As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus on this beautiful Thanksgiving day, it is all about GRATITUDE.

In the last few days, I shared about making a list of things you’re grateful for. I shared about action for thanks always leads to giving (THANKSGIVING), and today it’s adding it all up. No matter how difficult the years may be, God has been FAITHFUL, and blessed us. There is nowhere in the Bible that it says that life will be easy!

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

So, during this season, bring your fears, pains, sorrows, trials, and tribulations, and lift them up to the cross and PRAISE God. Focus on the light of Christ, not on the darkness, and you will find that you have a lot to be GRATEFUL for. This, too, SHALL pass, and we will experience, as a world and a nation, and in our personal lives, Emmanuel –GOD IS WITH US! No matter how we celebrate Thanksgiving, what is most important is that we give THANKS. Feel free to have a piece of pie before your meal in memory of my mother…it’s a great family tradition.

And thank you for being a friend and journeying with me in a complete surrender to our Lord! Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I continue reflecting about Thanksgiving.

Yesterday, I encouraged you to make a list of things that you’re GRATEFUL for. Today, I want to look at the word THANKSGIVING. The words join together for thanks and giving.

Gratitude and action go together. When we are truly grateful, we can’t help but give of OURSELVES. That is what Jesus did and that is what HE calls us to do. Each day, we need to look at our lives and give thanks, and not just one day a year.

Along with giving thanks, we need to move into ACTION and that is the GIVING part, giving of our time, talents, and treasures, each giving according to our gratitude. Everything we have and are comes from the FATHER and we are held accountable.

So, today, make a list of the GIVING, the TIME, TALENT and TREASURE that you are going to SHARE with our world, a world that is in desperate need. Can you imagine what kind of world we would live in if we all gave thanks and shared our gifts?

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about Thanksgiving. This year, I want to prepare for it differently.

There are a lot of things that we can complain about every year, but during this time of Thanksgiving, it is truly a time to search out GRATITUDE.

Today, I am starting a LIST of all the things, people, and situations that I am GRATEFUL for. I’m going to do, showing God that I have a thankful heart even during chaos, sadness, and loss. Gratitude can certainly change our attitude. What are you grateful for?

Write it down, place it in your heart, and prepare for a day of THANKSGIVING to God. No matter what has happened in our lives, as Christians, we are called to find the light in the darkness. So, start a list today; keep it with you and keep writing. It is said that the unthankful heart discovers no mercies. We need mercy! So, let’s begin the VIGIL of gratitude.

I’m grateful that many of you connect with me each morning with my cup of coffee with Jesus, AND SO IS HE!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about the word ANXIETY.

I’ve had so many calls and emails from people telling me that they are full of anxiety. The Bible says DO NOT be anxious about anything; Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING make your request known to God!”

This is perfect advice for tumultuous times. Take time through your day to stop and take a deep breath, and know that everything is in GOD’s hands. Tell God what you’re worried about, name it out loud, and then, with Thanksgiving, hand it over to HIM, trusting that HE hears your prayers, and HE will give you everything you need!

I’m not sure why we always make it so hard. Jesus makes it very easy. We were not made to live in anxiety, we were made to live in trust in JESUS!

Have a wonderful day, let go of worry, and embrace the Lord’s calming SPIRIT! He has not let you down yet!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about farmers and how much trust they have to place in God.

Many parts of our world, including our valley, have had to deal with many droughts, and yet when the rain comes, it is a wonderful time to show gratitude for God. It cleans the air, it replenishes the earth, and should remind us to thanks God for the food we eat and the laborers who work the land. Give PRAISE to God for the rain.

Sometimes it is the simple things that we need to give THANKS and PRAISE to God for. It says an Acts 14:7, “He Has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons”. HE provides you with plenty of food and fills your heart with JOY!

Today, I thank you, Lord, for always fulfilling your promises, and reminding us that the greatest gift of praise is THANK YOU!

May this day be a time of renewal and THANKSGIVING for the simple things! Let the rain flow!

Have a BLESSED day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I decided to call today a day to “MAKE IT MEANINGFUL.”

We can give meaning to everything we do from the time we get up until we go to sleep. We can wake up with a smile and a heart full of gratitude for a new day, or we can wake up and complain about what we need to do. It’s all about ATTITUDE.

Jesus invites us to make this day MEANINGFUL. We can change our whole day by just having a heart of GRATITUDE. A kind act, a simple prayer for someone, gratefulness that we have things to do make all the difference. We can make driving to work meaningful as we talk to God about the day ahead. We can make tasks that we don’t want to do meaningful by offering them up for someone who is going through a hard time.

Today, I’m going to give MEANING to each moment throughout the entire day! I am going to praise God for the ordinary things as well as the extraordinary things. With gratitude and thanksgiving, I’m going to live this day with new opportunities and new adventures.

Happy “Make It Meaningful” Day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus on this beautiful Thanksgiving day, it is all about GRATITUDE.  In the last few days, I shared about making a list of things you’re grateful for. I shared about action for thanks always leads to giving (THANKSGIVING), and today it’s adding it all up.  No matter how difficult the years may be, God has been FAITHFUL, and blessed us. There is nowhere in the Bible that it says that life will be easy!

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

So, during this season, bring your fears, pains, sorrows, trials, and tribulations, and lift them up to the cross and PRAISE God.  Focus on the light of Christ, not on the darkness, and you will find that you have a lot to be GRATEFUL for. This, too, SHALL pass, and we will experience, as a world and a nation, and in our personal lives, Emmanuel -GOD IS WITH US! No matter how we celebrate Thanksgiving, what is most important is that we give THANKS.  Feel free to have a piece of pie before your meal in memory of my mother…it’s a great family tradition.

And thank you for being a friend and journeying with me in a complete surrender to our Lord! Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I continue reflecting about Thanksgiving. Yesterday, I encouraged you to make a list of things that you’re GRATEFUL for. Today, I want to look at the word THANKSGIVING. The words join together for thanks and giving.  Gratitude and action go together.  When we are truly grateful, we can’t help but give of OURSELVES. That is what Jesus did and that is what HE calls us to do.

Each day, we need to look at our lives and give thanks, and not just one day a year. Along with giving thanks, we need to move into ACTION and that is the GIVING part, giving of our time, talents, and treasures, each giving according to our gratitude.  Everything we have and are comes from the FATHER and we are held accountable.

So, today, make a list of the GIVING, the TIME, TALENT and TREASURE that you are going to SHARE with our world, a world that is in desperate need.  Can you imagine what kind of world we would live in if we all gave thanks and shared our gifts?  Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about Thanksgiving. This year, I want to prepare for it differently. There are a lot of things that we can complain about every year, but during this time of Thanksgiving, it is truly a time to search out GRATITUDE.

Today, I am starting a LIST of all the things, people, and situations that I am GRATEFUL for.  I’m going to do, showing God that I have a thankful heart even during chaos, sadness, and loss. Gratitude can certainly change our attitude.  What are you grateful for? Write it down, place it in your heart, and prepare for a day of THANKSGIVING to God.  No matter what has happened in our lives, as Christians, we are called to find the light in the darkness.

So, start a list today; keep it with you and keep writing. It is said that the unthankful heart discovers no mercies. We need mercy! So, let’s begin the VIGIL of gratitude. I’m grateful that many of you connect with me each morning with my cup of coffee with Jesus, AND SO IS HE!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus during this beautiful Thanksgiving season, it is all about GRATITUDE.  In the last few days, I shared about making a list of things you’re grateful for.  I shared about action for thanks always leads to giving (THANKSGIVING), and today it’s adding it all up.  No matter how difficult the years may be, God has been FAITHFUL, and blessed us.  There is nowhere in the Bible that it says that life will be easy!

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

So, during this season, bring your fears, pains, sorrows, trials, and tribulations, and lift them up to the cross and PRAISE God.  Focus on the light of Christ, not on the darkness, and you will find that you have a lot to be GRATEFUL for.  This, too, SHALL pass, and we will experience, as a world and a nation, and in our personal lives, Emmanuel -GOD IS WITH US!  No matter how we celebrate Thanksgiving, what is most important is that we give THANKS.  Feel free to have a piece of pie before your meal in memory of my mother…it’s a great family tradition.

And thank you for being a friend and journeying with me in a complete surrender to our Lord!