Blessing #143 - 30 Days of Thanks

It's November, and I think I need a t-shirt that says, "I Survived 31 Days."  Surprisingly, I actually loved blogging 31 Days to Love your Home.   The whole experience was a big refresher for me and a good shot in the arm.  Thank you for reading and all your kind comments. They meant so much to me.

Now it's November and I am on to my next challenge, 30 Days of Thanks.  Have you ever done 30 Days of Thanks? 30 DOT is where you find something to be thankful for every day in the month of November.


Four years ago, I started participating in 30 Days of Thanks. At the time, I had a list of prayer requests that God wasn't answering. In my heart, I was focused on those few unanswered prayers, and God seemed silent and unloving.

One day in November, I saw my sister-by-choice doing 30 Days of Thanks in her facebook statuses.  Unable to resist a good challenge, I had to join too.  Everyday, I would take a few minutes to reflect, write down something that I was grateful for, and thank God for it.

Such a small task, but it changed my entire outlook, and inspired me to start this blog.  Before, I thought God was silent and unloving, but through giving thanks, I realized He was there all along with daily handfuls just for me.

Four years later, those prayer requests are still unanswered, but I am changed.  I know God is with me and loves me.  I see the evidence not in whether or not these prayers get answered, but in the blessings he has all around me.

Last year, my dad encouraged his entire church to do 30 Days of Thanks last year.  I was so encouraged reading all of every one's gratefulness on facebook.

The great thing about 30 Days of Thanks is that you can really make it fit you right where you are. This year, my dad decided to do something big before he turns 60 in April.  He is writing a thank you letter to a different person every day in the month of November.  He's let me read a few of the letters so far, and they are absolutely beautiful.  After reading the first few, I asked him to make me copies because I really want to keep them for the boys and I.

For me, I decided to change it up a bit too.  Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned the (in) Perfect Balance (in)courage group? If not you can read about it here.  This 30 Days of Thanks, I am participating in The Grateful Wife Challenge at (in) Perfect Balance.  Basically, we will be finding something we are thankful for our husbands for everyday in the month of November, and check in with each other every Thursday.

After 30 Days of Thanks changed my entire outlook, I am really excited to see what is going to happen during The Grateful Wife Challenge.  

Colossians 2:6-7 says,

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." 

That verse didn't say, "with a little thanksgiving at the start of every prayer and before your meals." NO! It says, ABOUNDING with thanksgiving.

God has given me life but not just a little life.  He has given me life more abundantly.  I want my life to reflect His love back and be abounding with thanksgiving.

If you've never tried 30 Days of Thanks, please think about it. Gratitude does not come naturally. I think that's why there are so many verses that tell us to give thanks. Gratitude is something you have to practice, and once you make it a part of your life, great things can happen.