Give Thanks

The LORD has been teaching me a lot on this trip, and one main theme that keeps coming up is GIVING THANKS! This is a common phrase during Thanksgiving time, but it is definitely not limited to this season of the year. This attitude of gratefulness and trust should be a continual practice on our part, which brings me to share some verses and quotes from a book I am reading.

"Deep chara joy is found only at the table of the euCHARisteo- the table of thanksgiving... Is the height of my chara joy dependent on the depths of my eucharisteo thanks? As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Whenever, meaning- now; whenever, meaning- here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here!... The only place we need to see before we die is this place of seeing God, here and now." (One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp)

Then I was reading in Matthew 16:24-25 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." I was thinking how when I live for Christ and serve others as He taught us by His life, I find so much more joy and fulfillment in life instead of living selfishly for my self. This is one way I have experienced the joy of Christ.

Reading on in One Thousand Gifts:

"'The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live.. He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything'... The table with its emblems is the essence of what it means to live the Christ-life... whenever we eat. Like every day. Eucharisteo- whenever: now. Joy- wherever: here... Yet how does the framework of eucharisteo undergird a life? Penetrating the mystery is like discovering galaxies; there is always more."

Next, I read this verse: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night."

• Thanksgiving brings deep JOY that cannot be attained elsewhere! At the feet of Christ, trusting and giving thanks for His greater purposes, then can rest come upon those who search for the source of JOY: JEHOVAH!

• By giving thanks to Almighty God, we SHOW FORTH His praise. By trusting and resting in Christ, I SHOW FORTH His lovingkindess and His faithfulness.

I was thinking about these things on this trip, and often there are opportunities to see a situation though the eyes of ungratefulness and stress, focusing on difficult things that happen (like losing things we need for our programs - dresses, shirts, shoes, music, etc. - or not feeling very welcome in a certain venue we are playing at, or the sound system not working right, or someone coming down with a cold -all these things can stack up and cause one to worry and stress) but when I see these situations as opportunities to thank God for seeing the BIGGER picture and learning to "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) and it also thinking of the verse Greg shares during our programs, a very familiar passage: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) I can learn what it really means to give thanks in ALL THINGS! God has always showed Himself strong on our behalf, and during each of these difficult circumstances that come up almost every day, by prayer and trusting in Him, He DOES work all things out and my faith is strengthened.

Here are some recent pictures from our days in Arizona.

Hannah Elizabeth - before our program. Such a cheerful smile!
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
~Psalm 35:9

Dad works so hard to get the best sound out of our system! What an amazing guy!
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
~Proverbs 22:29

I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
~Psalm 7:17

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

~Psalm 104:33

Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
~Psalm 96:2

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
~Psalm 95:1


...for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
~Nehemiah 8:10b

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
~Proverbs 15:13

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
~Psalm 65:4

Emily was wrapping up the cords after our program, and paused to pose for a blog picture!
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
~Matthew 25:21

Last night, Rebekah was on stage during clean up, and as she was looking out at the people leaving, and she saw this one lady in the blue shirt and said, "THERE'S the lady I wanted to talk to!" and she raced down there to go talk to her about the kitties she is missing and 7 other "important" things she told me in the car last night! :) It was cute.
And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
~Isaiah 51:16
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
~Ephesians 4:3
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
~Psalm 133:1

May the LORD bless you all,
~Dani