lys&ladies

January1, 2014 I challenged a  bunch of women that I am close with to write down something that they are grateful for every single day, it doesn’t matter if it was big or small-  Just be thankful. That year (surprisingly I never missed a day) I wrote down every single thing I was thankful for…some days it was the breath in my lungs, other days it was my family, or that all the bills were paid or the face that I had some free time to sit outside in the sun and pray. As hard as it was to not miss a day & basically force myself to journal at least something small everyday…I know it changed my life.  Now, not a day goes by that I don’t journal what I am thankful for. My prayers with God usually consist of “Thank You God..” literally, for everything. I think the reason I am always so thankful to God, is I know my flesh. I know that if I personally don’t stay in the place of every single day reminding myself to stay thankful, I will so easily slip back into the place of “bratty child” I like to call it- where I am so blessed, yet act so ungrateful, where I have received so much yet still beg and whine for more. God has been so good to be, and if all I can do is beg Him for more “pointless things” then I’m pretty sure I’m no different than a spoiled child. Being thankful requires a heart change, a cleansing. I have to continuously pray for God to change my fleshly heart and soften me. I never really get into my testimony, but 4 years ago- my life was pretty awful. It was nothing that I would be proud of, or think God could ever use..but HE did & thats what is beautiful. The reason I am so thankful is because everyday I remember WHERE I WAS when HE saved me. How did a broken, drunk, messed up, lost, willllddd teen…get a second chance at life? A second chance to change it all, to be cleansed and washed whole, to be restored and purified, to be loved unconditionally, to be blessed in more ways than one…GOD is my only answer.  I feel like crying, when I just think back to who I was, and who I am today. Being thankful is more than just saying “thank you God for this food..” you actually have to mean it, with your heart. I know that not every has a testimony like me&  that some people are still stuck in “pity my life” stage where nothing is good, and nothing is positive. Which sadly, until they can pray and change their thinking, I personally believe that those people will stay in that place for a while, and not receive the fullness of God’s blessings.. {my opinion, not factual :)} I have learned before you can appreciate, you must be positive. Positive people don’t care that their life isn’t perfect, they don’t care that yes they might not have it “all” right now, there is still hope. Positive & thankful people know that they can speak life over any situation, and it doesn’t matter what the reality right now even looks like, because God can do miracles. People don’t appreciate the things that you don’t think are a gift. But when you pray and realize that life itself is a gift, your heart changes. I wake up knowing that being alive, is amazing..having a family, is so special..that being saved is MORE THAN ENOUGH...& honestly I think that is why God has blessed me. I pray that there is never a day that I don’t come before God and thank Him for his continued blessings. Because I have GOD (& all of Heaven on my side) I can be going through any trial in life, and still be thankful, still have HOPE for the future, and still know that HE is going to take care of me. I know I am blessed, since I found God…I have never been in lack, never been alone, never not had a bill payed, never been needy- and thats because HE BLESSES those who appreciate him, follow him, and truly serve Him/ give back to others. (I’ll talk more about that in my next blog post) Next time you want to whine & complain/be negative to God or others…try being thankful. Just try to actually say “thank you God for…” and WATCH how your perspective changes about the situations around you, and how “not so bad” your life really is.  🙂

nobody likes to give gift’s to a bratty child that never appreciates it, but you don’t mind giving to a child who constantly says “oh thank you thank you” RIGHT?