If you are on Facebook, you might’ve noticed that each day in November people have been posting things they are thankful for, which has been really nice. I love it when people are thankful on purpose, don’t you?
I remember growing up in the Free Methodist Church and enjoying the testimony part of our Wednesday night services. Various people in the church would stand up and praise God for the many blessings in their lives. Some would share about how God had brought them through trials they never thought they’d survive. Others would praise God for transforming them into new creations. Still, others would share about God’s unconditional love.
I always left those services feeling better than when I’d come in—more aware of God’s goodness and more thankful for His intervention in my daily life.
As we close out this month of gratitude, I thought I would share the top 10 things I’m thankful for:
1) My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, for saving me and loving me unconditionally.
2) My wonderful husband, Jeffrey, who was my high school sweetheart and is still the love of my life and my very best friend.
3) My daughters, Abby and Allyson, who are beautiful inside and out, and the joys of my life.
4) My parents, the late Walter and Marion Medlock, who raised me in a Christian home and set an awesome example for me.
5) My siblings, Martie Medlock Spaulding and Rob Medlock, who make life so much more fun.
6) My extended family: nieces, nephews, cousins, my mother-in-law and late father-in-law, my late grandparents, uncles, aunts and more.
7) My amazing friends and colleagues.
8) My health and that I’ve been cancer-free since October 2006.
9) My call to write and speak, encouraging others in their walks of faith, because I can’t imagine doing anything else.
10) My freedom. I’m so thankful to live in a free country because so many brave men and women have given me that right.
You know, just because “the month of thankfulness” is officially over today, that doesn’t mean we can’t be thankful on purpose every single day of the year, so let’s keep it going!
I challenge you to keep a gratitude journal, recording at least one thing you are grateful for each day. Some days it might be harder than others, but as you practice being thankful on purpose, you’ll get better at it.
Also, try memorizing the following three “gratitude scriptures”:
1) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
2) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. (I Chronicles 16:34, NIV)
3) Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. I Chronicles 29:13, NIV)
So, c’mon; let’s live life with an attitude of gratitude. Let’s be thankful on purpose. And let’s start today.
