One Thousand Gifts - and one for you!

Dear grateful friends,

Everybody is dealing with something pretty challenging in their life, something that could potentially challenge their joy - a husband leaving for boot camp or deployment, a difficult landlord, a death in the family, miserable weather, a grave illness, or any number of other unhappy circumstances.

A neighbor's house, broken into and vandalized the day I
moved ... I can tell you, she was not too happy! 

And yet, we still have so many precious gifts - too many to ignore, so much that they outweigh our sorrows.  Even in the face of grim events, His glory and His majesty continue to surround us.

As long as thanks is possible, then joy is possible. 

                                                           Ann Voskamp

                                                                    One Thousand Gifts

I have thoroughly enjoyed receiving encouragement from one of my favorite blogs, Ann Voskamp's A Holy Experience blog.  Posts like this one remind me to push past my comfortable places to experience the painful places of growth, and to learn of His comforting.

I mentioned Ann's blog before; and now I'd like to let you know about her book, One Thousand Gifts.  This phenomenal little book rocketed up to the bestselling lists within days of its January 2011 publication.  I knew I had to read it; the publisher sent me a copy to read and review here for you.

In this book, Ann talks about learning to be grateful.  Not just generalized "I'm thankful for my blessings" type thanks, but specific, concrete thanksgiving - like for sunshine warming the car, for ice-cold water from the fridge, for the redemption of the cross.  Ann started keeping a journal to write all of her thanksgivings down in, numbering them one at a time - initially, her goal was to reach 1,000 ... but she couldn't stop there!

If you get a copy of her book, I suggest reading it with a pen and a highlighter in hand!  There are things you will want to remember, mark forever.  And as an added bonus that I do not charge extra for, you'll be pleased to know that thankfulness is good for the soul, and healthy for the body - science backs it up!

Ann has started a virtual journal online to start cataloging the gifts that we are all finding in our everyday life - visit the site and join the conversation!  Find an old journal or something you can use start listing your one thousand gifts in!

Here's something to be grateful for: I am offering a journal giveaway for you to start recording your own list of thanksgiving!  In the comments section below, post your name & email (like this: andrea . globetrotter (at) gmail dot com ... so that automated spammers don't find it) and one thing that you are grateful for, and I will randomly select a winner on the 17th to receive this blank journal.

I hope you enjoy perusing her book and her blog as much as I have!

Giving thanks,

Mrs H

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