Keeping God in Thanksgiving

Is keeping God in Thanksgiving possible?

And what if thanksgiving is a vital part of the Christian life all year long?

The holiday stirs up thoughts of pilgrims, turkey, and pumpkin pie.

Look at this fourth grader’s report on the first Thanksgiving when the classroom teacher requested students make no reference to God.

The pilgrims came here seeking freedom of you know what. When they landed, they gave thanks to you know who. Because of them, we can worship each Sunday you know where. (Source unknown.)

How about us? Do we make reference to God in Thanksgiving and our thankfulness? And no matter how we have to say it, like in the fourth grader’s report, we do say it, and we carry thankfulness in our heart.

Often, a sigh of relief is spoken with “Thank God!” Maybe we received good news from a medical report or found out our loved one wasn’t hurt in an accident. Wonderful things to be thankful for.

It’s not just a relief that something turned out good in the end. But thanking God, that in the end, we understand all good things come from Him.

Real Thanksgiving

Yet, thanksgiving—real thanksgiving in our heart—overflows in gratitude more than one day a year. Instead, continual thankfulness defines our lives and our character.

So we remind ourselves to give thanks for and to our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many blessings and gifts.

God Almighty is reason enough to give thanks and live thankful.

But what does living thankful look like? How do we go about it? 

Perhaps in part like this acrostic.

Keeping God in T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G: 

God’s Still in Control: 22 Undeniable Truths

No matter what goes on around us, God is still in control and on His throne. Because the chaos surrounding the world or our world often stems from the absence of truth. God is Truth and His Word is Truth. Undeniable truths about our God define our Christian journey.

When it comes to what the world says versus God’s Word, I’m going with God every time.

Why? Because truth is not up for debate. God’s holy Word wins hands down.

Embracing what we know is true about God strengthens our heart, gives understanding and peace to our minds, and keeps us focused on spiritual things. 

So let’s look 22 of these truths.

God’s Still in Control: Undeniable Truths

(1.) The One true God. Oh, there are other gods. But there’s no other god like our God. “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.” (Isaiah 46:9b)

(2.) Living. Jeremiah compares man-made idols to the living God. “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God.” (Jeremiah 10:10) How sad and foolish when we bow to idols without breath. Or, believe in gods who are dead.

(3.) Creator. Genesis 1:1 tells us in the beginning God created…. God existed first. Then He created everything else, all of creation, and humans in His image. 

(4.) Holy. The Blue Letter Bible shares, “God is holy means there is no trace of evil in his character. Only God is holy.” Further, “There is no one holy like the LORD.” (1 Samuel 2:2a)

(5.) Sovereign. God rules as the supreme authority, doing what pleases Him (Psalm 115:3), His kingdom rules over all (Psalm 103:19). 

(6.) In control. “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27)

(7.) Majestic. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9)

(8.) Almighty. “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:8)

God’s a Good Father Who Works for Our Good

We believe God’s a good Father who works all things for our good, until we don’t.

Because those “until we don’t” reasons include things like tragedy, sickness, loss, unimaginable grief, fizzled dreams, and so on. 

And let’s get really honest here. Life happens and life is full of ups and downs. 

So it’s easy to listen to the enemy’s lies during the down-times. Satan’s lies claim God doesn’t have our good in mind. Or else He would not have let this thing happen to us.

But even when I’m at the end of my rope, I know God is good, does good, and works behind the scenes for my good. I may not understand the whys or what He is doing, but it doesn’t change who God is or His good nature. 

Our circumstances never change God’s goodness. 

So let’s remind our hearts of the Bible verse containing this promise.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) 

Notice the promise is not that all things are good, but all the things work toward our good.

God’s a Good Father

God has promised good to us. 

The Lord has plans for our good, now and in our future. 

Have You Found a Friend in Jesus?

Besties. BFF’s. Life-long friends. 

Friend is such a wonderful and endearing term. And we all long for friends because they make our lives richer. 

I still keep in touch with friends from high school and college. Also, over the years, the Lord blessed me with new friends. 

You see, we moved a lot when my husband and I were in church ministry. So I prayed for at least one friend in every new town. 

Early in our marriage, we moved to a small farm town in a new state. Our daughter was only eighteen months old at the time. Gracious ladies from the church brought us dinner for a few nights and I unpacked boxes while our daughter napped during the day.

Still, I’ll never forget the Sunday when a young woman approached me after a church service. “Do you need anything?” Her sentiments seemed honest and heartfelt. I politely thanked her and continued with: No, we are fine.

But as I started to walk away, I felt the Lord nudging me to turn back around and tell her I needed a friend. With the Lord helping me to be brave, I walked toward her: I thought of something I need, I really need a friend.

You know what? We formed a wonderful friendship and kept in touch when my family moved again. It was a God-thing.

Friendship with Christ

The good Lord created us as relational beings, first with Him, then with others. For that reason, it makes sense to not only understand the importance of friends in our lives, but to also celebrate a friendship with Jesus Himself.

But in order to find a friend in Jesus, we must find Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

I made the decision at sixteen to give my heart and life to Christ. And I found a wonderful friend in Jesus. 

Scripture has much to say about friendship with the Lord.

5 Things Only a Loving Creator Would Do

The age-old question still exists. How can a loving Creator allow evil and suffering? 

In other words, if God is real and if He is good and loving, how and why do bad things happen in the world and to me? 

Perhaps before we knew the Lord, we also thought or wondered about these same sentiments. 

But God is a loving Creator. And He never intended for the fall of man. Because the fall brought sin, evil, pain, and suffering into the world (Genesis 3).

Yet, He still designed a plan to not only lead His people, but to also bring people into fellowship with Him. 

Yes, the age-old question will continue to be asked in a world that denies God’s existence and deity. And a culture that refuses to bow to His majesty, glory, righteousness, and justice. 

So let’s look at 5 things only a loving Creator would do.

(1.) Only a loving Creator would create me in His image.

Out of great love, God created humans in His own image. 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 (ESV)

“For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)

God didn’t have to create me or you, but He chose to. He wanted to. And He took great pleasure in forming us into His image to reflect His glory.

Claim These 21 Promises as God’s Child

Sometimes we struggle with who we are and where we belong in this life. And we separate who we are with whose we are.

But the two were always meant to be one and the same.

The Bible promises wonderful truths to claim when we belong to the Heavenly Father as His child.

I hope these 21 Promises encourage you as a child of God.

Let’s claim each as our own.

Promises: God Knows My Name

(1.) My heavenly Father never goes missing from my life. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b (ESV)

(2.) God knows my name. (Isaiah 43:1)

(3.) My heavenly Father is intimately acquainted with everything about me. “You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:3 (ESV)

(4.) God, the Father, adopted me into His family. No longer a spiritual orphan, I now belong. (Galatians 4:5-7)

(5.) The Lord loves and cares for me. (Ephesians 3:18-19, Psalm 23)

The Lord Fights For Me

(6.) My heavenly Father calls me beloved, child, saint, blessed, and His. (Romans 1:7, John 1:12)

(7.) God, the Father, delights in me. “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19 (ESV)

(8.) The Lord fights for me. (Exodus 14:14)

(9.) My heavenly Father watches over me. (Psalm 121:5-8)

(10.) God has desires and plans for me. (Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 3:5-6)

5 Beneficial Areas to Grow in Christ

How do we grow in Christ?

Did you experience growing pains during childhood?

Most of us probably remember how growing up had hard, celebratory, and memorable moments. Now, we sometimes even grow weary of adulting.

Likewise, the Bible describes ways we grow in Christ as believers.

So here are five of those beneficial areas.

(1.) Mindset: Grow in Christ by seeking the mind of Christ

This is of utmost importance and a good place to start. Why?

Because our mindset is connected to everything about us. And it influences our outlook in life and plays a role in our choices and actions.

But how do we go about seeking the mind of Christ? The Bible tells us: set our minds on things above(Colossians 3:2); do not transform to the world, but transform by the renewing of our mind(Romans 12:2); and to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

More biblical wisdom gives us further insight:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

What we think about, set our minds on, affects every aspect of our life. Do we desire to have the mind of Christ?

These scriptures give us intentional steps to a beneficial mindset.

“‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 (ESV)

(2.) Heart Focus

How God’s Power is Perfect in Our Weakness

Culture teaches us to stay strong and overcome weakness because it just isn’t pretty. Yet, in our heavenly Father’s Kingdom weakness takes on a whole new meaning. Because God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.

“How strong are you?” I used to ask my children this when they were young. Both my son and daughter answered by striking a pose to show their biceps.

But on my own journey from child to adult, I learned culture’s definition of what makes a person strong. 

And I learned how weakness comes in many shapes and sizes. 

Like how weight lifting proves my arms lack physical strength. Or, how low self-esteem, anxiety, or discouragement labels me a weak soul. 

Also, how failure to excel in a class, understand a concept at work, or carry strong opinions defines me as weak-minded.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10b)

Paul’s visions and thorn in the flesh described in this chapter kept him from boasting in himself. He had endured many hardships and persecutions. Still, he discovered strength was found in his weakness.

While people often look down on weakness, God’s children look up to Him to make us strong.

What Culture Says…What God Says

Culture tells us to strive for independence. God says, Depend on Me.

Culture calls people weak who struggle to juggle all the things in life. God says, You don’t have to struggle to juggle anything. In fact, if you are doing the juggling act, you aren’t resting in Me. 

Culture calls us weak unless we compete in the workplace and go for the jugular. God says, Find your identity in Me. Seek community, not competition.

Culture says we are weak if we need help and we can’t pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. God says, Look to the hills, where does your help come from? From Me the God of heaven and earth. (see Psalm 121:1)

So God’s calling all perfectionists, all type-A personalities, all pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps people and every get-it-done man, woman, boy, and girl. 

And He’s calling all children of God who keep trying and striving to obtain the things of God on our own or living the Christian life in our own strength.

3 Reasons God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.

Jesus is Enough and That’s Enough for Me

Have you ever felt like you’re not enough? My hand’s raised. 

Maybe the less-than feeling stems from a relationship, job, competition, role, life dream, comparison, our own inner critic, perfectionism, or other.

And the enemy of our soul is often behind our negative self-talk and the world’s expectations that lead to I’m-not-enough thoughts. 

But—and this “but” may surprise you—the phrase You are enough circulating on social media and in articles and podcasts and so on, gives us the idea that we are enough in and of ourselves. 

While I really do understand the sentiments behind the popular statement; friends, it’s simply not true. I am not enough in myself. Jesus is enough. 

Because Jesus is enough, it gives us a complete identity in Him. We no longer need to concern ourselves with what the world or people say is enough. 

Also, we quit comparing ourselves to anyone else. It’s so freeing to know who I am in Christ and letting go of comparison. I’m thankful God doesn’t create cookie-cutter people.

So let’s look at how Jesus is E.N.O.U.G.H. and how it helps us see ourselves in the correct light.

Jesus Is Enough

E – Endured the Cross. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Jesus endured the cross so we didn’t have to.

Knowing Jesus and Making Him Known

During my early years of being a Christ-follower, I missed an important aspect of the Christian life. Christ not only desired that I know Him as Savior and Lord, but also that I continued to grow in knowing Jesus more intimately on a daily basis. 

Because this is the only way to let Christ live in and through my life, and for others to see Jesus in me.

Eventually, this became my mission statement for my speaking, writing, and blogging ministry: 

Know Jesus more and make Him known.

To really know someone, we spend time with that person. And we grow to know them more through two-way communication and interaction.

Knowing Jesus

These same simple principles hold true to K.N.O.W. Jesus.

K – Keep our relationship alive and well. Cultivate our love relationship with Jesus as if our life depends on it. Because most of the time, dear friend, we will find this to be the case. A growing and vibrant friendship with Jesus makes a world of difference in the ups and downs of life.

N – Never stop investing time. My adult son recently moved halfway across the country. It drove home the point to continue to connect with him. We frequently text, call and FaceTime. We also started a family group on Marco Polo so all of us can send and receive videos.

Make it a habit to spend time with Christ. Connect with who Jesus is by reading the Bible and getting to know the words Christ spoke, the way He prayed, and the words spoken about Him. Never move away from Jesus emotionally or spiritually.