It's easy to feel overwhelmed with despair as you look at the news. Afghanistan has been taken over by the Taliban, Haiti has had another horrific earthquake, Our cities are full of violence. And the virus that has dominated our news and our lives since March of 2020 is still making headlines and wreaking havoc. If not for elevated sight, if not for looking up to God and looking into His Word daily, I would definitely be in the depths of despair. But, I know that God knows about every detail of it all. He knows about the rise and fall of nations and He knows about the life decisions my kids are trying to make that has me on my knees. Nothing escapes His notice or care. My faith and trust in Him and in His care for us in the midst of life's chaos has been strenghthened by keeping track of all the little ways He cares for me and my needs as well as my wants, In all of the seasons of life these past twelve years that I've been gratitude journaling, in all of the hard times and the good times, He has never failed to care for us affectionately and watchfully. I can trust His leadership in this crazy world.
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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)
#14,759-#14,784
8-9-2021-
-good coffee in my new birthday mug
-God's faithful provision and care for us
-a walk with my guy after dinner
8-10-2021-
-quiet time to prepping for tonight's meeting
-choosing peace and trusting God with my kids and grandkids
-a really good meeting with the women in our church tonight
-a huge fingernail moon in a blue hour sky on my drive home
8-11-2021-
-a little hummingbird flittering outside our kitchen window
-our neighborhood park's shaded walking path on these hot days
-a photo of our two youngest granddaughters together
8-12-2021-
-our church's new satellite school starts today
-air conditioning!
-God's Word-loving our weekly Bible study on the book of Romans
8-13-2021-
-Friday Date Day-and my oldest sister's birthday, too!
-taking two of our grandkids to the splash pad
-dinner out with our youngest daughter and her family
-a ride up the old Oregon City elevator with two of the grandkids
8-14-2021-
-live streaming the prayer room while cleaning
-my guy bringing me home a Yumm bowl for dinner
-ending a busy day reading in bed and munching popcorn
8-15-2021-
-beautiful Word and work of God in our church
-lunch with friends
-trusting God's leadership in this crazy world
still following,
In the middle of the chaos, God is still in control - and He is good! Your words ring true in my heart and we keep trusting Him. With our kids. And our world.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
Morning Elizabeth, So enjoyed your post as always. It is so true if it wasn't for God's word and prayer we would definitely be in the pit of despair. But God...loved all your sweet reminders of God's goodness cause it is there we just have to look for it, and as we do we can see his love and care for us so vividly. Thanks for sharing your grateful list as it is a great reminder to all of us of the blessings we have every single day.
ReplyDeleteLove the last picture of you and your granddaughter laying on the grass. Adorable! All the pics were sweet but that one is frame worthy. Have a lovely day hon. Blessings, Nellie
Elizabeth, I so agree with you. It is so overwhelming as we see the news unfold before our eyes. Yesterday I took such comfort in reading John 16:33. May we keep trusting Him in the days ahead.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of you with your granddaughter in the grass. Oh the joy our grands do bring!
I like that sentence . .
ReplyDelete"I can trust His leadership in this crazy world" Amen!!!
Me too, without His mercy, grace and love I would be truly lost. He and He alone brings me peace and joy, hallelujah!