Grateful: Day 4

What food are you most grateful for?

   Gluten-free waffles and brown rice & quinoa pasta. Since I cut gluten out of my diet to help with my migraines over a year ago, I have been able to find yummy substitutes, like the waffles and pasta.

   Thinking about it though, I'm thankful for any food. It is so easy for us to stop being thankful for the little things, like food, but so many in this world do not have steady meals so I am especially thankful for that today.

   What food are you grateful for?

Blessings,
~Abby

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

- Matthew 6:9-13

Grateful: Day 3

Good afternoon readers! Here is today's gratefulness challenge...

What color are you grateful for?

   I have only one answer for this because today I am thankful for yellow. I am thankful for yellow sunshine, yellow flowers, yellow birds and butterflies, even yellow foods. Whether it is bright like a canary, or subtle like a goldenrod, the color yellow has a way of cheering up your soul. Waking up to a bright blue sky with the yellow sunshine surrounding you reminds us of God's overwhelming love.

So what color are you grateful for today?

Blessings!
~Abby

Grateful: Day 2

What technology are you grateful for?

This one is hard for me because I have a love-hate relationship with technology... But... 

I am thankful for my cell phone because it keeps me connected with my family and friends, including those who are far away.

I love that my computer allows me to do my school from home and I can use it to update my blog :) 

I am thankful for the connection with other Christians over the internet. There are dozens of people who I can contact with prayer requests and I know they are praying. 

What technology are you grateful for today?

Blessings!

~Abby

Grateful: Day 1

Apologies for being absent for over a month! My crazy schedule has been getting the best of me. So it's November which means dozens of thankfulness challenges are everywhere! Here's day one...

"What smell are you grateful for today?"

There's so many but I thought I would pick just a few simple ones...

Warm days full of fresh cut grass & flowers...

A quiet, misty morning at camp...

Fall candles like apple cider or pumpkin pie...

Thanksgiving morning when my parents are making turkey & rice dressing...

Grandma's kitchen after she's been cooking all day...

Evergreen trees covered in snow...

Cup of coffee or tea or hot cocoa...

That enough for now... What are you thankful for?

Blessings!

~Abby

God's plan is worth it.

Hello readers!

   I know I promised updates before school began but it didn't happen and I apologize. But here is something that I have been praying about the last few weeks since my last post. Is the struggle worth it?  When God gives shows you His plan, it requires effort and sacrifice on our part to follow it through. But here’s what God has shown me: all the effort is worth it.

Every minute of lost sleep is worth it.

Every ounce of energy is worth it.

The time you sacrifice with friends and family is worth it.

The hours of prayer over that thing is worth it.

Every minute you have to force yourself to spend working on that God-given purpose is worth it.

Drinking so much coffee that you don’t ever think you’ll sleep again is worth it.

Giving up your time is worth it.

   How many characters in the Bible had to press forward to follow God's purpose? They had to persevere, keep going, making sacrifices, live through the ridicule, etc. But, they knew that following God was the plan. Jesus told us "Do not be afraid; only believe." (Mark 5:36b, NKJV)

   When God shows you “the thing” that He has for you, do not let fear hold you back because you find that there is a deep set drive and passion within you that you cannot ignore. It’s the thing that forces you to stay up late. It’s the thing that your mind constantly returns to in the middle of the day. It’s the thing that you cry out to God about. It’s the thing that takes precedent over yourself. 

And it is worth it.

~Abby