Verna Bowman

Encouraging Women One Story at a Time

Psalm 27:13
  • Home
  • Welcome
  • About
  • Endorsements
  • Speaking Themes
  • My Books
  • Contact
  • Media
  • I Believe

In All Things

November 4, 2022 By Verna Bowman 3 Comments

My mom used to say there is always something you can be thankful for – she was right.  My list is endless.  But so are the things that get in the way. There are a million reasons not to be grateful and a million more to be speechless with gratitude – so we need to decide which lens to choose to view life. Our chronic ungratefulness mostly has to do with our focus more than our circumstances.

I know, we’re supposed to be in thankful-mode – it’s November, after all.  And so we must consider all the ways we’ve been blessed in our families, our health, and our freedoms (not just because the Phillies are doing well).  It’s important to value the goodness of God in our lives, but giving thanks can be hard when families are broken or when our health and freedoms fade.

As I rewind life, I think of how our family has faced some of the greatest challenges strangely enough just around this time of year.  It was right in the middle of the “thankful season” when my husband and three sons were fighting to live for different reasons.  And it didn’t make sense . . .

When things don’t make sense God tells me in His word over 58 times to give thanks and a few times it even says in all things so it must be possible.  And thanks always precedes the miracle.

I can think of the mega-several times when my only prayer was simply “help me trust you Lord, just for the next hour” and it brought me through the next twenty-four. When we can’t necessarily give thanks, we can offer the sacrifice of trust.  And He always earns our trust . . .

Rejoice always ~ Pray without ceasing ~ Give thanks in all circumstances.  For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you . . . First Thessalonians five-eighteen.

So I’m like you, I find it a struggle in ALL things — but then I look deeper to find how possible it is IN all things.  That’s where Jesus is – in the middle, bringing gold and good out of the thick of it. When unwelcome and traumatic places try to rob you of the precious gift of thankfulness and joy, trick your soul that “it is well” and own it.  Own the wellness. The enemy hates it.

An offering of trust perseveres through the pain and sees the will of God in the middle.

Notice on purpose today and in the coming days leading up to the “day of” thanks to appreciate the ways we see a merciful God who is IN the ALL.  The spilling God who pours out abundance in the not enough.

I understand that we all need a little expectation – so, if you’re struggling too, may we together expect abundance to gather the gratitude and spill it on the table for our loved ones to have the same hope.

Because Mom was right – there is “always” something to be thankful for.

 

I love the Lord because he heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.  Because He inclined His ear to me therefore, I will call on Him as long as I live.  Psalm 116

Be blessed,
Verna

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Tagged With: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, in all things, Psalm 116, Thanksgiving

Comments

  1. Linda Sirianni says

    November 4, 2022 at 9:20 am

    Love it! Thank you, Verna. ❤️

    Reply
  2. Marlene Bagnull says

    November 6, 2022 at 5:14 pm

    Amen!

    Reply
  3. Glenda Mills says

    November 9, 2022 at 3:51 pm

    I wholeheartedly agree, and I love it that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. He deserves our worship and praise and His comforting presence of Peace is way beyond our understanding. Love you dear friend!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

His Word – My Hope

He will turn again to faith

~Luke twenty-two

About Verna

Verna Bowman
Crumbs Along the Broken Path
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Christian Communicators
Now Availablegathering-cover

Recent Post

Lost and Found Hope

January 7, 2023

How Will It Be?

December 9, 2022

In All Things

November 4, 2022

In the Still of a Cornfield

October 4, 2022

A Thousand Prayers

September 1, 2022

Wrung Out

August 2, 2022

Smells Like Freedom

July 2, 2022

What Then

May 31, 2022

Reap and Glean

May 5, 2022

Remain

April 8, 2022

More Posts

Mission statement: To encourage women to seek God and find wholeness through His healing Word.

Copyright © 2023 Verna Bowman!