Tag Archives: gratitude

Using the ABCs to Combat Discouragement

Ready for Spring

I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for spring to actually arrive in PA. This is the time of year that I struggle with discouragement. The days aren’t quite warm yet, the sun doesn’t shine often, and spring seems just out of reach. On days that I feel discouraged, I need something to combat those feelings.

The best way to combat discouragement is to be thankful. Gratitude defeats discouragement every time. So if you’re feeling discouraged or just down today, I have something for you to try.

An Assignment for Today

Get out a sheet of paper and write the alphabet, one letter per line. Then spend a few minutes thinking of something you’re thankful for that starts with that letter. You can get creative; some of the letters are harder than others.

I did this assignment this morning, just to see if it works. I had fun doing it; it tapped into my creative side as well as my gratitude. The ones I couldn’t think of, Matt helped me finish off. Like I said, you have to get creative. We did (e)xperiences for x. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You’re just spending a few minutes remembering how good God has been. (Don’t mind my changing colors; my pens kept taking turns going out on me.)

God’s Command to Remember

God told his people over and over again to remember the things he had done for them. I read it again this morning in my morning time.

But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.
I Samuel 12:24 NLT

It is so easy to get discouraged and forget what God has done in the past, or what he’s done even today. Just today alone, he gave you another day, a sunrise, strength to get out of bed, a job, food on the table, family to enjoy life with, a warm bed to sleep in, a home to live in, a car to drive, friends to do life with, a church family…and on and on the list goes. Those may not all be true for you, but most of them probably are. We have so much to be thankful for.

Spending just a few minutes today and every day remembering to be thankful changes your thought process. It can turn discouragement into gratitude. Try it and see if it works!

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, How Nature Helps Me Combat Discouragement.

If you enjoyed today’s post and writing down what you’re thankful for, check out our Faithfully Stepping Journals. We provide a section to write down every day what you’re grateful for. I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to take the first few minutes of your day (every day) to write down what you’re thankful for.

Thanksgiving Prompts for Each Day Next Week

The Busyness of Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving next week, preparations are underway to prepare for this special holiday. There’s so much that goes into Thanksgiving, making it a special holiday for everybody to enjoy. You’ve got to buy the right size turkey and remember to thaw it on time, peel the potatoes for mashed potatoes, bake the pie, thaw the dinner rolls, cut up the bread for stuffing, set the table, and more. We prepare all week to make Thursday the perfect day.

In the midst of the craziness, we try to spend a few extra minutes being thankful. God has so richly blessed us in so many ways, and this is the perfect time to spend some extra time thanking him.

No Time to be Thankful

What usually happens though, is we simply run out of time. The week passes by in the blink of an eye. We miss our chance to spend some extra time in gratitude. We promise ourselves that next year it will be different.

This year, carve out a time each morning in your morning time routine to spend just a few extra minutes in gratitude to God. Use these prayer prompts and verses below to make it easy this next week!

Thanksgiving Meditations for each day next week

Just using these simple prompts each day can transform your week this next week into a true week of Thanksgiving.

For More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post Don’t Cancel Thanksgiving Just Yet. If you need help getting into the habit of writing down something you are thankful for each day, check out my Faithfully Stepping Journals. These journals have a section each day for gratitude.

Don’t Let this Thanksgiving Pass You By + Free Printables

The Busyness of the Holiday

Thanksgiving comes each year, and with it comes the crazy busyness of the holiday. The grocery shopping and last-minute runs to the store for all the things we forgot, the cooking and baking, the decorating, the entertaining, and all the special things that make Thanksgiving the holiday it is. We get so busy that often the day passes by without us ever getting a chance to thank the One who has made it all possible. It’s hard to take the time to make that happen.

Making the Time

I get it. I really do. I am hosting two separate Thanksgivings this year. One on Wednesday night and another one on Thanksgiving day, and we are heading to a third one on Thanksgiving night. It’s crazy! But somewhere in the midst of all that, I have to set aside time to thank God for my blessings. So Thursday morning, before the parade starts, before I start cooking for the day, before my kids get out of bed excited and energized for the day, I am going to make a cup of coffee, light a candle, and grab my Bible and journal and spend some quiet time thanking God for the incredible life He has given me.

I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:6

I was thinking this morning- what if this was my last Thanksgiving? How would I spend it? What would I change? I think I would take the time gather my littles close to me and hug and kiss them and tell them how much I love them and am grateful for them. I would take the time to let my husband know how very much he means to me. I would do more laughing and celebrating with friends and family and less complaining and getting frustrated. We are not guaranteed next year. Life is so short and unpredictable. We have to choose to make this Thanksgiving count.

Choose to Make the Time

Choose to take the time to thank God for His many blessings in your life. Be fully present this Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Don’t be so busy making Thanksgiving perfect that you forget what it is all about- spending time with those you love and thanking the One who gave you this beautiful life to live.

Free Thanksgiving Printables

Just for fun, I created the Thanksgiving printables below. The first two you can print off and put in frames for your Thanksgiving table. The third one I created is for writing down how God has blessed you. It would be a fun project for kids to work on too! I hope you enjoy them. Sign up at the bottom of the page to get the three free printables.

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!!

Free Thanksgiving Printable

Free Thanksgiving Printable

Free Gratitude Printable