1000 Gifts #1003-1095

 

1003. Serving the Samaritan Inn with our church family.

1004. Helping my husband prepare for his sermon.

1005. Being able to go out to dinner with your entire church {because we're small right now!}

1006. A husband who will go to the grocery store with me.

1007. A warm home to protect against the cold winter storm.

1008. A Sunday afternoon nap.

1009. Safety on the roads of ice.

1010. The sunshine on a bitterly cold day.

1011. The gift of a date night from one of our church members.

1012. The achiness and soreness in my muscles.

1013. Crohn's disease.

1014. Waiting to start a family.

1015. The ability to go home at lunch to take a nap.

1016. A quiet day at the office.

1017. The fact that our accountant is my dad.

1018. Panera mac & cheese.

1019. Mom to the rescue on my pre-K lesson!

1020. Catching up with my best friend.

1021. A fridge full of food.

1022. A pantry full of food.

1023. Kitchen appliances- {double} oven, stove, microwave, fridge, toaster, toaster oven, etc.

1024. Strength for the day.

1025. Protection from illness for this long.

1026. A husband who takes care of me.

1027. Doctors.

1028. Antibiotics.

1029. Insurance.

1030. Paid sick days.

1031. Co-workers who jump in to help.

1032. A comfy couch.

1033. Sleep.

1034. Movies to pass the time.

1035. A snuggle puppy to make me feel better.

1036. Strength for the hard days.

1037. Resting in the promises of God.

1038. Grace and love for weary hearts.

1039. A little extra energy to make it to work today.

1040. In-person check ups from my husband.

1041. Understanding bosses.

1042. Not having the responsibility of owning a home right now.

1043. Family who will take us in at the last minute.

1044. A good night's sleep.

1045. Rain!

1046. The ability to eat out on this off week.

1047. Visitors at church.

1048. Sleeping in.

1049. A granny who loves her granddog.

1050. A network of other church planters.

1051. Finally back in our house!

1052. Seeing old friends.

1053. Finally feeling better!

1054. People who can fix our plumbing.

1055. Warmer days.

1056. Going to bed early.

1057. Answered prayers.

1058. Encouragement for my weary heart.

1059. Knowing that I am not alone, even though I feel like it sometimes.

1060. A break from the normal routine of work.

1061. A good day of training at work.

1062. Wedding rehearsal for sweet friends.

1063. Tough conversations.

1064. A lunch date with my love.

1065. The encouragement of friends who are fostering.

1066. Breakfast date with Laura!

1067. Celebrating the marriage of friends.

1068. Thankful for my marriage.

1069. Sabbath.

1070. Reminders of God's grace.

1071. Catching up on laundry.

1072. A job I enjoy.

1073. Working with people I enjoy.

1074. {Long prayed-for} salvation of a neighbor!

1075. Morning snuggles with my love.

1076. A new day.

1077. Grilling weather is back!

1078. That I am healthy enough to still work.

1079. Our Redeemer Church friends.

1080. The joy of celebrating birthdays.

1081. A redeemed life.

1082. Knowing He can {and does} redeem the worst of situations.

1083. Knowing my Redeemer lives, and how that changes everything.

1084. Lunch with my sister-in-law and niece...always makes for a better day :)

1085. Courage for the hard days.

1086. Peace that only comes from Him.

1087. Knowing His promises are true.

1088. His promise to never leave me.

1089. His promise to provide.

1090. His provision when I am empty.

1091. His peace when I am discouraged.

1092. His strength when I am weak.

1093. A new perspective.

1094. His countless blessings.

1095. This joy dare.

 

 

I finished the joy dare! I spent an entire year, listing the gifts the Lord has given us every day. Some days were harder than others to give thanks, but I am so glad that I stuck with it and forced myself to find the eucharisteos in the every day. God is certainly good all the time, and I am thankful to have spent time intentionally looking for His blessings.

 

 

1000 Gifts #919-1002

 

919. Running errands and eating cupcakes with Laura.

920. Serving in the Redeemer Kidz ministry, seeing Jesus through the eyes of elementary-aged boys.

921. Our second pre-launch service...almost ready!

922. A husband who will go to the grocery store for me.

923. Not having to leave the house on a cold day.

924. Super bowl party with our neighbors.

925. Cookie of the year break and bake cookies.

926. Getting everything crossed off my to-do list.

927. Leftovers.

928. BSF connections.

929. A warm coat.

930. Our first missional community meeting.

931. The prayers that were stitched into the quilt we were gifted for our wedding.

932. Warm chocolate chip cookies.

933. Talking marriage with sweet friends.

934. Birthday lunch with co-workers.

935. 4-day work weeks.

936. Birthday cards

937. My 29th birthday.

938. Lunch with my parents.

939. Dinner and cake with family.

940. Early morning coffee and conversation with my mom.

941. Redeemer Launch Day!!

942. Celebrating God's grace and provision with our church family.

943. Savoring the last minutes with my family.

944. Lunch with extended family.

945. An evening to relax with my hubby.

946. A husband who is funny and always makes me laugh.

947. Fun and laughter with colleagues.

948. Visiting friends and getting to meet their twins.

949. Strawberry shortcake to celebrate our CEO's birthday.

950. Starting new craft projects.

951. Humira shot day.

952. Finally making it through my stack of things to do at work.

953. Talking wedding details with sweet friends.

954. Free Starbucks drinks.

955. The sun! It finally came out after several dreary days.

956. Fun and laughter at the MEF spelling bee.

957. Finally finished reading the book 1000 Gifts! :)

958. Starting a new book!

959. A hand-delivered Sonic drink from my Valentine.

960. He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane...oh how He loves.

961. Our core team who works so hard each Saturday.

962. Catching up with my sister-in-law.

963. Dinner with our church family.

964. Lunch with family- always good times and laughter.

965. Playing on the floor with my niece.

966. Working on craft projects with my hubby.

967. Another bank holiday.

968. Learning how to fold a fitted sheet :)

969. An afternoon movie with my love.

970. B-12 shots.

971. Laughing with my hubby.

972. Gelato and talking life with a young woman in our church.

973. Thankful the Lord didn't let me find Mike in college, like I had wanted.

974. Thankful the Lord didn't let me have a career in event planning, like I had wanted.

975. Dinner with our missional community group.

976. Truths from the Word that impact my heart and soul.

977. Hearing God's voice, whispering comfort and reassurance.

978. Catching up with my mom.

979. The gorgeous and {warm} weather over the weekend!

980. The promise of Spring.

981. Puppy snuggles.

982. My mom, who will take my panicked phone calls and calm me down.

983. Thankful for my mom's expertise with preschoolers.

984. Thankful I didn't have to teach last minute after all.

985. Lunch with my in-laws.

986. Hearing stories of my hubby's childhood :)

987. A bridal shower for a sweet friend.

988. Strength and endurance to make it through a difficult morning.

989. Warm {decaf} coffee.

990. The reassurance of God's faithfulness.

991. Knowing the Lord meets us and carries us when we are worn out.

992. Starting to grow something pretty.

993. Thankful for reminders of God's care and provision.

994. Thankful for peace above all understanding.

995. Thankful for when God sees our tears.

996. Thankful for when God sees our heartaches.

997. God's provision of finances in the past, helps me trust His provision for the future.

998. God's provision of health in the past, helps me trust His provision for the future.

999. Thankful for the Ebenezer Stones as reminders of His faithfulness.

1000. Thankful I have a hope and a future.

1001. Pay day.

1002. A clean house.

 

One Thousand Gifts :: The Book

I finally finished reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. It's better late than never, right? {I say that, considering I only have one month left of the joy dare...you know, the inspiration that was supposed to follow reading the book. Oh well}.

Anyway, there was a lot of hype around this book. A lot of people have recommended it to me, and several people have talked about it. Lots of women seem to be connecting with this book, so I thought it was worth reading to find out why.

There's always the danger of too much hype, because then expectations are unrealistically high. For me, that was the case for this book. So sadly, I was disappointed because it did not live up to all of the hype {in my opinion}. Most of my disappointment is my own personal genre preference; this book is written exclusively in romantic and poetic language...something that I struggle with. I tend to shoot straight, and Voskamp tends to take the scenic route :)  I like logic and good grammar; so if you are similar, you may find this book frustrating. I struggled to finish it, but wanted to see where her journey led her.

I agree with the basic premise of the book, that as believers we must live lives of thanksgiving to God. Voskamp challenges her readers to be grateful, even in the mundane, which ultimately helps us experience the presence of God. I love this idea, which is even why I have been making my own list of 1000 gifts these past few months. I too often miss all of the blessings the Lord provides every day.

I understand why women are connecting with this book; we can tend to take on too much, focusing our attention on endless schedules, tasks, to-do lists. In the mundane of the everyday, we can forget how to connect with God, and we can lose our focus. Voskamp writes about her personal journey to experience God again, in the midst of raising children and endless laundry. Her prescription is to simply list the beautiful things God has given her.

I would caution that there seems to be an over-emphasis on gratitude being the singular key/source to experiencing and knowing God. She seems to go as far as saying that our greatest saving grace is having a heart of gratitude. I certainly believe gratitude is part of the Christian life {even commanded}, but I think it is more of a by-product of the saving grace of Christ that comes to those who repent and place their faith in Him, rather than the source. I personally would have liked to see her emphasize finding Christ in the Scripture, rather than in the breeze or harvest moon. 

But of course, I probably just missed the meaning behind her poetic language :)

1000 Gifts #826-918

826. The beginning of a new year.

827. The comforting hug of a loved one.

828. Knowing that He comforts the brokenhearted.

829. The cold winter air outside.

830. The cozy warmth inside.

831. Taco salad for dinner.

832. Strength through a crazy week at work.

833. Friendships at work.

834. An impromptu dessert date with my love.

835. The old First Presbyterian building.

836. The new {to us} First Presbyterian building for our services.

837. The blue pipe and drape for our worship services.

838. {Finally} reading 1000 Gifts!

839. Making dinner for my love.

840. Seeing Mike preach at Mercy Church.

841. God's abundant provision for my medicine {again}.

842. Fresh groceries in our fridge.

843. A new prayer in my heart.

844. A good report from the doctor.

845. The difference of a year.

846. A best friend who lives close.

847. The setting sun at dusk...the close of a good day.

848. My reflection in the mirror...finally back at a healthy weight.

849. The light that chases the shadows away.

850. My adorable niece held.

851. The rainbows after the rain.

852. Lunch with my sister- and mother-in-law.

853. Lemon water.

854. Sweet tea.

855. Grilled fish tacos...cooked just right.

856. Starting a new Bible study.

857. A morning to get things checked off my to-do list.

858. Children's ministry training for our launch day.

859. Sundays to sleep in and truly rest.

860. The warmer weather, a chance to give the puppy a bath.

861. A celebratory dinner out with my love.

862. Gift of health.

863. Gift of organization.

864. Gift of ability to work hard.

865. Rest for a weary heart.

866. Being woken up early by the Lord to spend time with Him.

867. A night at Starbucks with the ladies of Redeemer.

868. Wearing the necklace Mike gave me for Christmas.

869. The sunshine...a promise of Spring to come.

870. Dinner and a night of missional community planning.

871. Sharing our coffee bar with friends.

872. Talking marriage with Sami and Adrian.

873. The excitement and anticipation of a wedding.

874. A husband who makes me laugh.

875. A husband who leads us in prayer.

876. New recipe success.

877. Encouragement from God's Word.

878. Conviction from God's Word.

879. A challenge from God's Word.

880. A day of running errands with my love.

881. The ability to give away clothes out of excess.

882. Organization.

883. Bank holidays.

884. Catching up on chores.

885. Coffee and conversation with Laura.

886. Birds in the sky.

887. Warmth in the water.

888. Making memories.

889. Grace for a new day.

890. Food shared.

891. Dinner and conversation with neighbors.

892. A surprise gift waiting for me at home.

893. The community of believers.

894. Sharing Jesus with college students.

895. A breakfast date with my love.

896. Hot {decaf} coffee on a cold day.

897. The quiet of bosses away to catch up on work.

898. Sleeping in.

899. Grace and comfort for my heart.

900. Pre-launch service #1 for Redeemer Church.

901. A day off to rest and feel better.

902. A warm and comfortable home.

903. Finally feeling better.

904. A pantry and fridge full of food.

905. A double oven!

906. My KitchenAid mixer.

907. Encouragement from friends.

908. Community with friends.

909. The blessing of having friends.

910. The song on the radio that leads me to worship.

911. Webinars to help me find answers.

912. Provision for medicine.

913. A good night's sleep after a terrible one.

914. Date night with my love.

915. Free birthday meals!

916. Pay day.

917. Relief from the cold temperatures.

918. Preparing to teach in our kids ministry.

1000 Gifts #733-825

733. My best friend's birthday.

734. Family.

735. He washed me white as snow.

736. Bright lights on our Christmas tree.

737. The sunshine on a day of grief and goodbyes.

738. Dinner and conversation with Grace and her kids.

739. Thankful for sweet, encouraging words from friends.

740. The light that shines in the darkness.

741. Bright, sunshining days.

742. A day off in the middle of the week.

743. Getting Christmas shopping done early!

744. Marriage counseling with a sweet couple in our church.

745. Thankful for green lights and a patient dentist!

746. Thankful for a warm house.

747. Thankful for safety on the icy roads.

748. Thankful for a sweet husband who drove me to work.

749. Thankful to be only 5 minutes from work.

750. Thankful for a warm bed.

751. Life eternal from my Savior.

752. Love and compassion from my Savior.

753. Mercy and grace from my Savior.

754. The beautiful icicles that hang from our house.

755. A warm cup of coffee held in my hand.

756. Hearing worshipful music at the Ross King concert.

757. The bitterness of the winter cold, but the beauty of the changing seasons.

758. The ugly brown snow, but the comfort of knowing the roads are becoming safe again.

759. Warmer temperatures!

760. The joy of exciting news for friends.

761. Enjoying leftover bundt cakes from our sweet neighbor.

762. Wrapping up another Bible study with the women in our group.

763. Ice cold sweet tea.

764. Ice cold coffee.

765. Ice cold water {apparently I like ice cold drinks}.

766. Thankful for strength through a crazy busy board day.

767. Thankful for hard but necessary conversations.

768. Thankful for a patient and forgiving husband.

769. Striped, warm socks.

770. A striped scarfs.

771. Christmas music at work.

772. Our first meeting in the new church building!

773. Finding the lost keys :)

774. A fun date out for a friend's wedding.

775. Sundays as a true Sabbath rest.

776. Rummikub rivalry with my love.

777. Attending the McKinney Chick-Fil-A Christmas party {Mike is their "store pastor"}

778. Lunch with co-workers.

779. Comfort when feeling disappointed.

780. Spaghetti pie!

781. Dinner with a sweet friend.

782. Taco Tuesdays at Rosa's Cafe.

783. The comfort of talking with someone who "has been there."

784. Finishing our Christmas shopping!

785. A fun day of running errands, making Christmas gifts, and hanging out with my love.

786. New friendships.

787. Crock pot meals.

788. Anticipating Christmas.

789. Answered prayers.

790. Christmas music!

791. Netflix fireplace...it may not be the real thing, but it's still fun :)

792. Nights in with my love in our pajamas.

793. Quiet mornings with cup of coffee and my Bible.

794. Early Christmas presents.

795. Redeemer Christmas party.

796. Crossing things off my to do list!

797. A home to clean and prepare for guests.

798. A fun date night with my husband to see Christmas lights.

799. The provision of a good job.

800. Spending holidays with my brother.

801. Catching up with Laura.

802. Half days on Christmas Eve.

803. The anticipation of Christ's coming.

804. Christmas Eve service with our First Presbyterian friends.

805. The coming of the Messiah.

806. The glory of God revealed.

807. Good news of great joy for all people!

808. Salvation in Christ.

809. Joy in Christ.

810. Faith in Christ.

811. The ability to go home to see my family.

812. Road trips with my love.

813. Hugs from my parents.

814. A second round of Christmas with family.

815. Yummy food shared with family.

816. Time spend with family.

817. Hope in things not seen.

818. Hope in eternal things.

819. Christmas on the River Walk.

820. Remembering all that the Lord has done for us this year.

821. Coffee and conversation with my mom.

822. Safe travel back home to McKinney.

823. A quiet day at the office before the start of a new year.

824. Thankful for a good year.

825. Anticipation of a new year.

1000 Gifts #643-732

643. A quick lunch before a weekend with church women.

644. Dinner around a campfire with friends.

645. S'mores!

646. Warm clothes by the fire.

647. A jacket in the cool morning.

648. Stretchy pants. I love me some stretchy pants :)

649. Seeing my husband after a few days of being away.

650. Watching my niece being dedicated at church.

651. Lunch with family.

652. Good report at the dermatologist.

653. An easy cure for new sicknesses.

654. A rainy day.

655. Strength for a new day.

656. The ability to go home at lunch to take care of a sick husband.

657. Sweet fellowship with the women in our church.

658. Strength for a long day.

659. Coming home to dinner already made.

660. Good conversation in marriage counseling for a sweet couple in our church.

661. The Lord's provision through generous partners.

662. Family birthday dinners.

663. Another Baylor win!

664. The last chai tea latte cupcake leftover from a friend.

665. A few pretzels for a snack.

666. Sipped hot chocolate in the afternoon.

667. Breakfast with Laura after a few long weeks without seeing each other.

668. Lunch with supporters.

669. The changing leaves.

670. Reading through Exodus, seeing the provision of Jesus as our Great High Priest.

671. Reading through Exodus, reminded of how the Lord provides for His people.

672. Reading through Exodus, thankful for Jesus as our "once for all" sacrifice.

673. Bank holidays.

674. Remembering our veterans and the sacrifices they have made.

675. Having an entire day to rest and snuggle with my hubby :)

676. Thankful for a break from our normal Bible study meeting.

677. Thankful for my sweet friend Morgan.

678. Thankful I could identify a flare quickly and that it didn't last long.

679. Thankful for the sunshine.

680. Thankful for how hard my husband is working on the church plant.

681. Thankful for Skype sessions with my parents.

682. Thankful for warm clothes.

683. Thankful for a warm home.

684. Thankful for date nights!

685. Thankful for a sweet puppy to take care of.

686. Thankful for being able to leave work on time!

687. Thankful for fun notes from my husband.

688. Serving in our community for Garage Giveaway.

689. Dreaming and planning for our new church home.

690. Dinner with the Rays.

691. An entire Sunday off! A rare but wonderful blessing.

692. Lunch with David and Laura.

693. Thankful for a patient and forgiving husband.

694. Thankful for scheduling provisions.

695. Thankful for our vet.

696. Dinner and games with friends.

697. Thankful for the smell of autumn in a leaves candle :)

698. Thankful for pumpkin pie from a neighbor.

699. Thankful for good discussions with my Bible study girls.

700. Thankful for a husband who helps me run errands and get things done.

701. Thankful for medicine arriving on time.

702. Thankful for an unplanned evening at home.

703. Thankful for my sweet brother and his generous heart.

704. Thankful for wonderful in-laws.

705. Thankful for our church family.

706. Grateful for countless blessings.

707. Grateful for Jesus.

708. Grateful for second chances.

709. Thankful for salvation in Christ alone.

710. Thankful for endurance and strength in Christ.

711. Thankful for grace and forgiveness in Christ.

712. Thankful for time spent with family.

713. Thankful for a Sunday Sabbath.

714. Thankful for peace and comfort from Jesus.

715. Thankful for a short commute to work.

716. Thankful for a heated house.

717. Thankful for the comfort of my husband.

718. Thankful for my husband on his birthday!

719. Thankful for answered prayers.

720. Thankful for health.

721. Thankful for time off from work.

722. Thankful for the ability to celebrate birthdays.

723. Thankful for my brother.

724. Thankful for Thanksgiving.

725. Thankful for family on Thanksgiving.

726. Thankful for yummy foods on Thanksgiving.

727. Thankful for the start of the Christmas season.

728. Thankful for the love of family.

729. Thankful for Fridays.

730. Thankful for a house to clean.

731. Thankful for a car to drive and maintain.

732. Thankful for laundry to do.

1000 Gifts #550-642

550. Orange fall decorations.

551. Orange sunsets.

552. A sweet and thoughtful surprise from my Bible study ladies!

553. The leaves {sort of} falling for fall.

554. Catching up over warm soup and a potato with Laura.

555. The falling temperatures.

556. Thankful for vaccines to prevent the flu.

557. Letting go of heart desires to trust God.

558. First night of pre-marriage counseling with a couple in our church.

559. Thankful for Fridays...it was a tough week.

560. The reminder that this world and life are temporary.

561. BOGO free ice cream with my love at Baskin Robbins!

562. Thankful for the Spirit's restraint in frustrating situations.

563. An encouraging lunch with a family from Wind River Ranch.

564. A night at home alone.

565. Forgiveness and grace for when I am short with my husband.

566. Exciting announcements in our church!

567. Visitors to our home group.

568. Grilled quesadillas for dinner.

569. Stirring the pot of cilantro lime rice.

570. Eating a home cooked meal.

571. Praying over the women in our Bible study group.

572. Meeting a new family that has moved to McKinney.

573. Hearing answered prayer shared throughout our church.

574. Praise for sweet prayer partners.

575. Praise for dinner with supporters.

576. Praise for the gifts the Lord uses in each of us.

577. A sleepover night with some kids in our church.

578. Sacrificing time to serve others.

579. Long days at work that leave me dependent on Him.

580. Change of seasons.

581. Change of responsibilities at work.

582. Change of schedules.

583. Enjoying a day out with my husband.

584. Enjoying the zoo and the creatures God has made.

585. Enjoying the beautiful sunshine after the rain.

586. Pumpkin carving with our church family.

587. A house full of laughter and friends.

588. New friends in the neighborhood.

589. Bank holidays!

590. A day to sleep while it rains.

591. Dinner with friends and celebrating new babies.

592. Thankful for protection from sickness.

593. Thankful for sweet neighbors who open their homes.

594. Thankful for a fun movie night with my Bible study girls.

595. Leaves scented candle burning.

596. Conversations with my husband before bed time.

597. My husband heart in wanting to lead our relationship well.

598. Thankful for all of the rain to replenish the earth.

599. Discussing hard but timeless truths in a public setting.

600. Thankful for assistance with projects at work.

601. A win for Baylor homecoming.

602. Welcoming the newbie at work...and realizing how not too long ago it used to be me.

603. Coffee/Dessert with sweet supporters.

604. A morning to learn about holistic medicines.

605. Lunch with my aunt and the restoration of relationships.

606. Dinner with Mike's parents.

607. The Lord's constant provision.

608. Non-territorial churches in the city who want to partner together to spread the gospel.

609. A place to meet for our growing church.

610. The "problem" of too many women planning to attend our first women's retreat.

611. A sweet and generous vet who takes good care of our puppy.

612. The blessing of having our sweet puppy.

613. The calming silence in the mornings before the busy day.

614. Being still, knowing He is God.

615. The strength to make it through a long day.

616. Still thankful for Humira...as much as I get frustrated with its cost.

617. Finishing {most of} my work before vacation.

618. Catching up with Laura...always an encouragement to my heart.

619. Time off work to visit my parents.

620. Travel safety to San Antonio.

621. Thankful for Mike's parents loving and taking care of Sasha.

622. The blessing of still having all 4 grandparents.

623. Enjoying dinner at Alamo Cafe with my parents.

624. Enjoying yogurt outside in the beautiful weather.

625. Breakfast with Lauren and Miguel.

626. Time spent catching up with high school friends at our reunion.

627. Thankful for all the Lord has done in my life since high school.

628. Humbling to spend time in prayer over the building.

629. Honoring to partner with other churches in spreading the gospel.

630. Happy for the partnerships in the gospel through the Acts 29 network.

631. Rest in Christ.

632. Comfort in Christ.

633. Freedom in Christ.

634. Thankful that getting to work before-the-sun-comes-up early is no longer a daily occurrence.

635. Thankful I am no longer dependent on caffeine.

636. Thankful for protection from the sickness around me.

637. Rainy days.

638. Feeling better.

639. Getting rest.

640. Generosity of church supporters.

641. Prayers of church supporters.

642. Encouragement of church supporters.

1000 Gifts #460-549

 

460. The long days of summer.

461. The warmth of the summer sun.

462. The lazy days of summer {even if they are few and far between!}

463. A fresh haircut.

464. Walking through a freshly cut lawn.

465. Time with both sets of my grandparents; thankful I still have all 4!

466. An extra day off from work.

467. Reflecting on our study in the first half of Exodus.

468. Encouraging conversations with sweet friends.

469. The cooler mornings leading up to fall.

470. The waning warmth of summer.

471. Dinner with the sweet Wilsons.

472. The cooler temperatures of autumn.

473. The changing of seasons and welcome of autumn.

474. Pumpkin Spice Lattes :)

475. The new bushes growing in our front yard.

476. Watching our little church family grow.

477. The growth that comes from the Holy Spirit.

478. Getting snuggles from my sweet niece while her mama got a much-needed nap.

479. Lunch with my mother- and sister-in-law.

480. Helping our neighbor switch out his truck bed.

481. Thankful for time with our Redeemer family.

482. Thankful for sales at the grocery store.

483. Thankful for an early bed time.

484. God's abundant mercy.

485. A clean heart that only comes from God.

486. Hearing another person's story.

487. The first Redeemer Church baptism service.

488. Watching sweet friends get baptized!

489. My husband's unconditional love.

490. Thankful for grace.

491. Thankful for joy.

492. Thankful for a specific season of Thanksgiving.

493. Wisdom in His Word.

494. Conviction in His Word.

495. Encouragement in His Word.

496. The scent of my favorite fall candle- Leaves :)

497. Date nights on the couch in front of a movie.

498. A good night's rest after a few hard nights.

499. An encouraging lunch with other Acts 29 wives.

500. Catching up with my brother over Sonic Happy hour.

501. Dinner with sweet friends.

502. Grocery shopping with my love; thankful that he is willing to go with me.

503. Fall decorations out...even though it's still 90 degrees outside :)

504. Thankful for a home to decorate.

505. Strength and energy for a really long day.

506. Sharing an overview of our weekend with my sweet co-worker.

507. The much-needed rain!!

508. Ugly cries with your husband that mean a stronger relationship.

509. Having to be patient for a surprise, knowing it's a good one.

510. Fighting with insurance companies and pharmacies...only to realize how thankful I am to have access to both.

511. Early bed times.

512. A company that cares about my health and wellness.

513. The date night jar my husband made for us!

514. Laughter in a conversation with a co-worker.

515. Encouragement in a conversation with a friend.

516. Our monthly Faith & Culture event that encourages thoughtful conversation.

517. Freedom in salvation.

518. Redemption in salvation.

519. Grace in salvation.

520. Breakfast with my best friend.

521. Spending time with kids in our church.

522. Productive Saturdays.

523. Watching a friend finish her 1st half marathon.

524. A husband who is willing to get up early with me to watch her finish her 1st half marathon.

525. Sundays filled with church family and activities.

526. The quietness of the early morning.

527. The beautiful "fall" weather {at least in the mornings and evenings right now!}

528. Walks with my husband around the neighborhood.

529. The reminder of being set apart, grafted into the family of God.

530. Strength for a long day.

531. Conviction from God's Word.

532. The confidence of knowing God is sovereign and always provides.

533. The ability to go home for lunch.

534. Sunshine.

535. Early mornings with Jesus.

536. Cuddles with my puppy.

537. Holding down the fort at the office...makes me thankful for my sweet colleage Cindy.

538. Pumpkin Pie Spice creamer :)

539. A Friday evening spent baking my favorite cake for sweet friends.

540. A Friday evening baby-sitting our neighbors' adorable son.

541. Watching dear friends get married.

542. Catching up with Woodcreek friends.

543. Family dinner with friends.

544. Chick-Fil-A on a Sunday ;)  {Mike got to preach at our local store...no chicken though}.

545. Thankful for enough to cover our expenses this month.

546. Thankful for the rain.

547. Thankful for the promise of a new glorified body one day.

548. Thankful for the cooler weather.

549. Thankful for strength to make it through a hard day. 

 

1000 Gifts #367-459

367. A place to call home.

368. Time reflecting on all the Lord has done for us.

369. Catching up with my newly married friend after her honeymoon.

370. Good results back from my bloodwork.

371. Impromptu lunch with my love.

372. The gift of the weekend.

373. Phone conversations with old friends.

374. The gift of seeing old friends.

375. Going to sleep early.

376. Sitting in our core team meeting, excited about what God has for us.

377. Sitting at dinner with new friends.

378. Sitting on the couch with the one you love.

379. The warm temperatures outside.

380. The cooler temperatures inside.

381. Thankful that we live close to work and can share one car when the other is being repaired.

382. Iced water on a hot summer day.

383. Clean water for showers, laundry, and washing dishes.

384. Coffee and conversations about life and Jesus with a friend.

385. "Keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you."{Proverbs 7:1}

386. "There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." {Luke 15:10}

387. "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." {Psalm 23:1}

388. A summer painting sesson to celebrate a sweet co-worker getting married.

389. Being reminded of how seasons change in life.

390. Enjoying the last drops of summer.

391. Double date night with sweet friends.

392. Time to rest and recoup from the crazy week.

393. Our home filled with friends and fellowship.

394. Being reminded of our true hope.

395. The joy of serving our community alongside the body of Christ.

396. Thankful for a sweet time of hanging out with women, talking life and working on craft projects.

397. The blessing of returning to our home church for Mike to preach.

398. The support and love we receive from our friends and family at Woodcreek.

399. Comfort and peace from the Father that surpassing all understanding.

400. The blessing of celebrating my dad's birthday.

401. New mercies every morning.

402. Seeing God's provision and trusting His promises when we can't see the provision yet.

403. New faces at Bible study.

404. Women who are growing in the Word, willing to step outside their comfort zones.

405. Oreos waiting at home for me, a thoughtful gift from my husband.

406. My wedding ring, which is a constant reminder of God's grace to me in Mike.

407. God's provision in my Humira costs.

408. A GI doctor and nurse who are willing to fight insurance companies/pharmacies on my behalf.

409. My raise took effect today!

410. A great turnout for our last Faith & Culture night of the summer.

411. Thankful for favor with my bosses.

412. Having dinner with our sweet neighbors, thankful for their friendship.

413. Thankful for Fridays and the blessing of a restful weekend.

414. A sweet gift from my mom, just because.

415. Waking up without an alarm.

416. Breakfast with my best friend.

417. Saturday. No work, and a day at home to catch up on things.

418. Spending time with my brother.

419. Catching up on my Bible study lesson.

420. Writing a letter to my sweet boy in India.

421. Mercies that are new every morning.

422. Coming home to my husband making dinner.

423. Saying goodbye to summer with snow cones with my love.

424. Access to medicine and doctors.

425. Working at a Top 100 Place to Work in DFW.

426. New visitors to Bible study.

427. Knowing that God never changes.

428. Knowing that God is always faithful.

429. Knowing that God is near.

430. Getting to wake up when it's light outside.

431. Lunch with a sweet friend.

432. Reminding ourselves of all the Lord has done through sharing stories of our church.

433. The weekend. Always thankful for the weekend.

434. Catching up with old friends.

435. Looking through old photos and fun memories.

436. Getting to see family.

437. Sharing ministry experience with others.

438. Seeing the passion the Lord places on people's hearts.

439. Gentle and encouraging words from my husband.

440. Grocery shopping at an off time.

441. Dinner with sweet friends.

442. Good relationships with co-workers.

443. A sweet husband who takes care of me.

444. A good night's sleep.

445. Waking up feeling better.

446. Snuggles with my puppy.

447. Thankful for a sweet husband who takes care of me even when he has had a bad day.

448. Thankful for not vomiting on my boss {because it almost happened}.

449. Thankful for understanding bosses when I am sick.

450. Thankful for sick days.

451. One amazing husband.

452. Two sweet friends to hang out with.

453. Three day weekends.

454. Extra vacation days to make it a four day weekend!

455. Road trips with Mike and Michael :)

456. Thankful for the "no's" that protect us from less than God's best.

457. Time spent with family over a long weekend.

458. Time away to rest and recharge.

459. Time off from work.