November 2024 - Give Thanks in Everything
It’s Thanksgiving. A time for family, feasting, even fun. But for many of us, Thanksgiving is a hard time: Family is far away. Our person lost the election. Illness brings fear and uncertainty. Finances are tight. A prodigal causes conflict and heartbreak. These things and more make it difficult to be thankful.
But that is exactly what we need to do. Give thanks.
God is so clear in Scripture: “Pray about everything, with thanksgiving. In all things, give thanks.”
Why does He say this? How can we do it? He says it because He knows giving thanks is the fastest way to change us.
When we say, “Thank You, Lord,” we are saying, “I believe You are God and I believe You are good. It doesn’t feel like it right now, but I choose to believe it.”
That step of faith and obedience does a couple of wonderful things. It begins to change my focus. Instead of centering on the pain, I center on God. That changes so many things in my mind and my emotions. I begin to experience peace in the midst of turmoil, hope when there seems to be none.
And in ways I don’t fully understand, it begins to open doors—sometimes just a crack, sometimes wide open—for God to work. We begin to get glimpses of answers to our prayers, of more steps forward than backward, of new attitudes. And occasionally of outright transformation.
So my encouragement to you this Thanksgiving season is to do just that: Give thanks. How? Every day, name or write down at least one thing for which you are thankful. By Thanksgiving Day you would have named many different things you are grateful for. But if one is all you can manage, God will gladly receive that.
Launching Beyond
October 1 was Launch Day for Beyond: Creating a Life You Love After 50, 60, 70 and More.
This book is an amazing resource for women (and men) as they move through the decades of life. More than 300 questions that people ask are answered in a collaborative, personal, often fun way by the other three authors: Mary Henderson, Carol Dodd, and Lyn Alexander. My role was writing some special sections. The Resource Center gives many helps and places for help.
In October I was in Austin and Atlanta for two of our many launch parties. Enjoy the pictures. And you can order the book in your favorite store or on Amazon. We would be so grateful for your review.
Hurricane Milton
This hurricane was a big deal. Those in the direct path suffered and lost so much. While still a Cat 5 in the Gulf, it launched tornadoes across Florida to the Atlantic Coast. Most people in Orlando had minor damage and short times without power. I slept through it and lost no power—so grateful.
3 Books for Advent
One Wintry Night: A Classic Retelling of the Christmas Story, from Creation to the Resurrection by Ruth Bell Graham
A snowy night, a warm cabin, and a boy who hears the Christmas story for the first time.
A Radiant Birth: Advent Readings for a Bright Season by Leslie Leyland Fields (Editor), Paul J. Willis (Editor) and many great storytellers.
"At the birth of Jesus, an event of cosmic significance by which we humans still mark our calendars, the invisible and visible worlds come together." ―Philip Yancey
The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God by Dallas Willard
Not specifically for Advent, but a great new book to read during the Advent season, or anytime.
Remembering Steve
October 29 marked two years since Steve moved to Glory. What a joy and blessing for him!! But still hard for me.
For the week leading up to the anniversary, I posted a lot of different items about and by him. You could see them if you follow me on FB (https://www.facebook.com/JeedooDouglass/).
Or you could check out these links in a variety of posts about Steve: https://judydouglass.com/stevedouglass
Oh how he loved to laugh!!
With gratitude and blessing to you,
Judy