Thankful Life - December 11, 2014

I am thankful today... so much love and so many gifts that my God delivers to me daily. How can I count them? How much more LORD will You lavish upon my life?

God's goodness through His daily inspiration for me has delivered amazing peace and hope in my life... regardless of what is going on - every storm has a clearing. Every clear sky shines a mighty God and His glory.

THESE ARE THE THINGS I MUST REMEMBER in the times of storms, or troubled waters. THESE ARE THE THINGS I MUST REMEMBER when my flesh is weak, my heart is torn and my will is tattered. THESE ARE THE THINGS I MUST REMEMBER while the lessons are difficult and the times are tough... Yes, Father deliverance to and toward a life that is representative of You in it - THIS IS MY DESIRE!

"I'll give you concealed treasures and riches hidden in secret places, so that you'll know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name." ~Isaiah 45:3 (International Standard Version) 

When we, as Christ's people, believe that wealth is define as the world defines it... we are deprived of God's infinite treasures...

And when we described our healing in the flesh, we let go of His tender and amazing mercies. 

Our treasures and mercies are the gift that came with the beautiful words, "It is finished!"

We experience death—we give life, by the power of God

7-13 "This priceless treasure we hold, so to speak, in a common earthenware jar—to show that the splendid power of it belongs to God and not to us. We are handicapped on all sides, but we are never frustrated; we are puzzled, but never in despair. We are persecuted, but we never have to stand it alone: we may be knocked down but we are never knocked out! Every day we experience something of the death of the Lord Jesus, so that we may also know the power of the life of Jesus in these bodies of ours. Yes, we who are living are always being exposed to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be plainly seen in our mortal lives. We are always facing death, but this means that you know more and more of life. Our faith is like that mentioned in the scripture: ‘I believed and therefore I spoke’.

14 "For we too speak because we believe, and we know for certain that he who raised the Lord Jesus from death shall also by him raise us. We shall all stand together before him.
We live a transitory life with our eyes on the life eternal

15-18 "We wish you could see how all this is working out for your benefit, and how the more grace God gives, the more thanksgiving will redound to his glory. This is the reason why we never collapse. The outward man does indeed suffer wear and tear, but every day the inward man receives fresh strength. These little troubles (which are really so transitory) are winning for us a permanent, glorious and solid reward out of all proportion to our pain. For we are looking all the time not at the visible things but at the invisible. The visible things are transitory: it is the invisible things that are really permanent." ~2 Corinthians 4:7-18 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

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© 2014 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta

Guest Writer - Giving Thanks Daily, November 27, 2014

Practicing Deliberate Thanksgiving

By Rob Henslin

“… Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~Ephesians 5:19, 20 (New International Version)

It’s quite easy for me to agree with the sentiment of those verses but quite another to actually live it out. In 2012 I was in the midst of painful and gut-wrenching divorce proceedings. Much of my energy was spent slogging through procedural issues and various points of contention, wishing it could all be over and done. I became “Danny Downer,” detached and hope-less.

My friend Amy picked up on that vibe and took action. When we met, she greeted me with a warm smile and handed me a wrapped gift. “I saw this and thought it was perfect for you right now.”

“What? Perfect for me?” I inquired.

“I just want you to stay focused and remember that you will get through the divorce, and your life will move forward.” Inside the box was a beautiful, hand-painted glass plate, five inches square, with an image of a yellow bird perched on a small tree branch. In the upper left hand corner, the word “hope” was etched into the surface.

When I returned home, I mounted my hope plate on the wall above my desk. With Amy’s encouragement fresh in my mind, I decided to take deliberate action to find the hope I had lost.
One day in August of 2012 was a turning point in my life. I sat down at my laptop computer and created a new document simply titled “Miracles and Blessings.” As quickly as the neurons could fire between my brain and fingertips, I filled page after page with short entries detailing in very specific terms the many blessings I had forgotten and perhaps failed to even acknowledge in the past.

I pondered the previous two decades of my life—as far back as my wedding day and my battle with blood cancer. I skipped over stuff like the “blessing” of a parking place close to the entrance to Macy’s. I never prayed that kind of prayer.

I was more interested in the “meat,” the authentic blessings and miracles that God had showered upon me: getting into remission in five weeks following my original diagnosis of leukemia; my two miracle daughters who defied the medical establishment and graced this earth with their presence in 1992 and 1994; surviving a cancer relapse in 2008, receiving a bone marrow transplant in 2009, and on and on. Within a month or two the list had swelled to several thousand words.

What an exercise!

Often my initial response given difficult situations is to focus on the negative rather than the positive. I hate to admit that but it’s the truth. Taking deliberate action was something I had to do.

In those times when I struggle with hopelessness, the hope plate on my wall and my growing account of all that God has done helps refocus and reaffirm my faith in Him, that he knows me, loves me, and even in the darkest hours has never lost His grip on me. My miracles and blessings document provides numerous reminders and reasons for me to give “thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In this season of hope, will you join me in an exercise of practicing deliberate thanksgiving for all that the Lord has done and is doing in our lives? Perhaps this Thanksgiving Day will be the day you begin keeping your own list of miracles and blessings.

Oh, and if you want to, it’s probably perfectly okay to pray for a good parking space! Happy Thanksgiving.

About Rob

Rob Henslin is a father, graphic designer, rocketry enthusiast, and author. He is passionate about finding ways to make the most of the hardships he has endured so he can help others through difficult times. Much of this article was adapted from his new book, “When You See the Cows, Make a Left!” (Amazon.com). Rob has volunteered his time to assist the Be The Match bone marrow registry (www.marrow.org) and has shared his story through speaking engagements, radio interviews, and magazine articles. Rob lives in Northern California, where the deer and his German shepherd play. Visit his website at www.post-traumaticpress.com.

            

© 2014 Post-Traumatic Press, Robert Henslin


Rob is a friend and brother in Christ.  He has been part of of our prayer team with Ps139 group since the beginning and has been part of the family ever since. Even in the midst of his own trials, he prayed for others in need. I am honored to serve our Heavenly Father with this man God. Be sure to check out Rob's new book, When You See the Cows, Make A Left!



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Day 930 of Giving Thanks - Guest Writer, Donna Wright

 “FAILURE!” 
by Donna Wright

“The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” ~Psalm 9:9  (New International Version)

At one point in life, I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed, face buried in a towel, rocking back and forth while weeping under an emotional avalanche of failure. The weight of it swept over my mind, choked out my breath, and pulled me down into a dark, murky depression like a huge anvil plunging in water.

Past successes seemed insignificant. Diehard dedication faded to perpetual imperfections. It didn’t matter how far I had come in life or how hard I fought to regain myself on this journey. That ugly feeling of failure pounded it’s judgmental gavel against my emotions until it broke core of my self-confidence.  It seemed impossible to fight.

Yet, I STOOD my ground then and STAND my ground today.  The feeling of “failure” is an attack that stems directly from YEARS of being called “FAILURE!”.

I am not a FAILURE.  I am a daughter of Christ!  I am a royal diadem in His crown. I am a treasure to the heart of Jesus. He has my name engraved in the palms of His hands!

I’m fighting to WIN this battle. God is my confidence! God has made my life a success! He is the HEALER of my heart and emotions! I will push forward in prayer. I will read scriptures out loud to myself. I will speak LIFE to all those places where the enemy has spoken death. This is a battle and God IS MY CHAMPION! I’m on the winning side!

FAILURE is a LIE. It is a stronghold that the enemy has cast onto many lives. WE ARE NOT FAILURES! God’s power IS GREATER than the lies of the enemy, stronger than the lies of abusive people, and bigger than the lies we tell ourselves.  GOD IS OUR STRONGHOLD.

Jesus has the authority to break off the feeling of failure from your life. Lift your soul to Jesus and let the power of His Spirit fill your wounded heart with VICTORY and SELF-CONFIDENCE!

"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them." ~Psalm 12:5 (New International Version)

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.” ~Jeremiah 30:17 (New International Version)

Donna is a survivor of over two decades of domestic abuse and acts as a mentor and friend to those living in or coming out of abusive situations.  She currently volunteers for Servant’s Heart Christian Ministries’ domestic abuse support page called, “Haven of Hope”.



© 2011 Donna Wright

Day 572 of Giving Thanks

‎...and heal, He does.

I am expectant of complete healing. My day did not really begin until around noon today; there are times when being still is necessary – and today was one of those times. I am grateful that I was able to stay home today, get some rest and recover from the last few days.

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

With all this time on my hands today, I have struggled to write; and my thought is that I have already received the word for today. That even when I seem to have all this time to do things, I really only have one thing that is important and that is to connect with God - to listen for His word for my life.

It is always to be still. 

“Be still”, He says, over and over, as my life moves quickly and often times, in a manner that is overwhelming to my senses.
As I close my eyes and settle my mind, I begin to quiet my heart and mind – as I hear the noise around me start to dwindle and become part of the background, I know it is close. It is close to the time when I can “be still” and listen for His voice.
“Be still”, repeats like an echo, as my mind tries desperately to hang onto the distractions of my mind and come into view.
As I hear the pleas in my mind to turn off the tasks and responsibilities that swirl through my thoughts, I hear “it’s ok, I am here”.
“Be still”, takes hold and I am in His presence once again. As I hear the silence, all the worries of the week, dissipate; the concerns for tomorrow wait on the sidelines… and in the still of my mind, under the power of the Holy Spirit, His presence overwhelms; like a flood of water through my fingers; wonderful to know, yet, unable to capture and store for later.
“Be still”, flows through my mind and tonight I leave the details to my God in heaven. 

I am expectant… wonderfully and perfectly expectant of my God to move and capture me wholly.

“In the morning (ALL DAY), LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning (IN THE EVENING) I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” ~Psalm 5:3

Day 504 of Giving Thanks

"On May 26th, 2010 - the very first post on the Wonderfully Made said "What a wonderful gift to give someone... a word of affirmation, edification or just a kind word. Who can you edify? Please feel free to leave your note here." That post came from a word - God saying, "you need encouragement my child, get it through encouraging others." And, so it began, and here we are." ~Wonderfully Made 

On that day, the Lord gave me this wonderful and beautiful gift of encouragement in this way. I had seen His encouragement through His word and so many of my friends (His children), and that evening, I walked out to my car, as I did every day after work. And, before me was broken glass and an open window, and my laptop had been taken. In the hours to follow - in the silence and errors of my will, God was there - He rescued me that night - stopped the normal responses in my heart and shared with me a different way to respond to heartbreak - now you say, it's only a computer. Well, let's just say that computer was the last of many and the first of the worst yet to come in the months to follow. That day, His gift, showed me that no matter what happens in my life, His strength is always there. His tenderness is ever present. His mighty power is at my beckon call. His grace, mercy and favor are all I will ever need.

In these many days of change and transformation, I am grateful for the things that are not things at all – it is the moments with God, when no one else is around. It is the state of mind that I can change in an instant because I control that. It is His amazing story that weaves amazingly throughout my life. It is the memories that can be renewed with His healing and insights that show the light of my circumstances. It is the people who share this life, and show His love greatly. Not things at all, but His gifts.

I have discovered my prayer language during this time. He has revealed in my life miracles that before were unnoticed before. He has restored my heart, encouraged my senses and given me reasons to boldly walk in His word. Words are my passion and His word is my springboard. Sometimes when I sit quietly and pray, I write (type) and when I go back to read, I understand the power of the Holy Spirit greatly. For the words on paper (screen), jump out at me and embed deeply. I am His tool. Lord let me be used over and over and greatly.

As I sit here now, even with the noise around me, I can hear His silence; I am breathing in His majesty. How easy this has become.

Even in the days of challenges, illness, heartache, loss, despair, uncertainty and pain, I have learned to keep Him close. My friends, let Him bring you to the place, where He matters; He will remind you that your heart matters immensely. He desires to sit with you and hold your hands, wipe your tears, take your burdens and lift your spirit.

Let Him in, and the light will be seen from all corners of the earth. With every breath, there is exaltation to be proclaimed of this mighty presence.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hope in Circumstances - May 26th, Day 199 of Giving Thanks “But this is not a sad story. It is a story of gracious people - those who help someone in distress and need. The neighboring businesses, J&B Electric and Drakes Brewery's owners were still at work and came to my rescue. I was shaken, but clear headed – we contacted the police, and while we waiting, we reviewed video cameras and before our eyes we saw the crime. Now it is in the hands of the police and God.”
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=407273927808
May 27th, Day 200 of Giving Thanks
May 28th, Day 201 of Giving Thanks

Restoration - July 1st, Day 235 of Giving Thanks “What an image. TODAY, I see myself wrapped in the covering of the Lord. His protection, my projection of security, is staying close to God. So close that I cannot tell where He begins and I end. An amazing love story that has been told, since the beginning of time, but very few can live it out. My prayer is that I can continue to fall deeply and deeper in love with my Lord. I am grateful that He found me. I am grateful to know His protection is in place and that I am securely wrapped in His strength and power – and there is nothing that I need to do to keep that in place. I pray, that I continue to be amazed, and in awe of “the thought of Him”.”


Devastation - July 2, Day 236 of Giving Thanks
July 5th, Day 238 of Giving Thanks “I cannot put words together to describe the storm I am in the middle of right now, for it is more than I can take, but one that I can endure because I have help. God is always with me, I have the word that I can go to at any time and I have some mighty people of God praying for me and lifting me up.”