As we enter the Thanksgiving Season, I (Eddie) want to chat with you about something close to my heart that I call “ThanksLiving.” Now, you might be wondering, "What's that all about?" Well, it's simple but powerful. It's living moment-by-moment soaked in thankfulness. It’s a conscious decision to embrace a life of gratitude.
Let's start with the basics. Thanksgiving Day rolls around once a year, on the third Thursday in November. It’s a time for turkey, family, and maybe some football. But let's not pack up gratitude with the leftovers. ThanksLiving is about making that grateful spirit last all year long.
Like me, I’m sure you consider yourself a “Spirit-filled Christian.” But listen again to the command. Ephesians 5:18-20 tells us to "be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." And remember, we are told to enter His gates with thanksgiving in Psalm 100.
Imagine waking up each morning and saying, "Thank You, Lord, for this new day." It sets the tone, right? It's like picking up a pair of gratitude glasses and seeing the world in a whole new light. Suddenly, the little things sparkle. That morning cup of coffee? A gift. The smile from a neighbor? A treasure.
Now, I know life isn’t always a sunny day. We all face storms. But here's the kicker: gratitude isn't about ignoring the tough stuff; it's about finding a glimmer of good even on cloudy days. It's thanking God for being there, for giving us strength, and for the promise that He's working it all out for good. (Romans 8:28)
In the Bible, ThanksLiving is showcased through various acts of gratitude and praise to God in everyday life, and sometimes amid significant trials. Here are some examples that come to mind:
The Psalms of David: Many of the Psalms are brimming with thanksgiving, regardless of the circumstances. Psalm 23, for instance, shows trust and gratitude to God for guidance and provision.
Mary’s Song (The Magnificat): In Luke 1:46-55, Mary expresses profound gratitude to God for His favor and the honor of being chosen as the mother of the Messiah.
Jesus Giving Thanks: Jesus gave thanks to God before feeding the 5,000 (Matthew 14:19) and again at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:27), setting an example of thankfulness in both miracles and suffering.
The Ten Lepers: In Luke 17:11-19, ten lepers were healed by Jesus, but only one returned to give thanks. This story highlights the importance of gratitude.
And who can forget Paul and Silas in Acts 16:16-40, who after their horrific beating for casting out a demonic spirit from a slave girl and disrupting a city in Philippi, were chained and beaten in a jail cell, praying, singing hymns, and celebrating God. Their ThanksLiving led to a miraculous earthquake that opened the prison doors and unfastened the chains, which ultimately led to the conversion of the jailer and his household, and to a major revival!
These and other biblical figures demonstrate ThanksLiving by continually turning to God with grateful hearts, regardless of their circumstances, embodying a lifestyle of thanksgiving.
ThanksLiving is also about sharing joy. It's telling folks, "I appreciate you," and "I'm thankful for what you do." It's about passing on the blessings and watching them multiply. Believe me, gratitude is contagious! I am forever grateful for Alice and our children who intentionally exemplify ThanksLiving. It has certainly made my life easier.
This reminds me to tell you, dear reader, how grateful Alice and I are for you and your friendship. Whether you are a new friend or one who we’ve been blessed to know for many years; whether you faithfully partner with us and our ministries with your monthly support or are only able to love and pray for us.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU!
So, as we gather around our Thanksgiving tables this year, let's kick off a year of ThanksLiving. Let's live out our thanks every day, in every smile, every kind word, every moment we choose to see the good. That's living thankfully, and that's living right.
Keep shining bright, and let's spread some ThanksLiving!
Blessings,
Eddie & Alice
P.S. The wonderfully fruitful ministries your gifts help us support are in other nations and cultures around the world. Thank you for helping us to faithfully partner with them with your generous Thanksgiving donation.
With Thanksgiving upon us, our hearts turn toward thanks and praise for how God has blessed us.
Below we share a powerful prayer of thanksgiving and praise from Pray the Word. I encourage you to check it out.
Finally would you like to equip and encourage your church members to pray more? Then why not use Prayer Connect to disciple them. Check out the information below about how to share it will everyone in your congregation.
Blessings,
Jon
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise
O Lord, I praise You. From everlasting to everlasting, beginning to end, You alone are God! All greatness, power, glory, majesty, and splendor belong to You, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. All the kingdoms of the earth belong to You, and You are exalted as head over all. You are my God, and I will give You thanks and worship You only! You are God above all gods—Creator of the ends of the earth and sovereign over all! . . .
Love2Pray is a website designed to encourage and equip you in your personal prayer life. A membership can open the door to more meaningful and exciting prayer. Why not check it out!
This is American Thanksgiving week. Time for ten of my favorite Thanksgiving quotes.
“We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown.”
"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” Henry David Thoreau
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." William Arthur Ward
“Now thanks we all our God with heart and hands and voices, who wonderous things has done, in whom his world rejoices, who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.” Traditional Hymn
"“Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not a coincidence.” —Erma Bombeck
"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" –Erma Bombeck
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
Dr. Dan R. Crawford, Senior Professor, Chair of Prayer Emeritus; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Former Head of Task Force for the Teaching of Prayer in Theological Education for America’s National Prayer Committee. Administrative Consultant for the Valley Baptist Missions Education Center.
Comments
Hey there, friend!
As we enter the Thanksgiving Season, I (Eddie) want to chat with you about something close to my heart that I call “ThanksLiving.” Now, you might be wondering, "What's that all about?" Well, it's simple but powerful. It's living moment-by-moment soaked in thankfulness. It’s a conscious decision to embrace a life of gratitude.
Let's start with the basics. Thanksgiving Day rolls around once a year, on the third Thursday in November. It’s a time for turkey, family, and maybe some football. But let's not pack up gratitude with the leftovers. ThanksLiving is about making that grateful spirit last all year long.
Like me, I’m sure you consider yourself a “Spirit-filled Christian.” But listen again to the command. Ephesians 5:18-20 tells us to "be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." And remember, we are told to enter His gates with thanksgiving in Psalm 100.
Imagine waking up each morning and saying, "Thank You, Lord, for this new day." It sets the tone, right? It's like picking up a pair of gratitude glasses and seeing the world in a whole new light. Suddenly, the little things sparkle. That morning cup of coffee? A gift. The smile from a neighbor? A treasure.
Now, I know life isn’t always a sunny day. We all face storms. But here's the kicker: gratitude isn't about ignoring the tough stuff; it's about finding a glimmer of good even on cloudy days. It's thanking God for being there, for giving us strength, and for the promise that He's working it all out for good. (Romans 8:28)
In the Bible, ThanksLiving is showcased through various acts of gratitude and praise to God in everyday life, and sometimes amid significant trials. Here are some examples that come to mind:
These and other biblical figures demonstrate ThanksLiving by continually turning to God with grateful hearts, regardless of their circumstances, embodying a lifestyle of thanksgiving.
ThanksLiving is also about sharing joy. It's telling folks, "I appreciate you," and "I'm thankful for what you do." It's about passing on the blessings and watching them multiply. Believe me, gratitude is contagious! I am forever grateful for Alice and our children who intentionally exemplify ThanksLiving. It has certainly made my life easier.
This reminds me to tell you, dear reader, how grateful Alice and I are for you and your friendship. Whether you are a new friend or one who we’ve been blessed to know for many years; whether you faithfully partner with us and our ministries with your monthly support or are only able to love and pray for us.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU!
So, as we gather around our Thanksgiving tables this year, let's kick off a year of ThanksLiving. Let's live out our thanks every day, in every smile, every kind word, every moment we choose to see the good. That's living thankfully, and that's living right.
Keep shining bright, and let's spread some ThanksLiving!
Blessings,
Eddie & Alice
P.S. The wonderfully fruitful ministries your gifts help us support are in other nations and cultures around the world. Thank you for helping us to faithfully partner with them with your generous Thanksgiving donation.
You can give online at:
https://eddieandalice.com/donate/ Your gift is income-tax deductible.
Contact us to schedule your next church event today!
Greetings,
With Thanksgiving upon us, our hearts turn toward thanks and praise for how God has blessed us.
Below we share a powerful prayer of thanksgiving and praise from Pray the Word. I encourage you to check it out.
Finally would you like to equip and encourage your church members to pray more? Then why not use Prayer Connect to disciple them. Check out the information below about how to share it will everyone in your congregation.
Blessings,
Jon
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise
O Lord, I praise You. From everlasting to everlasting, beginning to end, You alone are God! All greatness, power, glory, majesty, and splendor belong to You, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. All the kingdoms of the earth belong to You, and You are exalted as head over all. You are my God, and I will give You thanks and worship You only! You are God above all gods—Creator of the ends of the earth and sovereign over all! . . .
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Dr. Dan's Monday Morning Manna:
Monday Morning Manna:Thanksgiving Quotes
This is American Thanksgiving week. Time for ten of my favorite Thanksgiving quotes.
- “We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown.”
- "Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens
- “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” Henry David Thoreau
- "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." William Arthur Ward
- “Now thanks we all our God with heart and hands and voices, who wonderous things has done, in whom his world rejoices, who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.” Traditional Hymn
- "“Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not a coincidence.” —Erma Bombeck
- "What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" –Erma Bombeck
- “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
- “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1
- “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15
Dr. Dan R. Crawford, Senior Professor, Chair of Prayer Emeritus; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Former Head of Task Force for the Teaching of Prayer in Theological Education for America’s National Prayer Committee. Administrative Consultant for the Valley Baptist Missions Education Center.