Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss – a book review

“If I fail to choose gratitude, by default, I choose ingratitude,” (Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy).

Bad habits are hard to break and easy to start.             “How often do we neglect to return thanks for a kindness done, a duty performed, or a step saved? . . . It really is surprising how easily ingratitude can worm its way into our habit patterns,” (Nancy DeMoss).

It is easy for me to become too focused on the worries of life. This leads me to feel defeated, fearful, and cranky.

Periodically I do something to combat that slide into self. I make time to think and write why I am grateful for various things.

• I usually write a weekly post for Friday’s Fave Five. This is where we list 5 favourite things from the previous week.
• In November and July I typically write a gratitude post each day.
• I have written a series of posts titled, “5 Reasons I Love . . .“. So far there are 18 posts.

And I try to read about gratitude. A thoughtful and helpful book I read was Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy. 

This book has 9 chapters, a 30 day devotional, and a list of gratitude hymns.

When you read the following Table of Contents, what do you think?

1. The Power of Gratitude
2. Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude
3. No Thanks
4. Why Choose Gratitude
5. Of Whiners and Worshipers
6. How Can I Say Thanks?
7. Thanks . . .  for Everything
8. But Not Without Sacrifice
9. Going Gratitudinal

When I read the Table of Contents, it shows me that gratitude-living is intentional, difficult, and life-changing. This is a little scary. And yet, this is something I want to pursue and must in order to fully live a life of love toward God, my Saviour.

Each chapter had gems. I underlined quotes to ponder and share and I wrote responses to “ouch” statements in the margins of the book.  The brightest gems, or at least the one I’ve thought most about is found in chapter 3, No Thanks pp 53-56.

Ingratitude is one of our enemy’s most lethal weapons. . . So much of what is wrong in our lives-out of sync, out of sorts, out of harmony- can be traced back to this root of ingratitude.

So we must guard our hearts against it at every turn, watching for the telltale signs, feelings, and attitudes that can set it off in us; things such as [these following Instigators of Ingratitude]:

• Unrealistic expectations
• Forgetfulness
• Entitlement
• Comparison
• Blindness to God’s Grace

If you’d like help in making gratitude a stronger habit in your life,

• Reading and applying the thoughts from this book is a good place to start.
• Going through this book with someone else is an even better idea.
• In fact, I am even thinking starting a small group. I just looked at my calendar and I am praying.

Your Turn . . .

1. How are you doing in the gratitude department?
2. Are there any changes you’d like to make?
3. If you’ve read this book, what was a gem you discovered?
4. Are you interested in doing a small group study of this book with me?

Related Posts . . . 

• 3 Benefits of Month-Long Gratitude-Fest
• Gratitude is a Feeling, a Capacity, and a Choice 
• Personal Gratitude Prevents Burnout
• Six Benefits Adults Receive by Writing Thank You Notes

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FYI. During April I participated in the A-Z Challenge. Most of the posts were from drafts that are at least a year old. I want to clear out my draft pile (193 as of May 15, 2013). So I am continuing to make a special effort to finish those. This is one such post.