THANKS GIVING THANKS CHALLENGE 2017 VERSES

2017 is closing quickly on us as we are already into the 5th day of November!

and

as is tradition usually

in blog land

(probably Facebook now)

I join in a

GRATITUDE CHALLENGE

I found a new one

this year from a blogger

(that I think does it on FB too)

with verses reflecting on how 

the daily verse helps us remain faithful

so I'm joining in late with her

30 Days of Thanksgiving

especially because Mrs. C 

(the blog author of Food, Faith, Fatigue)

A Lifestyle Blog on Beating Burnout

appealed to me when she began

with

...Philippians 4:4-7...

{which is also one of the books I am studying with YouVersion and LGG}
for  DAY 1

" 4 Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One!  5 Let gentleness be seen in every relationship, for our Lord is ever near. 6 Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell Him every detail of your life,  7 then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. " The Passion Translation (TPT)

In previous years, I have shared scriptures as well 

but let's look at these afresh and give our gratitude to God

Day 2 Colossians 3:16-17
Day 3 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Day 4 Psalm 100:3-4
Day 5 Psalm 118:28-29
"...I will bring You praise. For You are the God of my life and I lift You high,  exalting You to the highest place.
So let’s keep on giving our thanks to God, for He is so good!
His constant, tender love lasts forever!"
{as soon as I published this blog post challenge, I noticed the above blogger was no longer continuing to post daily so I am posting enough Thanksgiving Verses to keep us going with being THANKFUL and GIVING THANKS}

1 Chronicles 16:8

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

1 Chronicles 16:34

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

1 Chronicles 16:35

Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.

Psalm 7:17

I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Psalm 9:1

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 26:6-7

I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 50:23

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalm 69:30

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 95:2

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 107:22

And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Psalm 116:17

I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.

Psalm 147:7

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!

Isaiah 12:1

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

Jeremiah 30:19

Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.

Jeremiah 33:11

Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’

Daniel 2:23

To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Amos 4:5

Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord GOD.

Jonah 2:9

But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!”

1 Corinthians 1:4

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,

2 Corinthians 4:15

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 9:11

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Ephesians 5:4

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:6

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 2:7

rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

1 Timothy 4:4

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

Revelation 11:17

We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

Revelation 7:12

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

*****

Psalm 103:2-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 136:1-3

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

James 1:16-18

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

{I will try to just keep adding on this page the verses but you can always just follow the link to Mrs. C's blog or FB, where she makes beautiful images with the verses and her own added special insights on her posts. I have not decided if I will write as she does yet, although that is the purpose of applying the verses and giving thanks to God every day, not just on Thanksgiving Day.} 
Thank you Mrs. C for your Thanksgiving Challenge for 2017! you were off to a good start and intention, I pray you are able to continue soon.

"... Your life might be hard right now. Things might not be going to plan. But you can still give thanks.  “Our lives don’t have to be perfect for us to be grateful. (That won’t happen this side of eternity.) The truth is gratitude is a choice; a choice that honors God, transforms our countenance, and brings us into His presence.” ... Julie Gillies Crosswalk.com writer Julie K. Gillies prays:  “Lord, I want to cultivate a grateful heart. Please help me, Lord, and open my eyes so that I can see all that I have to be thankful for. Enable me to recognize Your hand of blessing in my day to day life. Help me to express gratitude to You daily, for that is Your will (Ephesians 5:19-20).  “God help me to do all things without complaining (Philippians 2:14), so that I don’t grieve Your Holy Spirit. By Your power I desire to be thankful in all circumstances, for this is Your will for those of us who belong to Christ Jesus    (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  “Lord help me to devote myself to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart (Colossians 4:2). May my heart overflow with gratitude to You, God, for You are good. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.”

Other resource links:  A Thanksgiving Prayer and Prayers of Gratitude by Cindi McMenamin
Julie Gillies more resources available through Julie "Hot Mess to Blessed" {which will also go with what I'm sharing Mon.too} Crosswalk and iBelieve Daily Prayer
I thank God for YOU!

"... HIGH PLACES"

Tyndale House Publishers shared "Hinds' Feet on High Places" VALLEY on November 2, 2017 which was a confirmation for me directly from God to a prayer/dialog about G.A.R.Y. (my brother) though I sometimes walk through the valley and pass through some storms I have a Good Shepherd

STORM


WINDOW
I am so very thankful for those
HIGH PLACES
and
glimmers through an open
WINDOW
which restores
my faith
my hope
my love
in
HIS LOVE
the love of my
Beloved
and
that
I am His (as are you)
so we can get through this
TOGETHER 
BE Not-Afraid or Much-Afraid
HE goes before YOU and with you ALWAYS
<><><>
Thankful to Tyndale House Publishers for sharing this at just the right time! Love their illustrations too! One of my all-time favorite books by Hannah Hurrad

I believe my brother Gary could have illustrated this for me also like his painting did, as it drew me to loftier places ... high places for even weary feet.

G.rieving A.nd R.emembering Y.ou

G.rieving A.nd R.emembering Y.ou (my acrostic of your name for today)
GARY

All day, I have put off writing, as I ponder and remember you this day, or might I say, lament and rejoice - can these words even go together? Can one grieve and lament yet still rejoice as one remembers a loved one? - a loved one gone too soon from your life at only 30, 4 years after our mother, 8 years before our father ... on this day ... November 2nd, known as All Soul's Day (in the Catholic Church; preceded yesterday by All Saint's Day) and in the Mexican culture Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead {somewhat morbid expression} however, all of this has been swirling through my head since midnight, unable to sleep once again with tvs blaring until 4 a.m. so I turn to my You Version to read what the day holds in God's Word plus two Bible studies: one in the book of Philippians and the other "Living Faith" (from some letters written in 1 & 2 Timothy; Titus; James; 1, 2, 3 John) so I think about writing a letter to you - I understand that there's healing in doing this. 

But I procrastinate and stay away from that ... I avoid grieving and even lamenting, since I am just learning, trying to focus on just remembering you, or some memories of you, with you ... pondering whether to drive out to Resurrection Cemetery, when I know that you're not there ... then I think about writing this blog and I search for previous ones I've written, knowing that many of my blog posts were 'drafted' and since this is November, often I was daily writing about something I am thankful for ... a daily challenge!

Of course, without a doubt, I am thankful that you were my brother, our youngest brother, my baby brother that tagged along often with me, although you were 6 years younger. We shared alot in common ... alot of dreams and a heart to serve people and being a teacher. You had gifts I didn't have ... yet since you have gone, I found out that some of them that I admired so in you and mom, were there inside of me too! That artistic side. So I go into my room to get my laptop & begin, I turn on the closest lamp and there it is - my greatest treasure from you {besides "Eagle's Wings" and John Michael Talbot} your painting that hangs on my wall:

[Gary's winter scene painting]

It's an original! 

It's yours! 

It's mine...

and so much like a farm down the road here in the winter

just not with the image of mountains in the background

or maybe they're just clouds that arise in my eyes

I run my fingers over your name autographed in the right corner

I am so thankful!

... as I now reflect on how many losses have taken place, even just this past month of October (my one fall month that used to be when I could enjoy the fall without recalling all the people that are gone from this earthly place to a heavenly home, as I cling to the hope I have in this but now October has become scarred by losses too). My 'grieving time' now spans over more months and my heart grows heavy and weary, if it weren't for my hope in Christ Jesus. 

I recall how I desperately needed to do something since the end of 2009, so I chose a series from Grief Share finally in 2011 while I was still in Mexico and signed up to receive emails from them for an entire year to help me deal or cope with loss:  "Journey from Mourning to Joy" (is what I called it on my blog) but Grief Share calls the study "Help for the Journey" {don't search for mine, because all 6 weeks have been drafted, but I was able to go back in the drafts and reread Day 1 of Week 1, the comments of support and I learned so much still ... } so I highly recommend going to Grief Share and also signing up for their emails, or now you can buy the book "Through a Season of Grief: Devotions for Your Journey from Mourning to Joy".

As I read and thought, I realized that God had this in mind when He guided me to begin two reading plans as a study in the book of Philippians with Love God Greatly; and "Refined -Finding Joy in the Midst of the Fire" with Carol McLeod, knowing that I needed this to help me through in His Strength, His JOY so that I might rejoice after all these years and no longer grieve.

I choose JOY (and I go back and reread another delightful reading plan for today from Jennifer Camp, LOOP author)

"Daughter, I pour my light into you. I guide you and do not leave you. I have good plans for your life. I love when you step toward Me to realize them. There is discouragement along the way-and distraction, too. But I keep walking ahead, and I reach out my hand, and I do not forsake you. I do not abandon you. The path is filled with rock that can cause you to stumble-and weeds that entangle and attempt to trip you up. But I clear the path, in the midst of difficulty and sometimes rocky roads. I clear the path. My voice in you, these whispers to your heart, my words a blade of truth that swipes away uncertainty and doubt. Walk in the way I've prepared for you, this way full of twists and turns and hills and valleys, deserts and lush mountain-scapes. I've walked this path. I walk it with you. How could I leave you? You were made for this-to be with Me, walking this path, the path we walk together. Faith is not knowing the details of what the future holds, but trusting Me to be with you in it. So keep walking with Me, in faith, along the path I've prepared just for you. That is where you will cling to Me most tightly, where you will feel my gaze steadfast upon you, when I will hold you. Daughter, I never let you go. "

God is so good, just the perfect word

I know HE has guided every thing perfectly
lines up whatever crosses my day

for such a time as this just for me
HE's so AWESOME!

"A Prayer for the Grieving Heart"  by Jennifer O. White "You are Emmanuel, God with me. Thank You for being with me now as I mourn this loss. You are the God of all Comfort and I willingly receive Your comfort now. I do not know what Your comfort will look like or feel like, but I trust it even so. My heart is broken but You are near. My spirit is crushed, but You are my rescuer. Your Word is my hope. It revives me and comforts me in especially now. My soul faints, but you are the breath of life within me. You are my help, the One who sustains me. I am weak but You are strong. You bless those who mourn, and I trust You to bless me and my family with all that we need. You will rescue me from this dark cloud of despair because You delight in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen."

so I do REJOICE
not waste more time with the

"Day of the Dead"

which is not for believers
because of the tradition to prepare a meal
set out for the dearly departed to come back

for we believe

in

LIFE and the LIVING
our daily Bread and the Living Water

we know the

LIFE GIVER

 who can speak words

of

LIFE

not

death, despair, depression
and so can we over ourselves
over our loved ones

HE

raises

the dead and redeems

the lost

HE

breathes

LIFE

into dry bones

HE

helps us recall

the day of the

LIVING

and

our treasures in memories

as

HE

lifts our heads

giving us strength

filling us with

JOY

so

we

can

REJOICE

as we

REMEMBER

looking

forward to

what lies ahead

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

"MY PRAYER FOR YOU"

Alisa Turner {new artist to me - find comfort in many of her songs} like "Not Even Now" and "As It is in Heaven"
BE STILL (not her-it's an instrumental)

WOW ~ REMEMBERING ...

This Walk On Weds. began early - beautifully on this crisp, fall day
yet ended
"REMEMBERING SHORTYBEAR"
beautifully

please follow this link to our LIGHTHOUSE of PRAYER
because DENISE  shone as the brightest light there next to Jesus
and that  heart situation from last week has grown to become very heavy and aching yet still joy-filled and hopeful
it started early last week and has continued so I will pause and praise

"Praise His Name"

along with Denise dancing before His Throne
Worship On Weds.
with His  Word On Weds.
in two of her  favorites
Psalms 23 & 103

[image credit: Ann Voskamp]

someday I'd love to do  a special tribute  that DENISE deserves
but for now I will just remember her, rest and treasure what an honor it's been to come to know & love Shortybear

So today I will celebrate WHO SHE IS WHOSE SHE IS and who I am because of Jesus praying with DENISE so blessed that our journeys crossed  for now and in eternity Friends Forever ~ Sisters in Christ
Thank you Denise!  I (we) love you!

WOW ~ "HEARING GOD'S HEART"

the You Version reading plan that I'm doing for October for 30 days "Hearing God's Heart"
song: "Hear My Heart" - Sheri Easter

... "Sometimes I feel no one's ever been in this place before This is hard and I'm not sure that I can do this anymore I know some day I"ll look back, and all this won't seem real But Lord right now I need you to know just how I feel Chorus: When there are no words to say and no prayer that I can pray hear my heart,When I don't have strength to try  and I've cried all I can cry hear my heart Cause you know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak You know all the ways I need you and all the ways I'm weak So I'll be quiet so you can hear my heart. Verse 2: Every now and then I recall a simple phrase or melody It comforts and it quiets, lifts me up and then it carries me Far above the pain and hurt I think will never end The song speaks words I cannot and it calms the fears within Chorus: When there are no words to say and no prayer that I can pray  hear my heart  When I don't have strength to try and I've cried all I can cry  hear my heart Cause you know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak You know all the ways I need you and all the ways I'm weak So I'll be quiet so you can hear my heart. Lord I'll be quiet so you can hear my heart ❤️

because I am working on my heart not just my wounded heart
but much more

and since I attended a recent livestream event (my 1st live one)I've returned to a place and a ministry that I enjoyed while in MX 

"REVIVE OUR HEARTS"

with

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

so, of course, "reviving my heart" means listening for God's heart and being restored; because I so want to reflect better the beauty and heart of Christ to my world (those around me) which is only possible through His Grace ... this I truly know.

As I take my "Walk On Weds." and "Worship On Weds.", press into hear His gentle "Whisper On Weds." as I go to His "Word On Weds.", I can't help but realize that God wants to prepare my heart ... be concerned with my spiritual heart condition, besides my physical heart (with aging and high blood pressure) ... since we all share a family history of "heart disease" (sin). Calling upon the Great Physician to cure/heal our deceived, diseased hearts - in need of Jesus doing a radical heart surgery - to cleanse and transform me. I need some serious "heart" work to function properly, remove blockage, and deal with this heart condition, which starts, as you know with admitting we need some help, work, or whatever, and allow our hearts to be searched as we place our hearts in the hands of the Master's touch. 

How can I expect to hear His heart, His Whisper, if there's blockage? If I continue in the lies or believing the lies, I'm not listening to His Truth and speaking His Truth over me and every situation I encounter. I truly want to walk with Him and hear His Whisper, believe what I say I believe in my heart and stop any thoughts to the contrary. 

"We come closer to God and approach Him with an open heart, fully convinced by faith that nothing will keep us at a distance from Him. For our hearts have been sprinkled with blood to remove impurity and we have been freed from an accusing conscience and now we are clean, unstained, and presentable to God inside and out!" Hebrews 10:22, The Passion Translation

{even this was in my email from The Passion Translation of "I Hear His Whisper"} so it must mean I am "hearing His Whisper" because many sources are lining up with me "Hearing God's Heart" and I believe He wants to speak to your heart also! Just get alone with Him, with nothing else to interrupt, and listen
I'm looking to have a
HEALTHIER
HEART
and
LIFE
in the coming year(s)
if God tarries
I
want my
HEART
in-tune 
with
HIS HEART

I imagine, if the weather permits, getting out and taking an actual Walk On Weds. might help both physical and spiritual hearts to hear and have better health conditions, so leave that phone (or other devices) behind and just spend some time with Him - He's been waiting for just YOU!