God Heals | Thankful Thursday

My son had surgery on Friday. I was unable to get a blog post up and I missed yesterday's post, too, so I went ahead today and shared my Bible study post that should have been shared yesterday. Here are some pictures from Friday. The first picture is Javan on the way to the hospital, and then waiting on surgery, and then going home after surgery. 

Big smiles, but he was a little nervous. He was eager to get it over with, he said.

We were thankful to get to spend a lot of time with Javan before he had surgery.

He said the IV was the part he dreaded the most, hurt the worst, and the thing he was glad to get rid of the most.

Javan was pain free when we left the hospital. I am so thankful everything went well. He felt great all evening and the next day he was able to attend his uncle and aunt's family function with lots of singing and food and yummy desserts.

There were many prayers going up for his surgery and recovery. The Bible says, in James 5:14-15 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Javan is blessed with a wonderful youth pastor and his wife who prayed over Javan and encouraged him about the surgery. 

In Exodus 15:26, God said He is the the LORD that heals us. David says in Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me. I was concerned for Javan. Tears rolled down my face after they wheeled him back to surgery. I was reminded of the scripture, Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. It was comforting to know Javan was safe in the hands of Jesus, the Great Physician. God wants us to trust Him. Psalm 148:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.

So this week, I am thankful that Javan continues to heal, has had minimal discomfort, and has had an opportunity to rest often. I am also thankful that I am off work during this time and can take care of him. It has been a blessing. What are you thankful for today?

~Bridgett Owens

7 Biblical Reasons To Be Thankful | Thankful Thursday

Has life been beating you up lately? Do you feel like you can't really catch a break? I understand how that feels. I get it! Life is hard sometimes. Sometimes it may feel like there are more problems than solutions and more hardships than good times. In these dry seasons it can be hard to count your blessings. After all, we have to really search for the good sometimes. When we lose a loved one, our job ends, the loan does not go through, or our spouse walks out on us, it can be really difficult to find something to be thankful for.

Research has shown that feeling thankful has positive effects on our health: both mental and physical. It can also improve our spiritual health. Choosing to focus on the positive things is not just about looking at the good in our life. When my dad died I did not immediately feel grateful that he was no longer with me. I did look back on the last couple of years of my dad's life and see God's hands all over it. I remembered the miracles and the relief, the breakthroughs that seemed to indicate Dad would not die. I thought about how I was grateful I had those days and months and two full years to spend with him and cherish those last moments together. My sister's birth father was tragically ripped from her life when a drunk driver hit and killed him. It was not easier to watch our dad slip away but there is a big blessing in the gift of that process.

When financial hard times come, it is not the first thing on our minds to write a list of things we are grateful for. We often begin to brainstorm ideas for how to find the ends in an effort to make them meet. We want solutions and when we are faced with a pile of bills and unmet needs, it can be so discouraging and painful. It is in those times that gratitude is so important. Holding on to God's faithfulness in the past, and any glimpses of God's goodness in the here and now only serve to strengthen our faith and reignite our hope that this too shall pass and we will be stronger for it.

Abandonment and rejection leave us feeling vulnerable and scared. Instead of choosing to see the bright side, it is far easier to see the negative effects. Divorce is unfortunately all too common, but the stigma is still there. The brokenness is still there. The unanswered questions of why this happened and how it could have been prevented leave us feeling isolated and alone. If we can somehow choose to see past that to what good there is left, it can help us not sink into despair and depression. There is hope!

How do we know an attitude of gratitude is powerful enough to plunge us out of the darkness back into a few rays of sunshine? We can look at research of course. We can read the studies of thousands of people who were observed and we can see how things changed in their lives. But, is that really helpful to us in the throws of life's lowest valleys? I don't know about you, but when it felt like I was in the pits I did not really care to read about how someone else turned things around by being thankful. I wanted to know what could help me?

The Bible has always been the one source of hope and strength for me. When others shared the Gospel with me it always encouraged me. It never failed to lift me up, if even for a moment. The more I would read the Word of God, the more I would begin to trust God. I learned of His character and His way of thinking. I saw Him as a source of strength and a refuge to hide in. I realized His love would carry me through the darkest of midnights. I did not have to feel forsaken. So, what does the Bible say about being thankful?

1. It is God's Will for us to be thankful. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." That does not mean to thank God for the divorce, or the death, or the financial hardship, but thank Him that He never abandoned you, He is victorious over death, and He will supply all your needs. This is His will for you because when you look for the good you will find it. When you choose to focus on the reasons you are blessed, you will find more reasons. What you continue to dwell on will get down on the inside of you and it will begin to flourish and grow and it will elevate you out of the dungeon.

2. It is to remember God's holiness. We read in Psalm 30:4 "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness." When we start shifting our eyes from our problems onto the Solution, Christ Jesus, we start remembering His holiness. We remember His goodness. We remember He has never failed us. We remember He has always done nothing but good for us. It shifts the mindset to stop dwelling on the problem and the negative parts of the puzzle. We begin to get our courage back. We stop feeling fear. We begin to believe again. Our hearts start to mend.

3. It is a good thing. We read in Psalm 92:1-3 "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High: To shew forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound." The Bible tells us it is a good thing to give thanks. When we begin to sing praises to God we stop feeling sadness. We no longer feel anxiety, worry, fear, doubt, or defeat. We begin to sing praises to God and something good starts to spring forth on the inside of us. We begin to feel that wellspring of life bubbling over. We feel joy take over and nothing can take it away when we have our mind completely on the goodness of God, day or night.

4. It gives us something to share with others. We read in Psalm 105:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people." The great things God has done for us is not just for our pleasure. It is not just for our enjoyment; but rather to be shared with others who are hurting. We may see others who are mourning, or discouraged, or feeling abandoned, and when we begin to share what God has done for us it edifies us both. We both gain strength from that. We both increase in faith when we hear an actual account of what God has done in times of great distress and pain. When we see His hand upon others and they tell us what God has done in their lives, it gives us hope that He will do the same thing for us.

5. It enables us to live in His presence. We read in Psalm 140:13 "Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name: the upright shall dwell in Thy presence." When we meditate on the things God has done for us, it causes us to temporarily leave our current situation and we are fully in His presence. When we recall the times God fed us when we had no money and no food, we begin to feel the oil of gladness fill our souls. As we remember the times the money came out of nowhere just before we lost everything, it will spark hope in our hearts that He will come through again. And as we begin to bask in the love of God and all the many times He came through for us, it changes the chemicals in our bodies. Endorphins, a feel-good hormone, begins to be released throughout our bodies. We begin to feel more joy than stress, more peace than chaos, more love than rejection and our whole countenance lights up. Friends, we can choose to live that way.

6. It brings us victory. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We get our hopes up when we remember the times He came through before and when we are filled with faith and not doubt, God begins to work on our behalf. He begins to rearrange some things. He begins to change our circumstances. We begin to have victory over what once held us bound. That is worth praising God for. That is worth thanking Him for. We are victorious when we keep our eye on the prize and not get distracted by the tricks of the enemy.

7. It is what we will do in eternity. We read in Revelation 11:16-17 "And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give Thee thanks, O LORD GOD Almighty, Which art, and was, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned." When we come to eternity we will thank Him for what He did for us. We will be so thankful to have overcome every trial, every tribulation, every hardship, every battle that we faced. We will praise Him because He reigns. We will bow before Him like the 24 elders and we will proclaim that He is King and He is LORD and He is God. We will worship Him. He deserves it. He is worthy. It is His! Praise and thankfulness belong to God. We owe it to Him to tell Him how much we appreciate Him; how wonderful He is to us; and how much He means to us.

Friends, we have more than seven reasons to be thankful to God. Count your blessings today and every single day. Do not worry about the worries of this life, the problems and health concerns that arise. We have hope in Jesus Christ who promises us eternal life. We may not have it easy in this life, and bad things will continue to happen to us from time to time, but we have to remember Jesus Christ is King. He is worth every word of praise and adoration; every thankful and grateful sentiment; every appreciative statement we can think of to let Him know how much He means to us.

I am so thankful for Jesus loving me and never giving up on me. I have so much to praise God for. May you be found today with praise on your lips to King Jesus for all that He has done and is doing and will do in your life! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

 

Thankful For Who God Is | Thankful Thursday

ROMANS 11:33-36 (33)O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! (34)For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counselor? (35)Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (36)For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Do you know the depth of the riches of God's knowledge and wisdom? Of course we don't. He knows everything. He never overthinks anything. He never misses anything. He is amazing! He knows everything about us, our future, our suffering... there is nothing He does not know. He knows our thoughts and motives. His judgments are beyond finding out. We can search all we want but we will never tap into the incredible mind of God. He does not need an advisor or counselor. He is the Great Counselor. He is the ONE source of advice and wise counsel to follow. He is a giver. He has given to us and we did not ever give anything to God that He has not turned around and multiplied and given back to us. You cannot out-give God.

I am so thankful for God. I am so grateful that He has so much knowledge and wisdom and understanding, yet He does not laugh at how little I understand compared to Him. I appreciate how generous and kind He is with advice and instruction on how to live my best life. I could not know the path to take if it were not for His Word teaching me and guiding me as I go.

You and I exist of God, through God, and for God. We exist to praise Him. We exist to magnify His great name. He gets all the honor and glory and praise both now and forever more. He is worthy! I am so thankful that I am able to have communion with God. I can walk with Him and talk with Him. I can feel His love. I can experience His presence, His glory, His favor, His healing virtue. He is so wonderful. I could never run out of enough things to praise God for. He is my friend.

I lean on God for everything. I tell Him everything. He knows anyway. He knows what I am thinking. If I am angry I tell Him why. He helps me so I can let it go and not grow bitter. If I am happy, He listens and rejoices with me. He sings over me with joy. He has laid up a crown of righteousness for me and not just for me, but for anyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus to be saved.

What are you thankful for? In November, I usually spend all 30 days sharing what I am thankful for on social media. I keep a traveler's notebook that I made with photos and stories of what I am thankful for. There are lots of people who do that and it's a wonderful exercise to prepare our hearts for celebrating Jesus' birth and why He came. However, I am not only quick to share my gratitude one month out of the whole year. This is why God prompted me to share what I am thankful for every Thursday. 

Look back over my blog and you will find that I don't do that perfectly. The point is, I am doing it today and I am being more intentional about disciplining myself to stay on track with posting on this blog. I want to be committed to the things God is asking me to do. Sometimes it feels overwhelming and I cannot do it. Sometimes it seems like I have nothing of value to share. The truth is if I stay focused and put in the effort, God will help me with the areas I cannot do alone. He is so good to help us all.

I hope you count your blessings every day. I am so glad you spent some time on the blog today reading about what has put gratitude in my heart. I would love to hear from you, too.

God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Thankful For Reminders | Thankful Thursday

I was just thinking about how different it is to live in Indiana now than it was 2 years ago. So many things has changed and not just because of the virus. It is strange sometimes to be somewhere I have been a hundred times before but instead of feeling familiar, it feels weird and different. Of course, some things haven't changed and sometimes that is good and other times maybe it isn't. What has changed about your life since March 2020?

I am thankful that my husband, my children, and I survived the pandemic. I am thankful that we are all together, even without a home of our own yet. I am thankful for the way things are slowly starting to re-open. I am thankful that masks are not always required in every place we go now. I am thankful that I have a nice job that I truly enjoy. I am thankful for reconnecting with friends I have not seen in years! It is always so good to pick up where we left off as if no time has passed at all.

I am thankful for past professional relationships that have now come full circle. It's so nice to have known people and worked with them in the past and now get the opportunity to work side by side again. It is so important to always be the best you can be. You never know when those people will be in your life again. In my case, she remembered me in a positive light because we had a good working relationship before. Now she takes me under her wing and gives me the guidance I need and is quick to jump in and help me. It's not just good to be your best self because of what you may gain from it in the future. It is good to be your best self because it is what builds character and shows who you really are and that is important.

I am thankful for God's gentle reminders to wait and continue to trust in His promises. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Teach me LORD, teach me LORD, to wait. We used to sing this at church and it was such a great encouragement. People would sing and worship God as they waited for the promises to be given.

I have been waiting, but not waiting well. I do good for a while and then I start to get impatient and wonder how much longer it is going to take. But all good things take time and I am thankful for the Bible to remind us that we will get renewed strength as we wait on God. We will fly like eagles and soar high above the problem staring us in the face so we can see the big picture. It says we can run and not get tired and walk and not faint. This passage is not just flattering poetry or metaphors. We honestly will get stronger as we endure hard times as a good soldier. I am making a better effort to wait well.

The truth is that we are not alone in trying to find a home to rent or buy. We are not alone in finding outrageous, unrealistic prices for homes that need a LOT of work. God is going before us and He is making our paths straight, so we know that we can trust Him. He sees the end from the beginning. 

ISAIAH 46:9-11 (9)Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, (10)Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure: (11)Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth My counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

There it is in black and white! God is in charge. There is no one or nothing like our God. He knows the end from the beginning. He declares from the ancient times what will happen in the future. His counsel is never going to be overturned. He does what He wants! He can call a starving bird from the east. He will choose someone from a country far away to execute His plans. He can use anyone or anything He chooses. He speaks it and it is! It comes to pass because the life breather and life giver speaks and what was not, now is. He speaks a thing and makes it happen. Whatever He has purposed and planned to do, He is going to do. So, if God tells you He has something special for you, get ready to receive it because it is coming! It is on the way!

Thank you for joining me today as I count my blessings. I hope you are counting yours, too. May God remind you of all that He has done for you and all He is going to make happen for you. I hope something I shared today has given you strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens

Thankful For God's Peace | Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday! What a favorite time of the week for me! I enjoy counting my blessings. There is so much to thank God for. When we focus on God and His goodness we will feel the joy of walking with God. When we think every good thing we have is from the things we do ourselves then we are taking the credit that truly belongs to God. He is the source of all good things. In Romans it talks about the ones who knew God but did not glorify Him and were not thankful. It says they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart turned dark. Being grateful is so important and remembering to thank God from Whom all blessings flow will keep us from turning away from God.

ROMANS 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Without God governing our lives, shepherding our souls, leading us and guiding us we will be filled with worry, fear, anxiety, and great sadness. But we do not have to live like that when we are walking in fellowship with Christ. Jesus is the way to perfect peace. I encourage you to read the third chapter in Colossians. We discover characteristics and behaviors we are to remove from our lives and to start fresh by walking in mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and love. As we allow God's ways to shape our lives and minds, we will become more like Christ. The peace of God will overtake us and we will no longer operate from a place of scarcity, fear, anger, and loss. We have security in Jesus. We can trust Him. We can depend on Him. And that, my friends, gives us so much to be thankful for.

COLOSSIANS 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

What are some of the things God has done in your life this week? Let's spend some time today in His presence thanking Him and praising Him for all the wonderful ways He answers our prayers, protects us, provides for us, and heals us. He is so worthy of all praise. Let's magnify His great name together.

I hope you're counting your blessings with me today. Be sure to stop by the blog tomorrow as we kick off this holiday weekend! I hope you were encouraged with today's post. God bless you!!

~Bridgett Owens

Prayer Journal | Thankful Thursday

This Thankful Thursday post is very special to me. God told me to start a business called Blue's Blessings and that is what my family and I did. God guided me as I designed a prayer journal for women. It is truly beautiful and I do not say that to boast. It turned out so much better than I ever could have imagined. I have created a video flip through of this beautiful prayer journal and I want to share it with you. I am so thankful God allowed me to be a part of this wonderful tool for Christian women.

As we take a look in the pages of this prayer journal, you will see that there is a page where you can customize this prayer journal for free. We sell these prayer journals in our Etsy shop here and if you want one, they are only $10 plus shipping. I am so proud of these prayer journals and I get so many great testimonials from those who have purchased one.

Please do not misunderstand me. These prayer journals are simply a tool. You can pray without a notebook anytime, anywhere. There is something special about recording your prayers. You literally can look back at past prayers and see God's hands all over your requests. I am simply amazed at my personal spiritual growth as well. You can use any notebook you want but we have put a lot of thought and attention to detail into these. I think you will enjoy yours. Take a look at this video and if you want to pick one up, allow me to thank you in advance. 

Thank you for spending some time with me this week. I enjoy counting my blessings with you. There is always so much to thank God for. What are some of the things you are thankful for?

I hope you'll come back tomorrow and see what I share in our Fuel For The Weekend blog post to help us kick off the weekend! God bless you friends!

~Bridgett Owens

God's Word For Today | Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to another Thankful Thursday. I always enjoy counting my blessings here with you all. One of the things I am thankful for is free Bible study materials. My church provides free devotion booklets called God's Word For Today. These booklets are such a great resource when studying the Bible. The devotional booklet is free to anyone who wants one and it has a three month devotional plan. As you can see this devotional booklet is for June, July, and August 2021. There is a beautiful photograph on the cover and a scripture in the NIV translation. As you all know I am a KJV girl so I look up the scriptures in my Bible and I never have a problem with that. The summer issue's scripture is:

JEREMIAH 17:7,8 (NIV) Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord....They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots into the stream.

JEREMIAH 17:7,8 (KJV) (7)Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. (8)For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding her fruit. 

This is Volume 75, Number 4 but honestly it does not matter which devotional you get. You can even get an older volume and number and the material is so good to work through. This page (below) shows the dates in one column, the name of the writer and their title in the middle column and then the pages of those devotions in the column on the right. This is nice because if you like a particular style of writing, you may be able to look up more information on the writer.

These next two photos are of the summer issue introduction pages, a Quicklook excerpt, and a Daily Prayer Emphasis. I am so excited to jump in to this starting in June because we are going to read Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and finish up other historical books of the Old Testament. Since we are studying Ezra here on this blog every Wednesday, I think this is the perfect timing!

The devotional content begins on Tuesday, June 1. Beneath the title lists the scriptures to read. Then at the bottom of the devotional is the Thought for Today, a Quicklook reference, and Daily Prayer Emphasis. I love that each day it gives a different geographical location to pray for the residents there. This is going to be a great devotional to work through and I am so thankful this is a free resource at my church.

Inside the front cover there is contact information for ordering God's Word for Today. If you visit their website here you can order this devotional. It looks like it is $4.39 at the time this blog post is published. You can visit www.MyHealthyChurch.com or call 1-800-641-4310 for more information.

I am thankful this organization offers this amazing resource. If you are just starting to study God's Word, this would be a great way to dive in. If you have been an avid Bible reader and enjoy these types of studies, this would be a wonderful addition to the studies you are doing. I am not sponsored or affiliated in any way with this organization. I just wanted to share something I am going to be using this summer to study God's Word and wanted to let you know how to get your own copy if you are interested.

Thank you for spending time with me today as we count our blessings on this Thankful Thursday. Let me know if you get a copy of this! I have had other devotional booklets from them before and I am excited about starting the summer issue. Have a wonderful day! Be sure to come back tomorrow for some Fuel For The Weekend! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens