Tag: <span>thankful</span>

“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God” Psalm 50:23


I felt unappreciated, unloved, and unworthy to call myself a Christian.

Jesus exuded a joyful confidence no matter what happened in his life. He lived each day in joyful obedience to the Father. The kind of life, he promised to his followers:

I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness” (John 10:10).

But where was the joy in my life? Defeat and depression clung to me. It probably would never change. After all, I was by nature a melancholic. The experts said so.

One day as I was scrubbing the kitchen floor, oblivious to the small radio beaming its songs and messages, my tears mingled with the soapy water. I felt like such a failure. Suddenly a woman’s voice on the radio arrested me. “Are you living on Grumble Street?”she asked. “You’re complaining about all the things that are wrong in your life. Stop it. Move over to Praise Street and begin to thank God for all the things that are right in your life. Offer Him the sacrifice of praise.”

I sat up. If God had spoken my name out loud, it couldn’t have been more suited to my need. Then there is something I can do? I thought. I can choose thanksgiving even when I don’t feel like it. That’s why it’s called a sacrifice? I grabbed a pen and paper and began to write down some blessings:

Thank you, God, that I can scrub a kitchen floor: I have a home.
Thank you, God, for family; they’ll soon be home for supper.
Thank you, God, for the friendly neighbor who just waved at me.
Thank you, God, for how the wind plays in the branches of the tree.
Thank you, God, for how the afternoon sunshine lights up the bush

Saying “thank you, God” out loud, felt a bit strange at first, still it was the beginning of forming a new habit, the habit to focus on the blessing of the present moment.  For was each blessing not a tangible “I-love-you” message from God himself?

I discovered that emotions are followers. They follow our thinking. As I continued to focus on the blessing of the present moment, my emotions caught on to the new “me”. Not a grumbling me but a joyful me.

My children also began to notice. “Mom, you find pleasure in the weirdest things,” my daughter laughed, “like a spider web.” Yes, indeed! For when I sing his praises, God is very near.

Dear Father, I want to offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving every day and prepare the way for your blessing to flood my heart and soul and overflow into my family.

by Helen Lescheid
Used by permission

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Further Reading

•  When You Can’t Pray -Give Thanks

•  Give Thanks in All Circumstances? 

Giving God Thanks and Praise 


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thoughts by Helen Grace Lescheid Thoughts by Women


Recently, a family visited and thanked me for ministering to them in a difficult situation. I felt blessed because we live in a world where gratitude is often not expressed and help given is easily forgotten. Undercutting and backstabbing seem to be the order of the day! This article reflects on three areas in which we should always be thankful and show gratitude.

Thankful for God’s Goodness

It amazes me how easily people forget God’s blessings. I have prayed with people for suitable employment but once they get the blessing, their job, and not God, gets their time and commitment. I have prayed with others for healing but once their health is restored, they chase worldly pursuits with no time for God! Sad, but often true!

For many years God was Israel’s King and provided for the Nation. However, in 1 Samuel 8, Israel unashamedly asks for a human King of their own, to keep pace with the Nations around them. They were asking for trouble and boy, didn’t they get it! They forgot God’s goodness.

A Gospel song titled ‘Remind me O Lord’, has the following lyrics and should be our prayer. Remember I’m human and humans forget, So, remind me, remind me, O Lord.

Thankful for Others’ Goodness

A Pastor trains a new intern for many years, but when established, the intern starts his own ministry, taking part of the congregation with him. A young lady invites a friend going through trouble into their home for a season, to help her through her trauma. She begins an affair with the friend’s husband and the family is devastated.  How often we hear stories like this. It reminds us that we need to cultivate gratitude and not forget what others have done for us.

In 1 Samuel 23:1-12, David saved the people of Keilah from the horrors of being captured by the Philistines. In response, they were ready to hand him over to King Saul! Talk about gratitude!

As much as people may like to brag about it, nobody makes it on their own. Along the way, people have invested their time, wisdom, advice and skills in us and given us a helping hand, when we needed it badly. Well, this just might be a good time to think of them by giving a call or sending a special gift or a ‘thank you’ card.  For some, this may be a great season to honor our spiritual leaders.

Let’s honor people while they are still alive. It’s so much better than sending flowers to their funeral!

Thankful for our Family’s Goodness
How often we take our spouse, children, parents and other family members for granted. We forget the love, faithfulness and commitment shown to us. It is said that home is the place where we are loved the most but also get hurt the most! At trying times, by being thankful and appreciative, we can stifle Satan’s strategies to invade our homes.

Husbands – Remember the girl you met at the altar, the one who bore your child and has stood by your side faithfully. Why not express your gratitude in a new and romantic way? The Kenny Rogers song says, ‘Buy me a rose, call me from work, open a door for me, what would it hurt’.
Wives – Remember the man you fell in love with and swooned over. Be thankful for what he has been to you. A little gray hair or extra weight need not bring negativity to your feelings!
Children – Be thankful for the mother who bore you inside of her; the father who has sacrificed so much for you.
Parents – Be thankful for the children God has blessed you with. Remember the joy they brought you in the growing up years. Love and pray them through the challenging years.

Together, let’s build a culture that often expresses thanks and appreciation!

Prayer – Lord, give me a heart of thanksgiving daily.

By Palitha Jayasooriya
used by permission

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Further Reading

•  I am Thankful for…

•  Thanking Abundantly

•  Salvation Explained


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Thoughts by Men thoughts by Palitha Jayasooriya