Hello November!

Hello November! If there was ever a season I would like to hit the pause button to be able for time to stand still, November would be it! Fall is all around us, early November finds our hearts leaning toward gratitude and anticipating upcoming time with family and friends. From this point on, the rest of the year will be filled with sights and sounds of thankfulness and then will quickly move on to embrace the spirit of Christmas.

The first of November is a time to reset our hearts. It is a month that recognizes gratitude and thankfulness. Through the years, I've participated in thankful challenges, made gratitude lists, daily thanksgiving journals, you name it, I probably have done it in the quest to capture a thankful heart and attitude.

Over the years while counting my blessings, the list is usually the same...Faith, Family, Friends etc. But a heart of gratitude is more than simply naming a blessing, but digging deeper to get to the heart. Why are we thankful - how can I in turn reflect that attitude to action? 

We are all thankful for our Faith - but what does that look like in our lives? It is different for each one but faith follows the place we put our focus - our view of God. In fact, it doesn't matter what we say about God or what we do for Him, it is what we truly think about God in our most inward being that affects everything about us. We are defined by what we believe about God because who we become is directly related to what we picture in our minds when we think of Him. 

True thanksgiving comes when we see God for Who He is and recognize His holiness and grace. How great and mighty He is, but with tender mercies and compassion, loves us and longs to fellowship with us. For the Christian, He has given us a new life, a new heart and a new direction. He perfects (makes complete) our lives. 

So as we put FAITH on our gratitude list, may our heart reflect on Who God is and what He has done for us. May our hearts be stirred to action to live out and walk worthy of His calling.