"What's the big deal about thankfulness anyway?" young Brandi asked her mom.

Mom gave a sweet, simple response, "Well, being thankful every day brings you closer to God."

"How?" she questioned.

"When you are thankful, it shows God how grateful and appreciative of his gifts that you are. It is a way to show your appreciation for the beautiful things in life."

Brandi smiled, "Even my cat? I really like my cat."

"Especially your cat!" she smiled.

It is essential to encourage your kids or students to be thankful for all God has given to us. Their daily prayers can show how grateful they are and not just another task on the chore list. Perhaps we could be more intentional about this.

So speaking of intentional ...

It is the season of giving thanks, and we want to thank you for reading this blog. The Bible tells us that "giving thanks always makes us better" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Thanksgiving is a time when Christians are encouraged to stop, reflect on all our blessings, and give God glory for who He is. As loved ones surround you during this holiday season, take some time to be thankful. If you focus on what's working in your life instead of what isn't, your faith will grow stronger every day.

But you already know that ... right? (*hopes you nodded*)

Being thankful DOES bring you closer to God. Even though this may seem like a simple task, it is often difficult for people worldwide. As children, we are taught how important being grateful truly is. As adults, many of us take that away from our lives because life gets busy or complicated with things happening, making us forget about what matters in life.

There will always be obstacles. It is these same challenges that allow us to grow our character! We can choose to be grateful that God put us ON that journey, even if it is difficult.

The Bible teaches us the best way to live and how to live out gratefulness--to give thanks in all circumstances and remember that whatever good comes your way is a gift from above (James 1:17). So this Thanksgiving season, let's take some time out of each day to say Thank You with all our hearts!

It's one thing to thank God for someone, but why don't we thank THEM? Gifts are great; notes are truly special. But SAYING thank you and WHY? Now that's something. So better sooner than later, let's say thank you to these people ...

Family

This Thanksgiving season, I want to challenge you to see your family as a blessing and not a burden. Take some time this week to write down all of the things you are thankful for in life and how they have impacted you and those around you. Next, share with someone else what we're grateful for – whether it's something big or small – because sharing our blessings with others will help us grow closer as a family.

Being thankful doesn't just happen on Thanksgiving. It's something you should try to do every day, no matter what. And being grateful FOR your family brings you closer TO your family because it changes your perspective of life, which can help out everyone around you.

Give thanks for them any time, but ... say, "Thanks" to them today as well. Even if they don't admit it, I promise you will make their day.

School Friends: Inspiring Gratitude in Young Lives

Sunday school classrooms are vibrant places where gratitude can take root and grow in young hearts. Consider your class as a garden filled with potential, where each child blooms with the encouragement of a grateful spirit. By fostering a sense of appreciation for school friends, you create a warm environment where children learn the value of friendship and kindness. Please encourage them to see the unique qualities in each classmate and express their gratitude for having companions who journey with them through both joys and challenges. Remind them that little gestures, like a smile or a heartfelt "thank you," can turn their school days into a tapestry of cherished friendships. By modelling gratitude and nurturing these relationships, you help shape children who are not only thankful but empowered to bring positivity and kindness into their classrooms and beyond.

Parents

You may think this is an easy one, but it's not for everybody. If it's easy, then don't forget to thank them. If it's NOT ... consider this: You might not believe that your parents are the best people in the world. But ... even if they are somewhat dysfunctional in their lives, they still gave YOU life.

Maybe they don’t understand you, or they aren’t there for you when you need them to be, or maybe at one point they made a choice to let someone else take care of you (um ... that's love, btw).

Regardless of any angst towards our parents, they are responsible for giving us life. And even if it was a difficult birth or a difficult life that YOU had to make positive, we can still celebrate them and be thankful for their contribution to who we are today.

If you can verbally thank them, DO IT. It DOES make a difference. You may, for whatever reason, not be able to verbally thank your parents for giving you life, but you can indeed verbally thank God, who found a way for you to have the life you do.

"That Friend Who ..."

I know life can be challenging, but we can also see all the good stuff. And one way you could do something about it is by remembering what makes your friendships work. Please take a minute to appreciate those little moments in our lives when friends show up because they add so much to our lives.

When we appreciate them, that appreciation is like a gift from God as well. A friend will smile BACK at you or chat with you over dinner - sometimes we take our friends for granted because they've always been there. But that is why we should TELL them "thank you." They have mega-importance because of all the things they have given to us through this beautiful journey called "life."

Do you have one of those friends who will drop everything JUST to be there for you? I know I do. Don't just be relieved they were there; TELL THEM.
 

It's easy to take life for granted and focus on the negative. But we hope you will pause today to be thankful for all of those who make your world a better place, whether it is family members, co-workers, parents or even the freedom to practice religion as you see fit! And don't forget about "the little things." Sometimes they are massive deals in our lives that we need time to appreciate. If this sounds like something, you will benefit from, too, then head over here, where we have created a special list of things in our Thanksgiving Care Package that can help remind us how lucky we are every day!

When I appreciate life itself, everything else matters less because they are all a part of my experience living with love abundant through gratitude. But what an amazing thing to show God how grateful and appreciative of the 4 gifts He's given you (above) by TELLING THEM TOO.