A Shift In Focus / Give Thanks

The holiday season is upon us! You know what that means... long lines, grumpy faces, smiling children and a mix of family, friends and lots of parties and festivities. Bring on the happy. I love this time of year! However, this time of year also brings sadness for many. It can be a reminder of loved ones lost, loneliness and heartache. For this reason I have decided to shift my focus from normal routines to finding new ways to show gratitude to people I have not seen or spoken to in a long time before the Thanksgiving holiday arrives.

Over the next few weeks I will be sending thank yous and shout outs on Facebook and in the mail to as many people as I can while I am on the road. Taking the time to think of others will provide me with the opportunity to be a blessing to others and to focus on doing the will of the Father.

We must endeavor to honor God and giving thanks in the midst of all situations and circumstances in life.

How many of us have heard what is commonly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer? This is a prayer taken out of the book of Matthew when Jesus was distressed about his circumstance and what will be required of him in offering up his life as a sacrifice for us. He stops all other interactions and prays to his father in heaven. We can see here that he has shifted his focus from his difficult circumstances to focus on the will of God.

Matthew 6:9-13King James Version (KJV)

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Even though the holidays can be a tough time to get through, you can shift your focus onto the Father in heaven. Focusing on seeing God's will be done in your life and those around you will help you to approach your days with purpose and thanksgiving while you wait to see the will of God revealed.

We are instructed in to

1 Thessalonians 5:18King James Version (KJV)

18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

But what does it mean to give thanks "...in all things..."? It means to stay focused on God and what He has done and continues to do for us daily and seeking to fulfill the plan he has for our lives while we are going through every stage of life. Even when terrible things happen we can press through by thanking God for the smallest thing in our lives to the largest that are right. Don't get stuck on what is wrong. Look for and seek out what is right around you. Giving thanks will take you from a place of being defeated by life to a place of peace that only God can give. This happens when we follow his most basic of instructions.

I will begin my journey into the holiday season with joy and thanksgiving not because of the time of year. I will enter into this time of Thanksgiving seeking to share more gratitude and extending grace to others.

But first...

Lord, I am here at the table of your mercy hoping with all that I have that you hear my heart’s cry. I only want more of you, to do your will and for your to guide me. Don’t let me be distracted by my circumstance. Don’t let me be discouraged by the way things seem to be. I trust and believe my beginning is not my end. Lord make a way for me to stay faithful I pray. The desire of my heart is to see your glory manifested in my family, friends and all the earth. Thank you for being the God who first loved us in the midst of our sin and saw something worth saving. Thank you for sending us your holy word so that we may grow closer to you and learn how to be a blessing to others.

Layer Up… It’s Cold Out There by Kisha Marie

It’s that time of year again. Fall is here, a time of harvest. The leaves are beginning to change. The air is swift and crisp. The food we eat begins to take on new life introducing seasonal spices, fruit and vegetables that were not a part of the menu before. The menu becomes more hearty, filling our bellies with heavy food with robust flavors. For those of us who live in the cooler climates, we are starting to add layers to our clothing, seeking warmth as we progress through the day. But if you are like me, before you leave the house you stop and ask yourself this question… “Am I forgetting anything?”

It never fails, when I finally get ready to go I end up running back into the house 2 to 3 times to grab something I left on the way out. Just this morning I was reading an article on adult ADHD recognizing many things about myself and loved ones that gave me pause. Maybe this was the reason why I can never get out of the house when I intend or and often doing many things at once. It was until several hours later that I realized that I forgot to press send and share the article with my family. Go figure. SMH

Did you know that the word remember appears more than 200 times in the bible? This was news to me. God’s word often refers to memories as promises issued and kept by God. There are also promises written that we are waiting to see fulfilled.

Genesis 30:22  NKJV
Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

Exodus 13:3  NKJV
[ The Feast of Unleavened Bread ] And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

Hebrews 13:3  NKJV
3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

Hebrews 10:16-18  NKJV
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”[a] 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”[b] 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

God has been laying it upon our hearts as believers to grow in faith, read our bibles and share with one another about the amazing things He is doing in our lives and the lives of those we know and love. Take a look at what it says in Ephesians 6:10-18 about putting on the whole armor of God. He is giving us the tools we need to be reminded of his love for us. He is giving us warnings about the dangers that may lie ahead in our path. He has even given us the tools to stand in the face of disappointment, frustration, and danger.

Now more than ever, Christians are coming under attack. It is once again becoming dangerous for those who believe Jesus and his death and resurrection being a pardon for our sins to proclaim this truth. We must remember, however, that we are not to shrink into the darkness and deny what we believe. We as believers are called to share the good news with others in a loving manner so that they may come to know God’s love for them. In John 9:5 and Philippians 2:15 we learn that if we follow the example of Jesus we walk in his light and become a light to others.

As we usher in the fall season and put on our layers of clothes for the season, let us remember to put on the whole armor of God. This is a great time to love and serve one another without grumbling or complaining as we do it. Give food and shelter to those among us who are in need. Doing so with a glad heart in serving to the glory of God. (1 Peter 4:8-10). Remember to prepare our hearts and minds to enter the world each day and not just our bodies. The bible reminds us in Matthew 4:4 that we cannot survive on bread alone. Matthew 4:4 NKJV But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” We must nourish our spiritual being with the word of God so that we may truly live. Remember to “...stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18). Be a beacon of love, light and truth to those in darkness. Before you run out of the house, stop and ask yourself, “Am I forgetting anything?” Remember God. Put on your armor. Layer up. It’s cold out there.


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You can find more instances of remembrance in the bible by going to www.biblegateway.com and typing in a search for the word “remember”. It is a great resource for anyone who wants to see what the bible says about many different topics.