I was inspired today by Don Miller’s blog post “The Power of Gratitude”. He invited all of us to have “Thankful Thursday”. I thought it was a great idea. Just yesterday I posted this quote on the Flowing Faith facebook page: 

“When the heart is full of joy, it always allows its joy to escape. It is like the fountain in the marketplace; whenever it is full it runs away in streams, and so soon as it ceases to overflow, you may be quite sure that it has ceased to be full. The only full heart is the overflowing heart.”~ C.H. Spurgeon

 

I don’t know about you but I would love to always have an overflowing heart! One way to have a heart full of joy is to count your blessings. So here I go, counting my blessings, expressing my gratitude because -like Albert Schweitcher has said- “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

 

1) I am grateful for God’s saving and sustaining grace. I’ve come to a place in my life when my calling to share God’s love is so strong that I can’t think of doing anything else with my life. Everything else feels wrong. So I am sharing the good news of Jesus Christ any way I can. “Flowing Faith Ministries” is just kind of happening and I am open to God’s guidance. I am eager to see what will happen. My goal for this year is to believe, to act upon God’s guidance and not leave any space for doubting or second guessing.

 

2) I am truly grateful for you reading this blog and sharing it with your friends and family. It has been a huge joy in my life to get to know you and serve you by writing this blog. I’m following God’s guidance to expand my boarders so today I am thankful also for acquiring the very first domain name! I am also grateful for the blogger community around me that has made my life so much richer. 

 

3) I’ve been writing a book proposal and just last week I was able to send it out for the first time. I’m thrilled that it’s now out of my hands. It’s up to God. Whatever comes (or doesn’t come) out of it will be fine with me. I’ve done my part except for praying! I’m grateful for this feeling of completion after doing what I was asked to do.

 

4) I am grateful for my dear husband for his unwavering support and steadfast love. I am grateful for our children and how joyfully they share their love with us. I truly feel blessed by having a family of my own. I know it’s not the only way to live (been there, done that) but I truly feel complete with my family. 

 

5) I am also grateful for books and their authors.  I feel so blessed by being able to read books written by passionate people of God  from different centuries. How many times I’ve been consoled, uplifted, encouraged, challenged, or inspired! One person that I want to mention by name is Eugene H. Peterson (the person behind the Message Bible). I truly love the contemporary paraphrase of the Bible and pretty much anything he has written. I thank God for sending us passionate people of God!

Gracious God,
Thank you for being such an awesome God!
Thank you for providing for us
and taking care of us.
Thank you for sending the right people in our lives.
Thank you for calling us to work with you
and equipping us to do your ministry.
Bless all the readers & friends of this blog.
Guide me to bless them according to your will.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

 

Q4U: Who/what are you thankful for today?

 

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you count your blessings! May your heart be overflowing with joy!  

 

Photo courtesy of Stephen Ramkissoon