Tag: grateful

Practicing Gratitude

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.” (Ps 95:2-3)

Being grateful isn’t something that comes naturally. We’re inherently selfish and focused on ourselves. We don’t always feel thankful. There are a lot of bad things happening in this world, and it’s sometimes hard to figure out how to be thankful in the midst of them.

Learning to be grateful takes practice. When faced with a trial or an unexpected bump in the road, my first thought is never how thankful I am for the difficulty or inconvenience. How I wish it were! Turning my mind from my struggles and onto the things for which I’m thankful allows me to grow closer to God and to receive physical and psychological benefits. Continue reading “Practicing Gratitude” →

Thankful to Be Me

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Author’s Note: This month, my blog posts will all focus on thankfulness.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6)

As Thanksgiving draws near, I begin to think more about all the things for which I’m thankful. In an effort to focus more on my blessings, I’m participating in the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) gratefulness photo challenge this month. Each day, I’ll post a different picture of something for which I’m thankful.

The first photo prompt was to share a photo of someone I see every day, which was a challenge for me since I live and work alone. I can go for several days without seeing another person unless I make an effort to do so. For the photo challenge, I shared a picture of my dog, Lilly. She’s a loyal companion, and I’m more thankful for her than I can really express. After I posted the photo, I felt God speaking to my heart, encouraging me to think more deeply about the meaning the prompt had for me. After all, I realized, I do see someone every day. Continue reading “Thankful to Be Me” →

Praise Him with a Thankful Heart

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.” (Ps 95:2-3)

Each weekend, I gather with other believers to participate in our praise and worship service at church. On a few occasions, I’ve gone to special services that have been set up outside of the traditional service times and are just music and songs. I enjoy both traditional and contemporary music. Years ago, I attended a church with a wonderful blend of both old and new songs. There’s something to be said for traditional songs that were borne out of hardship and persecution. But I believe contemporary songs that built upon Scripture help reinforce God’s word through song have their own place as well. Continue reading “Praise Him with a Thankful Heart” →

Keeping a Gratitude Journal

Posted on by Staci Mauney
My journals

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” (Ps 107:8-9)

I’ve written before about my gratitude journal. As a writer, I know it’s important to keep a journal to practice my craft. As a Christian, I know a journal can provide a way for me to look back and see God moving in my life. But even though I know these things, I have found it difficult to write consistently in my journal. Continue reading “Keeping a Gratitude Journal” →

The Thanksgiving List

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Ps 100:4)

This month, the theme of my blog posts revolves around having an attitude of thanksgiving. Over on prestigeprose.com, I’ve written a series of writing prompts to inspire a grateful attitude. This week’s prompt is to write a list of 25 things for which I’m thankful. Family and friends are a given, as is Lilly, so I didn’t include people unless I’m referring to them as a group. My goal is to dive deeper, below the surface, to discover everyday things for which I’m thankful. Continue reading “The Thanksgiving List” →