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What is real thanksgiving?
I guess it’s simply giving gratitude for gifts given. The natural, spontaneous process after receiving a gift is to take the time to send a note, a call of thanks, express heartfelt appreciation. One thing for sure, I feel fiilled with it.
Whom do you thank for a gift? The store where it was purchased? The credit card company that processed the transaction? The person who delivered it? How silly. The purchaser, the giver who selected it and finally at its source, yes, of course – God.
God is ultimately the giver of every good thing. All giving starts with His love and kindness. This is the impetus behind all gift-giving and receiving. My giving back reflects His giving to me. My giving to others blesses me as I display His qualities of love and kindness. Thankfully in His image we have all been made.
These days of Black Friday bargains and Cyber Monday, it’s good to remember we’ve already been given the greatest bargain the world has ever known – personal acquisition of divine love at no cost to us whatever to enjoy and appreciate. Thank you Lord!
James 1:17 New International Version (NIV)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
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We're thankful for you, fellow earth-walkers enriching our lives by Your presence with us on the journey.
And we’re thankful for all the moments of life we’ve experienced and for our awareness that the best is always yet to come.
Prayer Poem: A Moment
Dear Lord,
Is anything more special than a moment? A dot of time filled with possibilities. Love to be spent, actions to be performed, skirmishes to be won and ideas to be explored.
Forever is but a collection of moments strung together as precious pearls. The essence of God’s Kingdom begins on the filament of now.
Lord, You make my life a marvelous mosaic of moments. I‘m grateful mosaics can also be made of broken pieces like shortcomings and grieving shaped into a new and vibrant whole. Your new creations become more vibrant and glow more richly than I could ever imagine. You’re the artist of my experiences.
Without you all the fragments would crumble. With You my broken pieces become a moment-by-moment work of God-art.
[A Moment is from 365 Love Notes To God, my daily devotional due to be released in spring.]
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Writing Update:
Never Tomorrow is in final editing stage. Received this feedback yesterday from a test reader: “I had a hard time putting it down.” This is what every writer longs to hear. I’d be grateful if you’d keep this Christian mystery novel about a serial killer in your prayers. (No, that’s not an oxymoron.)
On another front Bullet in the Night is currently being made into an audio book. I’ve just been sent the first chapters to review. I’ll let you know when it’s released.
Thanks again to those of you on my prayer team!
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Gratitude Lists:
Yesterday my husband Wayne started keeping a written list of God’s blessings throughout the day. Before noon he noted seventeen.
Last month 1760 ebooks of Directive 99 were ordered in two days during a special promotion. May every one of them bless readers. The heroine of this suspense novel learns how much she has to be thankful for when her world falls apart. Her husband is kidnapped and her career is in jeopardy.
SPEAKING EVENT:
"Gifts From the Heart to the Page"
I'm grateful to be the featured speaker at the Christian Women's Connection Brunch 9:30 a.m. WED. Dec. 9th at Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan. Call Terry for more info or to register: 262-325-9246
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