Saturday, October 11, 2014

The Story of Blessings Counted Journaling

Written 2014-10-04 14:34:20, Saturday

So, what is the story of Blessings Counted Journaling? What brought it about?

I've seen and experienced a great deal in my forty years. I've learned even more, vicariously and personally, through most often the school of hard knocks. I've been blown here, there, and everywhere by the storms of life. I've had quite the journey up to this point, you might say.

Through it all, I remember something my dad taught me long ago: Happiness is a state of being. It's a choice. It doesn't matter what happens, who I have in my life or don't have, I always have the choice as to how I am going to handle any given situation. Am I going to focus on the mess of life or its beauty?

My Granny is the one who taught me about faith in Jesus Christ, how to be a prayer warrior, and the importance of reading the Word of God each and every day and reading it cover to cover each and every year.

Take what my dad taught me, and what Granny has taught me, and combine it.

Never mind how one of Dad's and my favorite Christmas movies is "WHITE CHRISTMAS" with Bing Crosby and our favorite song is "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep." (See this link for the lyrics: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Your_Blessings_(Instead_of_Sheep).)

Hence, the story of Blessings Counted Journaling begins here:

Dad + Granny + Bing Crosby, White Christmas, Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep.

This seems like a good way to live if you ask me. I want to count my blessings, and focus on them, not on the ugliness or storm. I want to learn from them and make them count. How do I make the times of ugliness, storm, beauty, good, indifferent, and all of them count? After all, every moment is one of numerous blessings. This is what I want to focus on and live.

Blessings.

Blessings can be found anywhere, any time, with anyone.

Then, take every blog post I've written until now, and add this one to it. This is why I do Blessings Counted Journaling. Another reason why I do it is because I'm also a journalkeeper--and have been for over three decades.

The best way to live the fullest life, the deepest life, the most joyful life possible is through Blessings Counted Journaling.

Friday, October 10, 2014

Prayer, Thanksgiving, and Colossians 4:2

It seems as though prayer and thanksgiving go hand-in-hand. Read Philippians 4:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 and this verse:

Colossians 4:2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

What do we learn about thanksgiving in this verse of Colossians 4:2?

Read this version as well and answer the same question:

Colossians 4:2 Expanded Bible (EXB)

2 ·Continue praying [Be devoted to prayer], keeping alert, and always thanking God.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

We are to continually pray and give thanks to God.

The formula is:

Prayer + thanksgiving = worshipping God

Prayer and thanksgiving shows our reverence to God. It's how we acknowledge Him as God and have a relationship with Him. In other words, when we thank God, we are praying.

Prayer journal your thoughts.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Thanksgiving Offering or Sacrifice

Written: 2014-10-04 13:25:00, Saturday

How important is thanksgiving?

How important is it to thank God, show Him our gratitude, and count our blessings?

Prayer journal your response to each question before you read ahead.

How important is it to count our blessings? See 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Philippians 4:6. (Go ahead. Look them up at this time if you cannot quote them off the top of your head.)

Read these verses to learn how much more important it is than you think:

Leviticus 7:11-13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

11 “Now this is the law of the fellowship sacrifice that someone may present to the Lord: 12 If he presents it for thanksgiving, in addition to the thanksgiving sacrifice, he is to present unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil. 13 He is to present as his offering cakes of leavened bread with his thanksgiving sacrifice of fellowship.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

A thanksgiving sacrifice...

Let that sink in for a moment. Prayer journal your thoughts.

What does this mean? (What do you think? Again. Prayer journal your thoughts.)

I know what a sacrifice is. It's what you have to give up in order to obey and worship God. It's a sacred act. It's an acknowledgement that He alone is God.

I know that Jesus is the final sacrificial lamb. He is the lamb who was slain so no other sacrifice is ever again needed. Blood sacrifice that is.

It's the blood sacrifice which forgives our sins and allows us to go to heaven and spend eternity with God.

However, there are other sacrifices.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Philippians 4:6 show the importance of always giving thanks. If we are to do it always, for God, isn't it a sacrifice? This is what the New testament says. Leviticus 7:11-13 talk about the sacrifice of thanksgiving as well.

A sacrifice for God--through thanking Him and counting our blessings.

A sacrifice is a sacred rite or practice.

It's going to the Holy of Hollies.

We are to offer thanks so much to God, for so many things, that we do it day and night--as a sacrifice--where we do it rather than something else. A sacrifice. We give something up so we can offer God thanksgiving instead.

And, offering God continual thanksgiving is also like never ceasing prayer and always meditating on the Word. It's something we can do as we do other things--and is what we should do at all times.

Should be and could be are nice, but what does this look like in practice and in application?

And, how can we turn counting our blessings into something sacred?

HOW?

How do we do this? How do we count our blessings at all times? How do we offer thanksgiving as a sacrifice to God? How do we make thanksgiving a sacred act?

It is God who makes something holy and sacred. Not us.

However, our part in the process is being intentional, and purposeful, about searching for all of the blessings in each moment, past, present, and future. We are to search for the blessings and count them. We are to remember what God has done, is doing, and will do. We are to do this at all times. This makes our counting of blessings a sacrifice. We acknowledge the Holy. We look for and recognize God and His work.

Lord, teach each of us to offer thanksgiving as an offering to You. Help us to find it this important.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC and Norfolk Botanic Garden 2014.)

Another new blog

I've been in the process of trying to figure out what I want to write. I think I've finally come up with the answer and this (please Lord) is the final blog, and only blog, I will have and keep.

It is the theme of An Always Faith. Always pray. Always give thanks. Always meditate on the Word.

It will be a daily devotional, Bible study, and a prayer starter.

I will also combine all of my other blogs on http://RYPStories.blogspot.com for all of my past blog posts.

See you at An Always Faith. The link is below:

--Stacy Duplease
http://AnAlwaysFaith.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Searching for Blessing

2014-10-04 12:53:45, Saturday

God is God. He is infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present. He is perfect and sinless. He is beyond time, for He created time. He is Creator. He is the Lord of Lords, god of gods, King of Kings. He is Almighty.

He is also good.

Since God is all of these things, He is glorious. Whenever we see His work, we see His glory. Whenever we see His work, what He has done, we see Him.

God is limitless. He is infinite. Therefore, so are His works.

He does not do one thing at a time. He is the epitome of multitaskers, for He is infinite and all-powerful.

Given all of this, God shows Himself every moment of every day to everyone. We just have the choice on whether we will search for Him and recognize Him or deny Him and ignore Him.

If God shows Himself every moment, and He does, and He is limitless, then He shows His infinite, limitless self every moment. He cannot stop being God. He is always Himself. So, every moment, we, if we look for Him and ask Him to train our eyes, minds, and hearts, then we will see Him and recognize Him and His works, which are limitless in every moment.

Therefore, we receive numerous blessings every moment. We see God. The limitless, infinite One.

Every moment has limitless blessings, then.

A blessing is God giving us favor. A favor we do not deserve.

Isn't the opportunity to be able to look around each moment, and see God, a blessing? And, if we see God, it is His limitless, infinite self. Hence, we receive numerous blessings each and every moment just in seeing Him.

We see God every sunrise and sunset. Every time we see something or someone of His creation. We see God in His animals. We see God in answered prayer. We see God in the rain. We see God in the fog. We see God all around. He is always present.

Is God a flower? No. But, a flower is His creation. His creation shows us Him.

Look at a child and You see God's creation.

Look at the changing colors of the leaves and You see God.

Every prayer answered, you see God.

All of these things, all of these people and critters, are God's creation and are part of Him and reflect Him.

Search for every way God is present at every moment and you find His blessings. Count them. Acknowledge them. If you search for God in every moment, then You will find immeasurable blessings.

Have you ever thought of this or in this way? (I sure hadn't until I wrote this.)

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2009-2014.)

Blessings, Gratitude, and Thanksgiving Bible Verses: List #1

Colossians 4:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 New Century Version (NCV)

17 Pray continually, 18 and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.

New Century Version (NCV)

Give thanks--even when I have a troubled heart.

And, here is a verse I need to focus on most when my heart is troubled--and applying it and live it out:

Philippians 4:6 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

6 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Psalm 107:21-22 Expanded Bible (EXB)

21 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 31].
22 Let them offer ·sacrifices to thank him [thanksgiving offerings].
With joy they should ·tell [recount] what he has done.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

Psalm 105:1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

1 Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name;
proclaim His deeds among the peoples.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

My Blessings Counted Journaling: Starvation

2014-10-04 11:41:40, Saturday

Oh, how I long for time with God, prayer, His Word, prayer journaling and Blessings Counted Journaling. I am desperate for it. Totally desperate. And everything and everyone is getting in the way. The everyone part is so worth it. But, I NEED some time with my Daddy, Lord, Savior, Friend, Way, Light, Rock, Sustainer, the Great I AM, Abba, Shepherd, Author and Finisher of My Faith, Love, Holy One.

I long for Him, and His Word, as the deer...

Psalm 42:1-2 Expanded Bible (EXB)

42 As a deer ·thirsts [longs; T pants] for streams of water,
so ·I [T my soul] ·thirst [L longs] for you, God.
2 ·I [T My soul] thirst for the living God.
When can I go to ·meet with [L see] ·him [L the face of God]?

Expanded Bible (EXB)

Oh, how I thirst! I am parched.

The moment I write that, I realize how little I really do know what that means. I've never been without food or water, thank God. (Oh, how I tend to take this for granted.)

My thoughts travel to Lady Kara, as we call her. Her name is simply, Kara, but she has a million nicknames. Girlie. Missie. Little one. Sweet one. Miss thing. Miss Piggy. Lady. Miss Kara.

She's the cat who adopted my husband (whom I will call B) and I on Sunday, September 21, 2014... On our thirteen year anniversary.

She's a feral cat. The most lovable thing you've ever met. Tiny thing. Deaf. Declawed. Malnourished. Homeless. Stray. Dumped. Thrown out.

Translation: Starving. Famished. Parched.

Translation: Would not survive in the wild, on her own, much longer.

She knows what it means to truly be parched and starving.

I get choked up as I write this.

We thought she was a kitten. So small. So thin. We knew she was malnourished. But, we had no idea it was far worse than we imagined. We wondered her story. We knew it was grizzly and was what nightmares were made of, but we had no idea.

We've had her in our garage since Thursday, September 25, 2014. It's a massive two-car garage with extra space to the sides and front. And, it has an upstairs. We took our cars out of the garage--and she has the run of the joint. We call it her pad.

At any rate, we wanted to get her used to us a little before we took her to the vet. And, get her fed and get some water in her.

So, we scheduled the vet appointment for yesterday, Friday, October 03, 2014. We found out she is ten years old or so. she is not a kitten.

Ten years old.

And, starving. Parched.

She was defenseless. Deaf. Clawless. Weak. And was on her own, in the wild. It was God alone who took care of the little one.

Then, He put her in our path.

None of us have been the same since.

She knows starvation and being parched.

And, she knows what it means now to have all the water and food she ever wanted. She has had a full belly--and will keep one, provided she eats and drinks. (And, if she doesn't, she'll be taken to the vet and checked.)

Kara knows the stuff nightmares are made of. Now, she knows love, security/safety, food, and water. She also can and will get limitless love.

And, Lady Kara gives endless love as well. It goes both ways with her.

Kara has taught me what God offers me--and what He thinks of my response. She is like me and I am like what God does--in our relationship with one another. How loving and loyal she is, how much she depends on me and B, this is how I'm supposed to be with God.

I spent the last thirteen days watching out for her every two hours or so during the day. Carefully. Vigilant. So, I haven't had as much time for God, B, or alone, as I would prefer. I feel it. I am parched for this time.

I just realized how every moment I am with her, it is a very sacred moment. It's a moment she has never had. Ten years old--and has never known this... How sad and terrible. How heart wrenching.

I've had the sweetest time I've ever had with God--being with her. I've realized it a little, sure, but not like I just have. We are being Jesus in the skin to her. We are acting as His representatives in her life--and she is doing the same with and for us. A little 5.1 pound cat, with the heart which weighs a trillion pounds.

I was starving for, and thirsty, for time with God when I sat down to count my blessings and do some Blessings Counted Journaling.

Or, so I thought.

I've never known starvation.

And, the time with God I have so thoroughly craved, I've had. The time has probably been the deepest, most sacred time I've ever had in my life.

I have a sense now of what Jesus offered others when He was on earth. What He offered, love and health and healing, I am offering Kara girl. We are, B and me.

Does life ever get more sacred than this?

I most likely will never know personally starvation. I pray I never take this for granted again. I've seen firsthand what it does. I know what it's like to pet a cat and be able to count every vertebrae in her spine and tail. I know what it's like to pick her up and hurt her, without even realizing it, because she is so weak, frail, malnourished it hurts for me to pick her off the ground. (When I realized what happened, I was horrified.)

I've seen starvation--with my own eyes.

And, I've been able to slowly bring relief to the starving.

This is what God offers me.

I only thought I was starving for Him and His Word, when I've been having the most sacred time of my life without even realizing it.

Wow. Wonder of wonders.

Thank You, Lord. To You alone be the glory.

What a new and changed perspective, which I never would have had if I hadn't taken the time to sit down to count my blessings and prayer journal.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

(Images credits: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC September and October 2014.)

Kara

Her favorite hang-out in garage.

~ Stacy Duplease
LG Cell.
http://RYPStories.blogspot.com

A New Blessings Journaling Blog

Check out this new blog:

--Stacy Duplease
http://blessingsjournaling.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

2014 A Year of Blessings Counted, Gratitude, and Thanksgiving: Preparation for Thanksgiving and End of Year

(Blessings Counted Journaling)

October 07, 2014, Tuesday, 1258 p.m.

October the First marked the beginning of the last quarter of this year. Needless to say, we are three-quarters of the way through our year.

Three months left is all we have to turn this year into what we had hoped. Three months is what we have left to look back at the last year and count all of our blessings from this year.

Thanksgiving, however, is in 51 days.

What if we spent the next 51 days counting as many blessings as we can? And do so each and every day between now and then?

What if we turned 2014, right now, into a year of blessings counted, gratitude, and thanksgiving? For, there's time. We can do so if we so choose.

Think about it:

2014, the Year of Blessings Counted, Gratitude, and Thanksgiving

What a wonderful epitaph that would be.

What a remarkable goal.

Can you think of anything more rewarding?

After all, a blessing is God showing us undeserved favor and is showing us Himself.

What about turning 2014, no matter what it's been up to this point, into a year of blessing? What about turning it into a year of blessing in spite of what has, or hasn't, happened?

Can you think of anything more rewarding?

Counting our blessings is the result of looking for God and his work in our lives, past, present, and future.

"2014 was a Year of Supreme Blessing."

We've got time to make this our final sentence in our prayer journals and in our Blessings Counted Journaling. How does this sound? Care to join me?

Counting My Blessings with a Troubled Heart--How?

Counting My Blessings with a Troubled Heart--How?
(Blessings Counted Journaling)

October 07, 2014, Tuesday, 1001 a.m. in Garage at My House in Hampton Roads or Newport News, Virginia

A NOTE OF DATE, PLACE, AND TIME
As I do any type of journaling, I try to always jot down the date, day, and time at a minimal. I usually journal at home, in my living/family room and study. Therefore, if I don't take note of the place, that's why. I jot down the place if it's something out of the ordinary, like right now.
I'm in my garage, hanging out with our black, cinnamon, and white colored feral or stray cat, Kara. I'm sitting on one of the most comfortable chairs ever, the patio chair, and have my tablet in hand, along with some coffee with cream and caramel and pumpkin spice syrup.
I want Little Bit, Lady Kara, to know someone is here and she is not alone. She's on her wood pile, hanging out and sleeping. It's a pile of a four by four, with three two by fours on top and is her favorite hang out and place to sleep. Not sure why. I hear a mocking bird, crickets and some type of machine. Are they trimming trees along the front of our house, where there are electrical wires? Hmm. Will look later.
Oh. And as I enjoy the delightful comfort of this chair, I have a designer throw pillow on my lap, acting as a tablet holder so I can journal. I have a jacket on and zipped. It's not cold, but is a little chilly.
Now, if only Kara would eat some more...
And, on to my devotional thoughts.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS, PRAYER JOURNALING, AND BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING
The Bible says how we are to give thanks at all times and for all things. How are we supposed to do this exactly? What does this even look like? Moreover, is it even achievable?
These questions swirl around in my mind, along with all of the unknowns and concerns. How do I give thanks when my heart is troubled? How do I focus my thoughts on giving thanks rather than on what is troubling me?
I just looked over at Kara and thought how amazing it is in the last twelve days how much Kara has become social. She's also getting used to carrying her and letting her all over her body. She no longer hisses as she feels confused about things. She never hissed out of anger, but out of confusion. She hasn't hissed since Friday when she was poked and prodded by the vet. Thank God she's getting more familiar with us.
See. That's what I'm talking about. How do I focus my thoughts to counting my blessings?
Wait. Isn't that what I just did? (Huh.)
Through my troubled heart, I found something to be grateful about and thank God for. How can I do more of this? I pause, think, and pray for the answer. As I do, I cannot help but wonder if it's as simple as that. Is it? Is it just a matter of doing it?
Yeah. I really do think it's that simple. I just need to count my blessings. That's it.

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS
I am thankful, God, for...
A new day. A blank slate. An opportunity to thank You always and throughout my day.
Yay!!! Kara just started eating. I praise You, Lord!
For Kara.
Zack.
Sinan.
Shelley.
Harry.
For B, my husband--and not in this order.
My faith.
Salvation.
Eternity. Heaven.

1032 a.m. Going to go back inside and to study to hang with those critters.

1041 a.m. in study

I am thankful, Lord for...

The sound of the filter of the turtle tank. It sounds like a water feature and is quite relaxing.

For the sounds Kara, Zack, and Sinan make. each individualistic and grip the heart in a good way. Precious.

Zack and Shelly hanging out with me in the study.

I have a pretty table cloth, folded in thirds, and is sitting on my desk. It's a harvest one. It's from WalMart and is orange mainly in color with white, red, and brown, and is of owls. It adds color to my study and is friendly and inspiring.

I also got a tablecloth for the floor when Kara comes inside of autumn leaves and pine cones. It will be what I put on the floor where her box will be, along with her food and water. It will protect the carpet and add more color in here.

I love this time of year. Fall is my favorite season.

I'm grateful for my husband. He is the greatest. He has a huge heart and is a wonderful man, husband, and friend.

My Amazon Kindle Fire HDX tablet.

The online journal, Penzu.

My ability to type. (Thanks Mom for getting me in typing glasses one summer when I was about ten years old. They've paid off for me ever since.)

A good book to read.

Answers, Lord, of how I'm supposed to focus first and foremost on counting my blessings.

How do I give thanks--even when I have a troubled heart? And, how am I to always give thanks? These questions swirl some more in my mind.

How? Through living this verse, along with Philippians 4:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18.

Psalm 105:1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

1 Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name;
proclaim His deeds among the peoples.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

I am to give thanks to the Lord.

I am to call on His name, in which He has many names and characteristics. I can give thanks for each.

I am to call on His name and pray. As I do that, I am to offer Him thanksgiving.

I am to remember what He has done in my life, in the lives all around me, and in history--and share all of this with others. This is another facet of giving thanks always.

Then, there's this verse:

Colossians 4:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

New Living Translation (NLT)

I am to be devoted to prayer and thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 New Century Version (NCV)

17 Pray continually, 18 and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.

New Century Version (NCV)

Give thanks--even when I have a troubled heart.

And, here is a verse I need to focus on most when my heart is troubled--and applying it and live it out:

Philippians 4:6 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

6 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Bible and Prayer Journaling October 07, 2014 809 a.m.

Our beagle, Zack, at age 14.75 years has dementia (canine cognitive disorder) and some days and nights are rough. Last night was one of those. It means not getting much sleep as we try to calm him and just be there for our faithful and loyal companion who has done nothing to deserve this. It also means a late night of prayer and suffering from a broken heart as we feel helpless and wish he didn't have to experience it.

As my Granny says, that's something about old age. Your mind goes and you have good health physically otherwise, or your health goes and your mind is sharp.

Zack is in pretty good physical health for his age.

Needless to say, as tears kept streaming down my face, I read the Book of Job and 17.5 Psalms. I am a day ahead of schedule in my Read the Bible in 90 days now.

As I read the Bible and prayed, I kept asking myself what I really want to focus on in my writing. What blog post series do I want to write and books do I want to write?

I need to add another reason why my heart is troubled and why I got less sleep last night. I'm also worried about Kara. We are waiting the results from the vet from.her blood work to see if we can bring her inside. (And, I keep praying she would eat a great deal more than she does.)

So, what do I want to write?

Blog posts and books about counting our blessings through it all, and growing our faith in the process, as we deal with the storms and sunshine of this thing called life.

And, I think reading the Bible all the way through, cover to cover, Five fines in fifteen months would be revolutionary and transforming.

This, consequently, is my plan.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2009-2014.)

Monday, October 6, 2014

Always Give Thanks

Always Give Thanks
Written 2014-10-03 15:55:23, Friday

When are we to give thanks? (Prayer journal your answer before you read ahead.)

We are to always give thanks. We are to give thanks in everything and for all situations continually and without stopping. This is what the Bible commands, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:18. And, in case we missed it, look at the end of the verse of 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Expanded Bible (EXB)

17 Pray ·continually [without ceasing], 18 and give thanks ·whatever happens [in all circumstances; in everything]. That is ·what God wants [God’s will] for you in Christ Jesus.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

Prayer journal your thoughts to those verses. What did you learn? What do these verses mean to your life?

Give thanks no matter what.

How seriously do we take these verses?

Do we believe they are commands from God?

Do our lives reflect the importance of these verses? Are we living these verses?

THE TEST

Let's do a little test. List at least twenty blessings from two days ago, thirty blessings from yesterday, and forty from today.

Those numbers may seem extreme, but seriously. If you are truly living 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 like the verses were commands given by God, then listing all of the blessings I just mentioned should be easy.

DO WE WANT TO?

Do we want to live these verses?

Do we really want to or are just giving lip service to the idea?

Do we want to apply these verses to our lives? (Or do we want to ignore them?)

The Bible commands we give thanks in and for all and at all times.

How can we do so? What is our plan to live out these verses?

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Prayer Journal your thoughts.