start with thank you

The month of November is filled with events, messages and decorations that make it a touch easier to remember to be grateful and to say thank you. For that I am thankful 😉

Earlier in the year I began a 21 day bible study on the YouVersion Bible App called She Reads Truth: Prayer in the Bible. It has been the most memorable devotional that I have ever done. So many times throughout the day when I reach for God wanting to ask for help, I am reminded to first – start with thank you.

Oh how a ‘thank you’ has the power to alter the words that were previously planned! There is nothing – NOTHING – wrong at all with asking God for help, spilling out your problems and fears or begging for mercy and relief. But every time I begin my ‘God to-do list’ with an honest acknowledgement of all that is good in my life, my mind and heart seem to open a bit more to hope and understanding.

One morning in the midst of the study I jotted down these notes and made two copies. One is on the wall in my bathroom perfectly visible from my mirror – I see it every morning as I prepare for my day and every evening as I reflect. The other is tacked to my office wall – a spot that meets my eyes very often.

‘Prayers of Praise’ is a phrase that just sticks with you! My photographic memory tends to keep those words circulating throughout my mind as the day goes by, encouraging me to start with thank you. Give Him praise!

The following phrases on my ‘Prayers of Praise’ page come from 1 Chronicles 16:8-12, 23-24 and I love them! It’s a little how-to guide on creating your prayer of praise. It is my hope that on a daily basis it isn’t all that difficult for you to come up with a plethora of reasons to give God thanks, but for those days when the struggle and hurt get the best of you this is the list that allows the positive to rise among the crud.

For reasons stronger than cute decorative signs and festive feasts- let’s remember to continuously give thanks. Better yet- to START WITH THANK YOU- it provides positive perspective and grounds our {sometimes ‘so-called’} needs.