Pause

Being together brings us great feelings of unity, joy, and strength. Think about the people and places, near and far, where you find community.

Pause today and know you also belong to God’s community.

Listen

Enter his gates with thanks; enter his courtyards with praise! Thank him! Bless his name! Because the Lord is good, his loyal love lasts forever; his faithfulness lasts generation after generation.

Psalm 100:4-5

Think

Social researcher and author Brené Brown said, “What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.” We often miss opportunities to offer thanks because we have become used to expecting good things to happen to us. If we are accustomed to this attitude, it becomes hard to stop and offer thanks for even the smallest of things. We think we deserve all the good stuff because of our sense of entitlement. We either forget or intentionally neglect to express gratitude.

As individuals, when we stop to practice gratitude, we begin to recognize God’s goodness and faithfulness that have been there all along. It’s the same for our communities of faith. Our community grows stronger when we prioritize being grateful. When we are grateful for each other, grateful for all the ways we are blessed, grateful for abundance, and grateful for meaningful relationships, we can see more clearly the faithful God who holds all of us together. A community that practices gratitude is a healthy community.

How can you practice gratitude today? What are ways you can encourage your community to express gratitude?

Allison Blay

Pray

Thank you, God, for your faithfulness and goodness in my life. Thank you for being hope in tough times and joy in celebration. Help me today with renewed vision to be thankful and truly grateful for all the ways you show up in my life. Amen.

Go

Go with humility and grace, opening your arms to those around you.

Go with your eyes open to see new people and places to love.

Go, being fully you and celebrate the joy of the Lord.

Go, be together.