3 Benefits of Month-Long Gratitude-Fest

“Days pass, years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles” (Jewish Sabbath prayer). 

I want to see and acknowledge the miracles, the blessings, I encounter.

Seeking the good in life makes us more aware of the good around us.

I want to be like the grateful leper in Luke 17:11-19.  After he was healed by Jesus, this ONE leper acknowledged the miracle by purposefully seeking out Jesus to say thanks to Him. Nine did not.

I want to be more intentional during the month of November about expressing personal gratitude.

Therefore during November I am writing or posting a photo about something for which I am grateful. 

To read the post that spawned this idea, go to Personal Gratitude Prevents Burnout.

 I have benefited in 3 ways from this month-long gratitude-fest.

1. It has helped me to seek out God and thank Him for what I have received: the big miracles and the small ones. It has been reinforced again and again, that all these good gifts, all these blessings, have not come out of thin air or by chance. They have come from the hand of and by the will of God.
2. This deliberate seeking of daily blessings has made me more aware of my surroundings. I am intentionally thinking about what people are doing that affects me in a positive way. And because I write them down, I am remembering them longer. I notice again and again how blessed I truly am by the actions of others.
3. I have become more deliberate about blessing others. I’ve seen how positively impacted I’ve been by the blessings of God and others and so I want to pass on that same positive impact to others.

Below are the 30 things that made my gratitude list. Click on the hot-linked day to read more about each day’s blessing. These miracles are written towards the end of each post.

• Day 1 – Four women from church are helping out in the office for this month because our 2 regulars are unavailable.
• Day 2 – I listed 5 unrelated things on this Friday’s Fave Five Post.
• Day 3 – Hearing HOW TO specifically meet some needs of homeless students empowers me.
• Day 4 – Quotes impact me. This one helped me see my world in a different way.
• Day 5 – Time with my niece (E) who let me take all the photos I wanted was today’s gratitude.
• Day 6 – I didn’t notice the extra hour on Sunday, but I did this day.
• Day 7 – My Wednesday work schedule encourages me.
• Day 8 – God heard and answered a prayer through someone who didn’t even know I had a need.
• Day 9 – My life coach is helping me sort out a few things and doing it well.
• Day 10 – I connected with others on Facebook this morning.
• Day 11 – A couple from church purposefully makes me feel like I belong.
• Day 12 – God wants to have an intimate relationship with me!
• Day 13 – I am surrounded by people who help me do my job.
• Day 14 – I meet weekly with my Spanish partner.
• Day 15 – I listed 5 things from this past week on my FFF post.
• Day 16 – I have a sound, creative mind that isn’t overwhelmed by fear.
• Day 17 – My two functioning hands help me in many ways.
• Day 18 – Because I have freedom of worship, I can believe differently and assemble with other believers without danger. 
• Day 19 – A yearly Thanksgiving meal with extended family allows us to catch up and reaffirm our family bond.
• Day 20 – The Neighborhood Meals staff gave their time, energy, & resources so others could have a turkey dinner with all the fixings.
• Day 21 – God has a history of being faithful towards me and family and friends.
• Day 22 – 5 Reasons I am thankful for Thanksgiving.
• Day 23 – Benjamin Rush, an ancestor, followed God with love, dedication, and intelligence.
• Day 24 – Christmas ornament kits were donated to Children’s ministry.
• Day 25 – Couples who purposefully are servants, respectful, and maturing in order to safeguard their marriage.
• Day 26 – Simple, thoughtful gifts can pack a huge emotional punch of love.
• Day 27 – Making memories and then recalling them from year-to-year.
• Day 28 – Crafting is fun, a stress reliever, and is a bonding experience.
• Day 29 – Books in general and books that bring me closer to God in specific make today’s list.
• Day 30 – The month ended with a post of five gratitudes since it is Friday’s Fave Five.

Your Turn . . .

1. Have you ever written down what you are grateful for? Have you done that for a month? If yes, describe your experience.
2. Are you sightless or sighted today? Share a recent miracle you’ve seen.

Related Posts . . . 

• 3 Ways to Get More Gratitude Into Your Life
• 8 Different Ways to Express Gratitude
• Bathroom Stalls Display Verses About Thanks-Giving
• Bulletin Board Gives Reason to Stop Worrying & To Praise God
• Knowing How To Help Makes Me Grateful
• Sending Encouragement to a Mom – Gratitude Project (I have written 5 other letters for this series so far.)