An Introduction to Thursday Thankful Moments

While trying to meet a self-imposed deadline for my second full length historical fiction novel, God laid it on my heart to begin a series of posts on thankfulness. It may seem like nothing to start a new project like this right now, but with opportunities to pitch my work to literary agents via zoom in mid-September, and about 30,000 words to go on my work-in-progress, the pressure is on. Yet, I know God has something very special in store for this series. Even if it’s only for me. Even if it’s just to glorify His goodness. Even if it’s just to encourage one reader.

What will these posts be about, you ask? Thankfulness for what? The answer to that question has me so excited, because it’s all about God and the Scriptures He’s given us. About the amazing facets of Him and His love for us. I’m excited to lift Him high in my little corner of the internet, and so thrilled for the weeks to come, so stayed tuned for #ThursdayThankfulMoments.

I’m not sure how long this series will run, because my list of topics keeps growing. Now more than ever we need to keep our eyes on the Lord. Now more than ever we need to keep the Word of God at the forefront of our thoughts.

This has been a difficult year for … well, I have yet to talk to even one person who hasn’t found 2020 hard. But God is asking us not to be like the complaining Israelites in the wilderness. What would have happened if they had bit their tongue (to see a recent post on this, click here)? Been grateful to be free from slavery? Instead, some said that life had been better with Pharaoh (see Numbers 14).

God has been showing me the importance of retraining my heart to be thankful—after all, what’s in our hearts will somehow leak out:

The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart.

Luke 6:45 NET

God is so good, and He’s given us everything we need to be steadfast in this season. It’s in His Word, it’s in prayer and when we spend time praising and worshipping Him.

We need God now more than ever. And it’s amazing … as I began preparing these posts, I didn’t have to look far before I found so many amazing things about our God to be thankful for, and to be in awe of.

Anyone who knows me well knows I love to have praise and worship on in my home … and I can’t think of a better way to end this introduction than to share a song now. Here’s the Desert Song from Hillsong. Be sure to check back next Thursday for a short and sweet devotional, a moment to stop and be thankful for the God we serve and all His promises.