Weekly Gratitude Journal

I'm feeling so grateful for God's goodness to me this past week. The week began with me on a personal spiritual retreat at the beach. I was at a point of spiritual depletion and weariness that left me feeling inwardly fragile. On Monday morning I woke up in my little hotel suite, bundled up in my favorite cozy sweater, made my coffee, lit a candle, turned on the gas fireplace and sat down with my Bible and journals. The minute I wrote these words in my journal, "I surrender this time to You and what You want to do in me", I immediately heard the word "fortify" in my spirit. I knew God wanted to strengthen me in my innermost being. I returned home on Wednesday, and on Friday night we began a full weekend of meetings at our church. The speaker opened his remarks by saying that God wants to impart strength to us and fortify us. What a confirmation of what God had spoken to me in my time at the beach. What a confirmation of God's care for me when I was feeling weak and weary. I am so very grateful that God meets us in our neediness. He's such a good and loving Father!

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Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks, 

piling up gratitude day by day in my journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#12,886-#12,908

1-13-2020-

-the sound of the sea

-the cry of the gulls

-a walk by the sea in spite of the rain

-God speaking to me clearly that He wants to fortify me

1-14-2020-

-gray skies that turned to hail and then snow and then cleared up to blue skies as I walked on the beach

-an answer to prayer for a dear friend

-a text video of my five year old grandson trying to learn to sew

1-15-2020-

-this time away with God at the beach

-a safe drive home

-middle daughter and our eighth grandbaby-to-be doing well at her check-up

-a new computer with lots of memory

1-16-2020-

-being home

-trying a new recipe

-oldest granddaughter stopping by to say hi to me

1-17-2020-

-an answer to prayer for a loved one

-time to get some writing and my Saturday chores done before a full weekend begins

-rejoicing about everyone who came to tonight's meeting at church

1-18-2020-

-God's leadership in our life and the way He has brought new people in our lives to walk in relationship with

-confirmation from the Lord about His desire to fortify us

-an amazing day with our church and and this evening meeting with our church leadership

1-19-2020-

-beautiful worship and presence of God with us

-God's Word to our church

-lunch with friends

still following,