Since Thanksgiving is happening in America, this seems like the perfect time to write about exactly what is going on in my journey on the other side of the equator. If you’ve kept up with my blogs, you may see that in month 2, God revealed the heart of my discontent and sin- lack of gratitude. I saw how little gratefulness was evident in my life; this life that was full of so many amazing experiences, people, and blessings.
I’d love to say that things flipped for me and now I appreciate everything in life and my outlook is all rosy! Unfortunately, I still struggle, but am being reminded daily, in some of the craziest ways, to be thankful. Most recently, many of my squad members recommended a book to me that I started reading. It’s called, “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp and is all about gratefulness being at the heart of a joyful life. I won’t bore you with the details of it, although I recommend everyone read it, even if you aren’t a believer, but let me share how it eerily applied to me.
So, my first team was named Team Sozo. We called ourselves that because in Greek, it means healing. While on that team, I discovered the importance of thankfulness. As I was reading this book, she was telling the story of the 10 healed lepers in Luke 17. Only one came back to thank Jesus and that one received sozo. Now, they all received physical healing, but that one received sozo-meaning wholeness, salvation, life to the full, true healing. He received that through offering gratitude to the Father. Is that the journey I’ve been on?? Sure, I am “cured”, saved, I have eternal healing; but I want more. Doesn’t everyone? I want to be excited in the little thing, the big things, and gratitude is the key.
I realize that reading and writing about thankfulness and actually living in it are completely different. I don’t want to return home still talking about how I need to be more grateful, the same way I’ve always lived saying, “I struggle with pride.” “When one is thirsty, one quenches one’s thirst by drinking, not by reading books which treat of this condition.” –Jean Pierre d’Costeau
So, over the past couple of months, I have put some actions in motions that have brought joy and changes. In “One Thousand Gifts”, Ann takes a challenge to keep a list of 1000 blessings she is grateful for, and I took on this challenge with another teammate. It has helped me recognize where I need to vocalize my thankfulness to others as well as God. You don’t have to be in third world countries to see how many blessings the Lord has put in your life and naming them is like accepting the gift from him and saying THANK YOU! Starting this Thanksgiving, can you think of 1,000 gifts you are thankful for? Feel free to share as I share mine.
