Category: Life

Thankful Thursday (episode 4)

I didn’t do very well with keeping my gratitude list this week. Maybe this is the reason that I have been feeling so down…? And while I could beat myself up and focus on my shortcoming (and this would be my tendency), I’m going to choose to be grateful for God’s amazing grace and understanding. He knows that I struggled this week, but He loves me the same. And a new week is ahead of me – a new chance to focus on things to be thankful for. 🙂

Here are just a few things that I recorded, for which I am grateful:

  1. Getting me through work even though I was really tired. God did that just about every day this week – for some reason the sleep I got and the coffee I drank were not enough…but God helped me.
  2. That our dog, Daisy, is okay. She has had an upset stomach, so we took her to the vet. They gave us some medicine for her and told us to put her on a bland diet for a week or so. But they couldn’t find anything major wrong with her during her examination. We’re praying she feels better soon!
  3. The opportunity to write. I am SO blessed to be able to share my heart and to know that there are people out there who read and understand…and care.
  4. Safety. I take it for granted so often. Every time I get in the car and drive somewhere, there is the possibility of an accident. But God has chosen to keep me safe, and I praise Him.
  5. That nothing terribly bad happened this week. Okay, so maybe I didn’t do a good job at keeping my gratitude list…but one thing I can be grateful for is that God didn’t allow anything horrible to happen over the past few days. Now if it did, He would still be God and He would still be good – and I would have to respond in a way that pleases Him. But He was gracious and gave us a fairly good week, and for this I am thankful.

That’s it for this week! Thanks so much for reading, and I would appreciate prayers for increased consistency in recording the many blessings He sends, as well as keeping a positive perspective. ❤

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Photos by: Crystal Knauss

From Despair to Hope

Today I was feeling low again. I trudged my way through work in the morning, and then tried to be happy that I had the rest of the day to accomplish some tasks and do something that I enjoy. But even that wasn’t helping me feel any better.

So what do you do when you can’t seem to get out of that “pit” of despair?

Well, what I tried to do was to get out of the house. I had already taken my dog for a walk, so I had gotten some fresh air. But this just wasn’t enough. I felt like I needed to jump in my car and go somewhere new.

So I drove to a Starbucks that I’ve never visited before, and I brought a new book that I purchased recently. I ordered an Iced Cinnamon Almond milk Macchiato and slid into a comfy leather chair. I opened the devotional book, “All Things New” by Cherie Hill, to today’s date…and was blessed to find that the topic aligned with how I was feeling. I love when God does that!

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The title for today’s devotional was “Defeated and Powerless” – and that’s how I felt. But after reading the text and looking up some of the Scripture verses, I began to feel a little better. These are some of the things that I wrote in the journal section that accompanies the text:

  • I am surrounded with God’s shield of love – He protects me from any situation or experience that He hasn’t ordained for me! Therefore I can know that everything that happens to me is for my good…and His glory (Psalm 5).
  • Paul said He came to the Corinthians in weakness – timid and trembling…(1 Cor. 2:3) I need to bring my weakness to God and He will turn it into something great.
  • His grace is all we need! His power works best in weakness (2 Cor. 12:8-10).

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I can’t say that I felt completely better after my little outing, but it did reset my focus some – and that always helps. I was encouraged by God through His Word that even though I felt weak and defeated, I can find strength and hope in His presence. ❤

What do YOU do when you’re feeling low? Is there something you’ve found that works to help you climb out of the “pit” of despair?

Featured Photo: Ricardo Gomez Angel

Other Photos: Crystal Knauss

Lord, Where Are You?

Do you ever get the feeling that you are all alone? Do you ever question whether or not God is with you, even though you know that He is? Do you ever think about the future and instead of feeling optimistic, feel something akin to apathy?

That’s how I feel right now. I feel very “blah.”

I woke up this morning extremely tired. I worked from home for a few hours, drank lots of coffee, ate lunch, and was still tired. I tried my best to get some chores done this afternoon. I went to the grocery store, cleaned up a bit, and paid bills. I even took the dog for a walk. But I never seemed to get that jolt of energy I was seeking.

The Hubby came home, we took some pics outside of the pretty trees and flowers, and I ate dinner. And now I’m writing…with the hope that I can regain my creativity and optimism.

It’s a struggle. Each day is a struggle. But I have so much to be grateful for…I KNOW that I do! I haven’t been doing very well with keeping my gratitude list, so maybe that’s part of the reason why I’m feeling this way. I need to maintain a thankful heart.

So let me think of some things I have to be grateful for: the smell of the air after a rain shower. A nice time with family for Easter. That our handbell choir played well at church. Hot running water to take a shower. Air conditioning to keep us cool in the house. A good walk with Daisy. Bringing my Honey home safely from work.

Wow, when you start to think about it, there really ARE a lot of things to be grateful for. 🙂 You just have to take the time to acknowledge them. And I already feel like my spirit is lifting a little.

I must keep focusing on the positives, on the endless number of things I have to be thankful for. Yes, the depression and anxiety pull me down…but by relying on God’s help I can find a ruby in the rubble.

So where is the Lord when I can’t feel His presence? He is as close as can be. He is with me, He is in me, He is beside me…and He will never leave. ❤

Photo Credit: Aaron Burden