Gratefulness is something I have experienced more in 2019 than I have in many years. Much of that is due to the shifts God and I, have made in my life. As I increase my understanding of just HOW MUCH our Creator loves ME personally I find my perspectives change on what is happening around me and in our world.
Gratefulness is a frame of mind that we can expand and strengthen as we purposefully live into it. It becomes easier as we accept God’s love for us and pray to see from Creator’s vastly broader vantage point than our own.
Enough of that. Let me dive into my short list of gratefulness for this year. Join me in declaring the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living!
In no particular order:
I am grateful for family and so many friends! The year began with a day long road trip to southern Maine with two precious soul & spirit sisters. I have a group where we can encourage each other to grow closer to God. We also support each other as we go out to help expand the Kingdom of God near and far.
Nellie Belle my constant loyal, furry companion.
It has been particularly special to reconnect with friends from high school, university and former colleagues and most of these I have not seen in years or even decades. Trips to western Massachusetts, Armenia, Michigan, Nigeria, California and more allowed me to minister at home and abroad.
This blog also reaches five continents. It is teaching me a lot about how our Creator is engaged in our lives at the most intimate levels…if we allow.
My favorite sports team won the Super Bowl!
Our church prayer teams that I am part of had a record number of appointments this year. We are full of gratefulness to God for the transformations He initiated in so many lives. This kind of “work” inspires me tremendously.
I planted roses for the first time in my life. I am hugely grateful for the bounty of roses in front of my home all growing season!
Helping ministries and individuals think about how to establish prayer to support their lives, members and activities is creative for me.
Prayer if different kinds on three continents and and both coasts of the US charges my being.
Overall good health is huge blessing.
Photography and a blog to display a taste of it feeds me each week and you too I hope.
A beautiful home to share with many people who visit from out of town, out of state and from other countries. (I should be keeping track of all the countries and states represented in my three years here.)
Living in this age of technology with all the different options allows me to pray for and minister nearly anywhere in the world without physically leaving home.
I am blessed to have the freedom to do the things I really enjoy and am good at. (More than not.)
Gratefulness permeates my life well beyond this short list. You reading this far is a precious blessing to me. I hope you can make a few minutes to reflect and write you own “short list” of gratefulness.
