What's in YOUR Heart?

  In her blog, A Holy Experience, author Ann Voskamp cites the importance of keeping a gratitude list of the endless gifts God has given to each of us. Read and consider what the research confirms you’ll receive in return:

• A relative absence of stress and depression. 
• Progress towards important personal goals. 
• Higher levels of determination and energy. 
• Closer relationships and desire to build stronger relationships. 
• Increased happiness by 25%.

Can that be right? We are to live with gratitude so that we can rejoice in Him and increase our own happiness by 25%? 

Is it any surprise that the Bible, the living Word of God, gives us instructions on how to live, and that research demonstrates these directions actually benefit us?

Here's a thought: In this upcoming year, let’s make it a point to live with thankfulness. What do you think?

There are myriad ways to do that, but daily time in God’s Word is the ideal place to start. If you don’t have a study or devotional chosen yet, consider the Living It Out Bible Study (click HERE to sign up for a daily email). Scripture reading is a great discipline to have in place in order to spend daily time with God and learn about His blessings.

Another suggestion in living out your thankfulness to God: Be faithful in attending services every week so that you can be encouraged in your Christian journey.

“It’s habits that can imprison you and it’s habits that can free you. But when thanks to God becomes a habit – so joy in God becomes your life.”  -Ann Voskamp, www.aholyexperience.com
 

READ and THINK… What does the Bible tell us about the confidence we can have in following the steps toward a grateful heart?

• Ephesians 5:20 (New Living Translation):  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  
• 1 Chronicles 16:34 (New Living Translation):Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
  
• Hebrews 10:25 (New Living Translation):  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

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Sandra D. Bricker is a best-selling and award-winning author of laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the Christian market. Her most popular series (that started with Always the Baker Never the Bride) will conclude this spring with Always the Baker FINALLY the Bride, which is now available for pre-order at Amazon.

Sandie leads a team of writers in creating the Living It Out daily Bible study for CedarCreek Church. Today's devotion is based on the Living It Out study on the importance of gratitude. If you enjoyed it, feel free to check out the daily studies by e-mail or audio podcast by clicking HERE.