Gratitude: Your Greatest Weapon

"So we'll give thanks to You, with Gratitude, For lessons learned in how to trust in You, And we are blessed beyond what we could ever need, in abundance or in need."

~ Gratitude, Nichole Nordeman 

As Christians, I believe gratitude is one of our greatest weapons. It encourages us in our daily lives to look to God with a thankful heart. It also is a powerful weapon that helps fight unbelief, despair, fear, worry, and stress. Gratitude has the power to take us out of a self - pitying mindset or attitude and cause us to remember all of the times that God has been faithful - both in our lives and through His word. Taking time to write down what God has done in your life is a great way to tuck away little tidbits of encouragement for the days when you feel defeated.

I was reminded of the power of gratitude recently, as I have been going back and reading through my extensive journals from 2 years ago. I love to write out my prayer requests to God, and this time period of my life was one of intense seeking and relying on His strength. This season was definitely reflected in those prayers. It amazes me how so many times my prayers would start out sounding defeated, but  by the end they would be filled with thanksgiving and awe of God's faithfulness. My Father would speak to me during these precious times and then it would completely change my perspective regarding the situation, and I would come away changed.

I think that is one of the most powerful things about spending quality time with God is that it transforms our mindset from that of the world to a heavenly mindset. When we spend time with God, it causes us to set aside our worries and cares, give them to Jesus, and realize that we are safe in the arms of Christ. Our determination to try and change a situation through mentally figuring it or worrying about it is failing to trust in our Father. He is so good!

Would you lay aside your cares today? Try this: sit down with a pen and paper, and prayerfully start to write down what has been weighing you down or causing you to worry. Ask God to show you what He says about the situation, and give those cares to Him. As you give the burdens to God, your perspective will shift and you will see the situation with new eyes. Write down what God shows you and thank Him for fresh vision and His presence in your life.

More great reasons to journal: 8 Benefits of Writing in a Diary or Journal

Anticipation

As 2011 has come to a close, and 2012 has begun, I have a great feeling of anticipation welling up within me. I only have 3 more semesters until I finish my undergraduate degree. This means I am getting very close to graduating! I am really looking forward to my classes this semester too - I am taking an intro to theatre course, which should be a blast! 

Another great thing is that I have met a lot of amazing, encouraging people this past semester and God has really started building a community for me here in this new place. It's so funny - when I first moved here, I was feeling kind of down because I didn't know many people yet. Now the hard part is keeping up with everyone and all of the different events/movie nights/get togethers. What a difference solid relationships make in the quality of life! And it is just one more confirmation that I am exactly where I am meant to be. It is so encouraging to know that you are right in the center of God's will. 

As far as work, there have been a few changes recently. . So last week I found out that I am moving to bakery! This is pretty exciting for me - and hopefully I'll learn some cake decorating techniques along the way.

I am excited to start a new semester tomorrow - it will be good getting back into a regular routine, even though the break has been nice. I can't wait to see my Dance Company girls - I've missed them over break, and it's always a blast being with them :) 

Adieu,

Lysandra