Gratitude

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:8 NIV

What are you thankful for today?

Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong, what you don’t have or what you can’t do

Think about what’s good, what you do have and what you can do

Give thanks to God for the good things and good people in your life

Don’t be too quick to overlook the gifts and blessings God has given you

He has promised to care for you and provide for your needs

Take a look at these verses Philippians 4:19; Jeremiah 29:11; Isaiah 41:10; John14:27

Thanks be to God for all He has done for us and continues to do in our daily lives

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100 NIV

(This photo was taken at Palisade Head along the north shore of Lake Superior)

Go Tell Others About Him

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

Father God, we are so grateful that we get to be a part of Your great story

Thank You for having a plan and a purpose for our lives

Help us to be courageous to be able to step out in faith and do what You have called us to do

We love You and want to honor You by telling others about You

In Jesus name, Amen

The Commission by CAIN

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“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Give Thanks To The Lord

“Praise the Lord.[a]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.”

Psalm 106:1 NIV

We are saved by grace

We cannot earn it nor do we deserve it

It is a gift from God

Let us give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for us

He is with us, He loves us and He will never leave us

Forever by Chris Tomlin

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
    Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100:1-5 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Put Your Hope In God

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.”

Psalm 42:11 NIV

God is greater than anything we will face in this world

He is the Creator and Savior

Seek Him and His Word

Find rest for your soul

Put your hope in God

Find Rest by Francesca Battistelli

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

His Ways…

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.”[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

It’s not about you

The message in the Bible is clear you should not be at the center of your life

This is not to say that you don’t need to properly care for your mind, body and spirit that is clearly outlined in the Bible as well

However, everything that happens should not be viewed only from the perspective of self

We all have a purpose and a role in God’s story…

If you want to understand what that is, seek Him

Consider a different perspective…an eternal perspective

Trust in the Lord…His ways are higher than our ways

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“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:2 NIV

(This photo was taken near Dillon, Colorado)

Compassion and Grace

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Psalm 103:8 NIV

“He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”

Jonah 4:2 NIV

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But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

(This photo was taken near Winterset, Iowa)

Patience And Hope

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Our Rock…A Firm Foundation

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield[b] and the horn[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

Father God, there is no one besides You

You are the only One who is holy and worthy of our praise

Thank You for being our Rock and the firm foundation we can build our lives upon!

We are grateful that You are always faithful, never changing, and the One we can put our trust in

We love You!

In Jesus name, Amen

Firm Foundation (He Won’t) by Cody Carnes

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It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in humans.”

Psalms 118:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park)

Trust

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Father God, when we are anxious and afraid, we will put our trust in You

We will rely on You no matter what comes our way because You are our source of strength and safety

You guide us and You fight for us

When we draw near to You, we have nothing to fear, because we know that You are in control

We know You will never leave us or abandon us and so we put our trust in You

In Jesus name, Amen

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken on a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Be Courageous In The Faith

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

There are many elements of life working against those desiring to follow Jesus

The world, the flesh and Satan all are like a rushing river of water trying to keep us away from God and His Word

We must learn to stand firm in the faith…to be courageous

To speak the truth with respect, kindness and compassion

Remembering God is with you, no matter what

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Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)