Give thanks

We always begin our introductions in Celebrate Recovery , with 'Hi my name is ________ and I'm a grateful believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with _(insert addiction or hang-up)_____'.   This is important because we first place our identity in Jesus Christ, who we are, as His children rather than  our addiction, hang up or sin.  We are His beloved children first and this gives Jesus all the power over our struggle.  Yet notice the word, grateful.  So I'm thinking, to be grateful or gratefulness  must be an important part of healing if we are to begin our introduction with that as well.
David illustrates this so well in Psalm 6:2, 'Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony”.  We can boldly pray to God for healing because our creator is the Great physician and can bring wholeness and healing to anybody.  But whether He heals in this life or life to come, we must first give him thanks before we can be totally healed. 
Gratefulness has powerful  medicinal properties to all of our spiritual ailments.  Gratefulness is also a weapon against the enemies attacks. This month I've been reminded to be a little more grateful. There's nothing like this season to remind us, but also but because of what's been going on in my life, and this world.

As for my life, we have to move out of our place by the end of the year, but I'm so grateful to be able to have the means to be able to find another home and options as well.  Now if only we can decide on a place!  To be continued..

When things don't exactly go our way, practicing an attitude of gratitude can  prevent us from reacting.  These reactions can hurt ourselves and others and are contrary to what God wants for us. Turning to drugs or alcohol was one way how I reacted to my problems in the past. 
  Micah, my youngest has been learning this tough lesson of reacting.  My husband and I were recently made aware of tantrums and outbursts he's been having at school.   This came to our surprise as he's usually been well behaved in past and would never get away with this at home.  The bad reports or 'yellow cards' (their disciplining system) kept coming.   I was frustrated and disheartened.  This is not the way we brought him up to be.  So I prayed, then I suggested to Micah that he find something to be grateful for everyday.  We started getting into the practice of doing this every night before bed.  My husband also practiced with him taking some deep breaths and counting to 5 whenever he reaches that boiling point.  Something I could probably also use when I come close to my own boiling points.   Well it seems to be working  because so far, we've had more well behaved report days with Micah. 

At my work this past month, we created a 'grateful jar'.   This jar was in the break room with stationary placed to the side.  Each of us were invited to write a thank you note for anything or anyone to be put in the jar. At the end of the month, we pulled some out to be read aloud to everyone in during our meetings. I found something interesting happen.  The often crazed, hectic environment of the medical clinic turned into a more positive, encouraging place that overflowed to everyone and the patients.  It not just got us through our day but enabled us to enjoy it a little bit more.  And this is the way it should be.   I encourage you to do the same in your own work or possibly just write someone a thank you note.  Or simply say 'thank you' to someone in your day. 

 Some of my patients are the ones that amaze me the most.   Especially the ones that are going through so much, but no matter what their ailment is, still manage to keep a smile on their face or find some silver lining in their situation.  They teach me so much. 

So how can we get into this habit of gratefulness? especially with everything going on around us, this scary world or even the unpredictability of our own lives?  How can we maintain this attitude of gratitude?   One way is to start journaling the good things the Lord has done for you each day.  Much like I've done with my little Micah before he goes to bed.   Another is to keep praising him all the day long.  Like the child hood bible school song, Praise him, praise him , Praise him in morning, praise him in the noon time, praise him when the sun goes down.  Thank Jesus in morning, at lunch, or work, at the store doing errands and before you go to bed.  Praising him in the joyful times or even the mundane times can help us praise him those times its really hard to give thanks.  This reminds me of another bible verse: 
Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18). 

I will leave you with this quote from my wisdom Hunter's devotional that was just too good not to share,  'A grateful life is like a sea of thanksgiving that buoys all boats with hope.'

-Hopeful AND grateful believer in Jesus Christ, sober for 2 years and 4 months.