The devotional and scriptures for today are near and dear to my
heart. I had no idea until a few years ago about how much difference
gratitude/praise to our Lord can make in a person's life!
About
12 years ago, my daughter and a good friend gave me the same book for a
Christmas gift. It is called "Simple Abundance. I don't profess
that I have done a fraction of the things that are suggested in the
book. However, I decided that maybe God was nudging me to be more
disciplined about the first suggestion in the book: keeping a gratitude journal in which to write some of the day's blessings at the end of everyday. I have done this most nights since
that time and I truly believe it has made me a happier person and one
much more content with my life. By writing down some specific blessings
from that day, it has made me so much more aware of God's Presence and
guidance and Love.
In the last few years, I have spoken
to Sunday School and Bible study groups about gratitude and some of the
effects of faithfully keeping a gratitude journal. In doing so, I have
found unbelievable medical and psychological research on the positive
effects of this one simple act on our part. Some articles are written
from a Biblical standpoint and some from secular such as from the Mayo
Clinic. For me, it doesn't matter where they come from. What matters is
that the Bible gives us the command to praise God and our life can be
changed by doing so.
Today's scripture from I
Thessalonians 5:18 is one that has spoken to me repeatedly and serves as
a good reminder of the importance of giving thanks to our Lord in all
situations (which is sometimes very difficult!). Do you keep a
gratitude journal - or are you willing to try to do so? I and other
readers would be very interested in how it affects your life.
A few web sites related to effects of gratitude are:
http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/the-healing-power-gratitude
http://www.gratefulness.org/
http://women.webmd.com/features/gratitute-health-boost
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