Guest post by Onesia Fuentes . . .
If the only prayer you said in your entire life was Thank you, that would be suffice. – Meister Eckhart
When praying, for me it always begins with gratitude. The first thing that I do is thank God for his love, my family and friends, for peace of mind, for supplying my every need and saving my life.
“Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, and his mercy endures forever.” (Psalms 136:1)
You see, I lead a very lawless and reckless life well into my late twenties. I should have been dead and then I would have spent my eternity in hell – and rightfully so; but by His grace and mercy I was saved, redeemed by his shed blood!!!
How do we forget to tell God “Thank you” for His saving grace?
I could never do that, right?
But it happens.
It happens to us all.
It happens when we jump up late for work or when we’re busy running behind children all day.
And…if we can forget to give God thanks, then we’re probably forgetting to thank those around us, too; forgetting to thank them for the little things they do.
Expressing our gratitude is the key.
Do the people that matter to us the most know they matter?
Do they know they are appreciated?
A simple Thank you said to those in your life, for the big things as well as the small things, can go a mighty long way. A simple phone call, an email, or even a hand written note costs us nothing but our time and an expression of gratitude; yet, it can make a huge difference to the person on the receiving end.
It can actually bless their sock off!
In the book of Romans, Paul the Apostle writes about his longing to visit Rome and begins his letter by thanking the Romans. “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the Gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers all the time.” (Romans 1: 8-10)
How about the way Boaz thanked Ruth for taking care of Naomi? “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband – how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” (Ruth 2: 11) Now that’s a Thank you!
This got me thinking about my own acts of gratitude.
When was the last time that I verbally thanked my mom for praying for me long before I was praying for myself? Did I thank her for taking my kindergartener to school on those cold winter days when I couldn’t because I had a newborn?
When was the last time I openly thanked my husband for getting up early every morning to head out into the cold of winter – when I know some days it’s hard – to provide and care for his family? Sheesh…makes me cold just thinking about it!
Have I said Thank you and blessed to my girlfriends for having my back through good and bad times?
Expressing gratitude is a simple, yet powerful act.
“I have not stopped giving Thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16)
There are so many people that I intend to thank as this year goes on.
How about you?
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
a poem. . .
Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
Also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
And they can become your blessings.
~ Author Unknown ~
About the Author
Onesia Fuentes is a wife, a mother of 2, and a bonus mom to 1. She’s a daughter, a sister, and thankfully, she is my friend. She is a homeschool mom and a crafter at heart, who seeks God’s grace and leading as a new wife and a mom.
If you were encouraged and edified by Onesia’s post, would you kindly post a comment below to say “Keep up the good work!” or “Thanks for sharing”?
Take a moment to say, Thanks?
Tiffiney, I just want to Thank You from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity to do this. And for holding my hand the entire way. A true big sister in Christ you are to me! THANK YOU!
Onesia! First things first…your picture looks lovely! Love, love, love the pink and your fancy do!
You are so welcome for everything! I can see that many ladies were blessed by what you shared and that’s the whole point.
God bless you for having a heart to encourage others. I look forward to you sharing more posts in the future. I’m sure you’re just getting started. :o)
What a great reminder to be grateful. It certainly does change your perspective and keep you from being rob of joy! What better way to enjoy life than being grateful…. Thank you so much for sharing! Great job ladies!!!!
Thank you for the encouragement Monique!
Thank you! I’m learning and practicing to be thankful in all circumstances. Like, when I was stuck on the beach until 8:00 at night because my husbands tee time for golf was delayed and he had the car. Instead of getting angry, (which is very easy) I tried looking at the positive. We had food, bathroom and it was beautiful. The sky was gorgeous that night and I was able to take some awesome pictures. It was serene. I had gratitude! Sometimes I have to flip it!
Hi Meg, I sure know how easy it is to get caught up in the negativity of the day. It really is a choice to see the positive in things. To find those reasons to be grateful! Thank you friend!
Thanks for that post. It caused me to check myself .
Arlene, I had to check myself while writing the post! And thank you my friend for being an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean.
Great post Onesia! Thank you for such a convicting post. I too some times forget to say thank you not only to others but to the Lord as well. Thanks again and great writing.
Hi Diane, I love the fact that even if we forget to say thank you out loud to others, we can still bless them with a simple prayer. Thank you for your encouraging words.