I always seem to hear this phrase and hear people throw around the concept of thankfulness around Thanksgiving and I kind of roll my eyes a little bit.
I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for my clothes. I’m thankful for my grades. Blah blah.
I guess in my heart of hearts, I really don’t see God’s provision in the smallest things. After all, don’t I deserve at least some of the blessings I’ve been given?
Far too often in our individualized, capitalistic culture, we take for granted what God has provided and given us. We want to take the credit ourselves.
So, almost begrudgingly today (if I’m being honest), I want to challenge you girls to a thankfulness photo rally.
I’m sure you’ve seen a million things like this floating around social media – you weren’t born yesterday – but I’m hoping that maybe if I take a few minutes to actually thank Jesus for what he’s done each day, maybe, just maybe, a spirit of thankfulness will begin to grow within my heart.
And what is a more fun way to do that than to do that with girls in my community?
Next week – Monday, November 17th through Friday, November 21st, I challenge YOU – the girls of Tidewater-Richmond Cru (and everyone & anyone!) – to a thankfulness photo rally.
So, here’s how it’ll go down:
Every day next week (5 days in total), ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind something that you are thankful for. Hopefully this will be something that might even surprise you each day! I can list more than 5 things I’m thankful for now without even thinking, but I’m curious about what God might work in my heart when I pray and ask him to help me see things I can be thankful for. Maybe they’ll look different than what I’m thinking about right now…
Post a picture that represents the new thing you’re thankful for each day on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag: #thankfulawakeandfree
Share your link, if you’d like, on our Awake & Free facebook
page or in the comment section below to be sure we’ve seen it.
At the end of the week, a NAME will be drawn to receive a G I V E A W A Y – even if you only post one photo of something you’re thankful for next week, your name will go in the hat! Incentive? Yes. More details on that giveaway to come…
During the week of thanksgiving, we will gather up the photos and FEATURE some them on our blog with your description of what you’re thankful for! We’ll have a chance to praise God together for the things going on in each other’s life.
Remember: This is not just a free pass to brag. It’s not even a free pass to forgo time with Jesus because you’re being “thankful” on Instagram. It could be, however, a cool opportunity to bring God into a situation or a part of your life where others might get to hear about him from you for the first time… It could start conversations about Jesus in your friendships and relationships with family… It could be an opportunity for God to search your heart and reveal to you things about Him and His character and you and yours that could draw you closer to Him.
Let’s be a community that is real, that is transparent, that is awake & free… that is thankful.
I guess in my heart of hearts, I really don’t see God’s provision in the smallest things. After all, don’t I deserve at least some of the blessings I’ve been given?.jpg)