Category Archives: 30 Days Of Gratitude

This is a devotional series to help individuals consider the power of gratitude to change their lives and the lives of people they encounter every day. If you have a dim view of the world, we encourage you to read through this series. It just may give you the spark you need to make a change, or help you see the world a little differently.

GOD IS GOOD AND HE IS GOOD TO ME, AND YOU

Every good thing given ad every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadows.

– James 1:17 (NASB)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

– Psalms 136:1 (NASB)

I cannot think of a better way to end our thoughts on gratitude, than to talk about the goodness of God.  The notion that God is good, and that He is good to us, His creation, is a common thread in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Continue reading →

BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD

I was around ten years old when I first heard the phrase “but for the grace of God, go I.” At the time, I couldn’t comprehend what it meant. I didn’t know if it was some movie quote, an Appalachian colloquialism, or a spiritual statement.

Now I am fully aware of the deep meaning of this statement. Allegedly it comes from a mid-sixteenth-century statement by John Bradford, in reference to a group of prisoners being led to execution. It is a statement of somber humility, it acknowledges that if it was not for the grace of God in our lives, we could end up just like prisoners on death row. Bradford was said to be paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 15:8-10, which states, “Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am…”. Continue reading →

I LOVE MY UTILITY BILLS

I have to admit it, I am spoiled.  Spoiled to all of the modern amenities that I enjoy every day.  I also must admit, that I take many of those things for granted.  Well, that is not completely right, it is more accurate to say that I speak with contempt about those things that I should be more thankful for.

Maybe you are the same way.  How many times have you rejoiced when the electric bill or the water bill comes due each month?  If you are like me, there have been many times that you have fussed about the high cost of utilities or the rising cost of utilities.  Now, I am not saying that there shouldn’t be any concern for these things.  The people that run these utility companies should not be able to abuse our dependence on these services.  Continue reading →

HERE TO STAY

I used to have severe panic attacks, those attacks impacted my education, my career, and my relationships. I became a ninja when it came to avoiding situations where I thought a panic attack could occur. I feared the fear itself. That led to depression and many other detrimental side-effects. For much of my life I was a prisoner of sorts to fear.

I’ve learned a lot about fear since then. One thing I know for sure, fear is fleeting.

Fear got in the way of many things in my life, but it was no match for faith. It was a long battle and I had help along the way, but faith always wins. Continue reading →

I LOVE MY JOB

I want to go on record and say, there is no such thing as a perfect job.  There will always be things about every job that you do not like, even if you love what you do.

I have read the following statistics several times over the last five years or so.  These numbers vary slightly from one reporting organization to another but only slightly.

  • More than 660 million people live on less than $2.00 a day.
  • More than 385 million people live on less than $1.00 a day.

Continue reading →