal and that’s perfectly fine. Just mention in a comment box below that you are taking part. You will truly find it a benefit and God just loves our expressions of gratitude. So go on – make His day!

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

(2 Timothy 1:7)

 

“Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow.”

 

Father God,

Today I want to offer my grateful thanks that I’ve not been given a spirit of fear.  And I also want to thank you for the comfort and power resident in your Word, which I often use to meditate upon and confess, in order to counteract those feelings of fear or anxiety, which has sought at times to overwhelm me.

Whether those fears were for my health or safety, or concern about what others thought of me, or anxiety for my loved ones, I’ve come to realise that those fears were needless.

In this age, where there seems to be any number of reasons to be afraid (the threat of terrorism, debilitating illnesses and terminal disease, or catastrophe of some sort), I thank you that you are teaching me to develop and exercise a sound mind with disciplined thought patterns. I thank you that you are enabling me to reject that spirit of fear and focus upon your abiding presence, for you have promised that you will never leave me or forsake me.

I thank you Father God.

Love,

Carol ♥♥♥

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For you are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

(Psalm 23:4)

The following are two posts I have written regarding this topic, which you may care to read.

1. Fear or Faith?
2. The Art of Anxiety

If you would like to download a free booklet of tips on how to overcome fear and anxiety, please click here. (Scroll down a little and look to your right for the free guide).

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 9)

 

Thank You Father God!

 

…yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor me.

(John 16:2-3 NKJV)

 

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

(Matthew 10:28 NKJV)

 

Father God,

 Today I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to worship and serve you and need not be afraid of reprisals.

In particular, I think of the recent bombing in Sri Lanka and in general, I think of places such as North Korea, Pakistan and Sudan, where persecuted Christians cannot be open about their faith.

Forgive me for sometimes taking this freedom for granted and not always appreciating the privileged position I hold here in this nation.

It seems awful thanking you for not experiencing something that other brothers and sisters in Christ have to suffer, particularly in light of the recent happenings in Sri Lanka. I am nevertheless appreciative of my position here in the UK.

Thank you Father God.

Love,

 

Carol  xx

If you’d like to know more about how to help your persecuted brothers and sisters, please click on any of the following links:

Open Doors

Release International

Christian Solidarity Worldwide

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 8)

 

Thank You Father God

 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(Romans 5:8 NKJV)

Good morning Father God,

Today, I’d like to thank you for your everlasting, extravagant and unconditional love for me. It takes my breath away.

I cannot understand why you should love me the way that you do, or how you can love the entire world and demonstrate that love by sending your Son, Jesus, to die for us, to die for me.

It is particularly amazing to me because not everyone in the world is lovable… and there are those in the world that do not care two hoots about you and your love. In fact, they scoff about the very idea of there being a God!

So why do you love us soooo much? I cannot even begin to fully comprehend this but I can tell you that I am grateful, so grateful.

And much like your unfailing mercies, your unconditional love for me, your beautiful brand of love for the entire world, challenges me because you say that I should emulate you.

I try.

And the more I try to love the unlovable, the more I seek to put into practice your command to love but fail at doing so, or baulk at loving those who reject me, then the more my eyes are opened, the more my heart understands and appreciates just how precious, how wonderful, how wide and deep your unconditional love is.

I thank you Father God.

Love,

Carol ♥♥♥

 

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 7)

 

Thank You Father God

 Hello dear readers. It’s Day 7 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.

Why not join me in this Gratitude challenge?

You can simply share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Father God,

I want to thank you today that you are a God who hears and answers prayers.

It is such a blessing, such a relief to know that I can come to you at any time of the day or night and share my concerns, fears and problems with you. It is reassuring to know that my prayers have not fallen upon deaf ears.

Unlike other “gods” who may have ears but cannot hear and may have mouths but cannot speak, you are a true and living God!

You have promised in your Word that before I even call, you will answer me and whilst I am still speaking you will hear (Isaiah 65:24 NKJV).

Father God, I thank you for those prayers that you have answered in the past – prayers for healing, prayers for protection or provision, prayers for deliverance from fear and for peace, prayers for intervention in family issues, prayers for direction.

And yes, there have been requests that were denied and there are prayers for which I still await a response (or have I somehow failed to realise that your answer is “No”?), however, these do not take away from my past experience, or current confidence in you as a good and gracious God, as a God who hears and answers prayers.

So, from the bottom of my heart dear Father God, I thank you.

Love,

Carol ♥♥♥

If you’d like to read an excellent article on why our prayers are sometimes not answered, please click here.

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 6)

 

Thank you Father God

 

It’s the sixth day of my personal blog challenge, to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.

Did you know that the practice of gratitude can increase your levels of well-being? An interesting article on why gratitude is deemed to be important, can be found here.

Why not join me in this Gratitude challenge?

Simply share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.

C’mon – I challenge you!

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Father God,

I want to thank you today for the heroes and sheroes of this world (both past and present); influential men and women, who have helped to make this world a better place.

I’d firstly like to say “thank you” for sending Jesus to this earth, to represent you and reconcile us (the lost) to yourself.

He is the epitome of all that is good and noble and virtuous and demonstrated total commitment to your Word and your will.

I also want to thank you for the likes of Mother Teresa, Emmeline Pankhurst, Martin Luther King Jnr, John Newton, Maya Angelou and Nelson Mandela.

Thank you for the examples they are to us of radical transformation, passionate pursuit of dreams or ideals, and an uncompromising stand for equality and justice.

Finally, I wish to thank you for my own precious mother, for her example to me as a loyal church member, active worker in the Body of Christ and diligent prayer warrior. Thank you for her life and example of love for, and faithful dedication to you.

Dear Father God, thank you for blessing this world with such amazing personalities. I thank you for their inspirational lives and wonderful legacy.

Thank you Father God.

Love,

Carol ♥♥♥

CREDIT: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 5)

 

THANK YOU FATHER GOD

It is day 5 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.

If you would like to join in, you can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Hope to hear from you!

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Good morning Father God.

Today, I want to thank you for another new day.

I want to thank you that this day finds me rested and refreshed and ready to meet its opportunities and challenges. I want to thank you because each new day offers me a chance to recognise and bask in the glory of your goodness.

Thank you Father God for my increasing awareness that whether I experience a good or a bad day is entirely up to me. It depends upon my choices. It depends upon my thoughts. And so I’m training myself to cast down every thought and imagination which exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ. I’m training myself to focus upon thoughts of peace and prosperity, thoughts which are praiseworthy and virtuous.

Of course, I have absolutely no control over others and how they may choose to (mis)treat me. But by your grace and by the help of your Holy Spirit, I do possess the power to rise above anything that is contrary to your promises, or your perfect will for my life. Whether I invoke that power is my choice!

And so dear Father God, I thank you again for this brand new day. It is your precious gift of life to me and how I choose to use it, is my gift to myself and to others around me. I therefore choose to colour my day beautiful.

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Quang Le at Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 4)

 

Thank You Father God

Dear reader, in case you were not aware, I decided at the beginning of this month to challenge myself and write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days. Today is day 4.

If you’d like to join me, please feel free to either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below.

I look forward to hearing from you!

My thanks to Danny and Shell Vera for their contributions.

 

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.²²

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.²³

(Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV)

 

Dear Father God,

Today I’d like to thank you for your mercies which are new every morning. I thank you that you delight in showing mercy.

When I consider just how merciful you are, it challenges me regarding my own behaviour towards others who hurt me, especially those who habitually and deliberately offend me.

I am reminded of your Word, which says when we stand praying, if we have anything against others then we should forgive them. (So, do I get away with it because I am usually sitting when I pray? No? I thought not!) 🙂

You also said as we forgive others, so you will forgive us. In other words, the measure of mercy I extend to others is what will be given back to me! A challenging and sobering thought.

And so Father God, I want to thank you for the many times you have graciously overlooked my failure to comply with your Word. And I want to thank you for your patience with me as you continue to work within my heart, bringing me to that place where I not only desire to obey, but also obediently fulfil your will.

Father God, I agree with the writer of Lamentations (see above). I know that if it had not been for your daily mercies, I would have already been consumed—consumed by the Enemy of my soul… consumed by danger or catastrophe… consumed by disappointments and failures… consumed by sickness or disease… consumed by my own self-sabotaging behaviour.

Father God, I am infinitely grateful to you for your unceasing mercies.

I thank you Father God.

With love,

Carol ♥♥♥

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

(Micah 6:8 NKJV)

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 3)

 

Thank you Father God!

It is day 3 of my blog challenge to write a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.

How about you joining me?

You can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Hope to hear from you!

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Oh, that men [and women] would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,

And declare His works with rejoicing.

(Psalm 107:21-22 NKJV)

 

Father God,

Today I’d like to thank you for my cross.

I can hardly believe that I’m saying this but I say it again with sincerity – thank you for my cross.

I don’t always feel this way and I’m sure (if past history is anything to go by) that circumstances will find me feeling less than thankful about it at some point in the future, perhaps even before the week is over.

You smile, because you know it’s true and in fact you already know what troublesome situations lay ahead of me and how I shall react.

But today, after a short season of reflection on the passion of Christ, after contemplating the wonder of your sacrificial love, after realising afresh the debt I can never repay, I want to lift up my hands and my heart in grateful adoration.

And yes, Lord Jesus, I thank you for my cross, for the opportunity to follow you on my own personal road of suffering, self-sacrifice and self-denial.

I want to remember the unimaginable price paid. I need to be reminded of the fact that Father God’s kingdom principle for spiritual growth and supernatural empowerment is—cross, crucifixion, then crown. Forgive me for only wanting the crown.

Once again, I want to thank you Lord Jesus for all you accomplished through the pain and shame of your cross, at Calvary.

And dear Father God, thank you for all that you will accomplish in and through me, as I carry my own cross, as I endure the pain and shame of Carol’s cross.

I thank you Father God.

Love from,

Carol ♥♥♥

 

 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

(Matthew 10:38 NKJV)

 

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple.

(Luke 14:27)

Dear reader, you may wish to read another post of mine relating to this topic of carrying our cross. If so, please click here

CREDIT: the above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest (Day 2)

 

Thank You Father God 

 

Hello dear readers,

In case you haven’t heard, I’ve given myself the challenge of writing a gratitude post for 21 consecutive days.

Will you come join me?

I’d love it if you could.

You can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Hope to hear from you!

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

 

The gift of self cannot be given to us. It is an incomparable gift that has already been given. We have possessed it from the beginning.

Gerry Spence

 

 “What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.”
― Hans Urs von Balthasar, Prayer 

 

Father God,

Please accept this package sent express to you today.

It has been wrapped with pleasure (but slight trepidation), tied with the ribbons of commitment and prettified with the beautiful bow of love.

Should anyone look inside, its content (or lack thereof), will not perhaps make sense to them. In fact, should they not have the gift of discernment (see what I did there Lord?), and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, they just will not understand. How could they?

But you, my dear omniscient Father and friend, will certainly comprehend.

So, for the sake of my readers and for the benefit of the Enemy, let me elaborate on your parcel’s seemingly invisible content.

It contains my heart. Not the physical organ which beats within my person according to your rhythmic grace, but the very essence of my being.

It’s yours to shape as you see fit, as you have already determined to do before the earth’s foundation was laid… before I was conceived in my mother’s womb. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude for your generous gift of salvation.

Today, dear Father God, as I entrust you with my life and allow you to mould me so you can use me to serve others, I want to thank you for giving my life meaning and purpose. And I want to thank you for my incredible future.

I thank you Father God.

CREDIT: the above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

A 21-day Thanks-Fest

 

THANK YOU FATHER GOD!

 

 Hello Friends,

In celebration of this new month, I’ve decided to challenge myself by writing a post for 21 consecutive days. And given that we’ve just celebrated Easter, as a token of my appreciation for sending his Son, Jesus, to die for me… for calling me into his kingdom… for redeeming me from the hand of the Enemy and redeeming me from the curse of the Law, I’d like to publicly love on God. So this a 21-day opportunity to send Father-God my thanks. Will you join me?

I’d love it if you would.

You can either share your own post and link back to mine, or leave your contribution in a comment box below. Come on! Why not take some time out of your busy lives and tell him (and in doing so, tell us), why you’d like to thank him? After all, he’s worthy!

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

Father God,

Today I want to thank you for your incredible peace. A peace that goes beyond human understanding. A precious quality of peace that cannot be explained.

It’s a peace which calms, ousts, pervades, settles – i.e. it calms my fears (whatever the source), ousts anxieties, pervades my senses with Holy Spirit serenity and settles my doubts.

 And when those cares, anxieties and fears re-surface, threaten to overwhelm me, tries to topple me, floor me, undermine my faith, my emotional pillars of strength, I merely have to call out to you, reach out and cling to you, cling to the Rock of your comforting presence.

 Because when I do this, when your wonderful peace weaves its awesome magic, then I know that you are in control. I know that all is well. Yes, all is well within my soul.

 I thank you Father God.

 With love,

 Carol ♥ ♥ ♥

CREDIT: the above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

An A-Z Challenge – Looking back over 2018

 

 

I have to admit that when it comes to the idea of developing an attitude of gratitude, I’m a keen advocate. Particularly since God’s Word warns us that an unthankful attitude can cause us to have futile and foolish thoughts and worse, darken our hearts (see Romans 1:21).

No way do I want this to be my story!

I came across the idea of a Thankfulness challenge from Dainty M. See her post on this at: https://daintym.com/2018/12/30/think-thank-challenge-2018/

Dear friends and followers, there are some who expected to celebrate the New Year but did not even make it to the end of 2018. Remember – if it were not for the grace of God, this could so easily have been me, or you!

It’s easy to beat up on ourselves if we haven’t accomplished the goals we set out to achieve, or to entertain a bad attitude because life didn’t deliver the goodies we’d envisaged. As we prepare to close the door upon 2018 and move forward into a brand new year, let’s do so with a positive spirit. Let’s do so with a heart FULL of thanksgiving to our Father God, for his gracious goodness toward us.

And now for my personal take on this challenge, as I look back upon the year(s) gone by.

First and foremost, I am thankful that recent years have seen me develop and maintain an attitude of gratitude. It’s easy to go through life with a “poor me” mentality. Self-pity only blinds our eyes to the good aspects of our current circumstances.

I am grateful for unlimited access to books.  I love reading and in the past I have devoured books in the hundreds. This year I’ve read 13 non-fiction books and 7 novels. I’m supremely thankful for the various versions of the Bible available, and in keeping with my goal to read the entire Bible once per year, I have so far read 44 of the 66 books in the Amplified version (Yes, I am somewhat behind!). This makes a grand total of 64 books read this year, which have educated, entertained or empowered me. Yay!

I am thankful for Christmas. Not necessarily the baubles, gifts and glitter of the season but for the real reason we celebrate this event – the birth of Jesus Christ! If God had not sent him into this world, I shudder to think about where you and I would be, as spiritual outcasts doomed to damnation.

I am grateful to God for deliverance. Not just for the instant deliverance from the power of sin, received when I entrusted my life to Christ and chose to become his disciple, but also for daily deliverance from the power of the Enemy unleashed within and against my life and the lives of my loved ones.

I cannot thank God enough for his generosity of heart in granting us the opportunity of eternal life. I’m referring here not just to the assurance of life after death, a glorious future in heaven where neither tears nor trials will exist, but also to the God-quality type of life we can enjoy now, right here upon this earth, as an heir of salvation.

I am hoping for many things in 2019 and beyond, should God spare my life! I am therefore thankful for faith (the substance of things hoped for). I am grateful to God that even if my faith is as small as a mustard seed, it is enough to secure my miracle, or a significant breakthrough. It is sufficient for me to be able to withstand the wiles of the devil and emerge as a victorious overcomer!

During the latter part of this year, I have enjoyed the wonderful ministry of two individuals: (Joel Osteen and Rabbi Schneider).  I am so, so thankful for godly ministers such as these two men and the positive spiritual input they have contributed to my life.

I am thankful for the presence and assistance of the Holy Spirit. What a priceless and precious resource to have in one’s life! When I don’t know how or what to pray, when I have no idea what I should do in a particular situation, when I need the back-up of a spiritual heavy weight, guess whom I turn to. That’s right – my confidante and helper – the eminent Holy Spirit!

I am thankful God did not make us robots but blessed us with imagination. Now in the past, I have used this to my detriment, imagining mostly negative scenarios. But what a blessing to be able to use this ability in pursuit of our gifts and calling! What a blessing to be able to use this gift as a visualisation tool for success… to be able to use this in our creative endeavours. Recently, I wrote a poem, Autumn’s Soliloquy (click here to read), which I could not have done without the use of my creative imagination.

And how can I not be grateful for Jesus? He is my Lord and Saviour. He is the author and finisher of my faith. And it is only through him and because of him that I am able to reign over troublesome circumstances.

I am thankful for the gift of kindness. This year, I’ve been on the receiving end of beautiful acts of kindness from two of my sisters, who decided to celebrate me and whom God used to both tell and show me that I am “special” in his sight; as well as through prophetic words of encouragement received from a blogger (meet Holly), someone I have never met! Isn’t God amazing?

I am thankful for love. That is, God’s love! Agapē love. A brand of love that is extravagant and extraordinary. An unconditional love. A love that has been extended to me without reservation. Many people have gone out of their way to show me their disdain. But the one who has every right to shun me, has lovingly embraced me, welcomes me into his presence and wants to associate with me. I can only reiterate with heartfelt gratitude the lyrics of Graham Kendrick’s song, in which he so aptly observes: Such love!

I am thankful for precious memories. Having suffered the loss of my mother two years ago, I am grateful for those memories of when she was here on earth with us. Cherished memories of wonderful times at Christmas and birthdays which she created, are now stored within my memory bank alongside memories of her faithful prayer life, which challenges me to do better in my own spiritual journey.

I am thankful for new opportunities. Every day is a fresh chance to draw closer to God, to become a better version of myself as a disciple of Christ, to improve my relationships, to conquer adverse circumstances.

I am thankful for the various occasions that grant me an opportunity to dress up, meet with family members and friends, or host dinner parties at my home. Concerning the latter, I guess I’m more like Martha in the Bible, who became hot and bothered by all the preparation, rather than sitting and enjoying the company of her visitor. I also love those special celebrations, which enable me to participate in an atmosphere of praise and worship to our Father God. And I’m deeply thankful that I live in a country where I can enjoy such occasions without fear of persecution.

Without the shadow of a doubt, I know I could not survive, or thrive, without Prayer. I am thankful indeed for the opportunity to communicate with my Father God, at any time, without the need to make an appointment, or go through a third party. I am thankful for the privilege of having direct access to the ear and heart of the most powerful being in the universe.  

I am grateful for the ability to quench my thirst – whether literally (I live in a country where I can pour myself a clean glass of water to drink whenever I wish), or metaphorically (I can consult an expert or avail myself of the vast knowledge on the Internet) at the click of my mouse.

I am thankful for Rick Warren’s manifesto on the meaning of life, as revealed in his book, The Purpose-driven Life. This year’s re-reading of Warren’s 40-day spiritual guide has been a huge blessing to me, as I’m reminded of God’s five-fold purpose for my life.

I am thankful to God for a sound mind. There are so many people suffering from depression, or dementia, or some form of mental illness. There are also those of us who ordinarily believe that we are of a sound mind, yet we are being driven by different debilitating fears. I thank God for the lessons he is teaching me regarding maintaining a sound mind.

Today and every day, I am thankful for the Truth of God’s Word. The word of family and friends, line managers, national leaders and world rulers (even our own words), can prove fickle, untrustworthy. God’s Word is stable, fixed and unchanging. He will not break his covenant, or alter the word that has gone out from his lips (Psalm 89:34).

I appreciate and am grateful for the UCB Devotional, Word For Today (you can check out the audio and written versions of this resource at:  https://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today). As anyone familiar with my two blogs: A Purpose-driven achiever and Women of Warfare! can confirm, I highly recommend this spiritual resource written by Bob and Debby Gass and often quote from these within my posts.

I’m grateful for the support of various bloggers, such as Shell Vera, who regularly leave a comment in response to my posts. As a blogger, comments are like gold dust. They are the only means by which I can receive valuable feedback to my posts. Equal thanks goes to those who regularly drop by and “like” my posts. You are a treasure!

I never thought I’d find myself uttering these words but I am thankful for my work. It is a job, rather than a career, but I am thankful that through this position, I’ve been able to help pay bills, maintain the roof over our head, enjoy great holidays and give towards the work of God’s kingdom.

I thank God for the X-chromosome that produced me. As Psalm 139 accurately and definitively declares: I am fearfully and wonderfully made! It’s reassuring to know that God purposed I should be born, even before my conception. It is so awe-inspiring to know that God planned every single detail of my conception from the parents who would raise me, to my geographical location. What an amazing God!

I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’m thankful to God for YouTube! Through this channel I’ve discovered motivational speakers such as: Brendon Burchard, Jim Rohn and Les Brown.

Finally, I am grateful for the zealous individuals who come across my pathway whether in the Body of Christ or in secular situations. I am thankful for the inspirational messages of people such as the Apostle Paul, TD Jakes and Maya Angelou.

Thank you dear Father God, for ALL that you have done within, for and through me, in 2018.

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com