To Give Thanks

Scripture tells us in John 3:27 that no man receives anything unless it's given to him from above. And you start to realize in these little things: My life could look a lot different today. And all of these little things, they are gifts. -Ann Voskamp

Grace.

It's this subtle little thing. And it's this crazy thing to perceive; it gives what you don't deserve.

And if you're not careful, you'll miss it.

Grace, all this grace, in all of its abundance... So easy to miss.

But then what do you deserve?

Tell me what you deserve. And anything that you have above that is grace and you know what I deserve?

Nothing.

Truth is, I don't even deserve life.

So guess what? All is grace.

Everything. Not just the good, not just the happy.

All.

The failure. The success. The health and the sickness, the loss and the gain. All is grace.

What does this mean? 

It means that not even winning one game at my basketball tournament is grace. It means that the simple, everyday, that is grace. It means that the accomplishment of getting my newly-short hair into a messy bun, I should be turning upwards to give thanks for that too. It means screaming two-year-olds and escaping three-year-olds at Sunday School are a gift straight from heaven. It means the bed I sleep on and the blanket I sleep under and the water I drink and even the steps I take today... All grace.

And when I start to say thank-you, those two words taught from birth, I realize how full of grace my life is.

And I realize I've missed it. I've missed all this everyday grace and how did that happen?

When you look at all this grace stacked up in your life you think maybe I could give some of this away? 

We've been blessed to bless.

And oh, the abundance we find when we find all the grace filling our life, and the purpose of that grace.

Filled to be emptied... to be poured out.

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So pretty much all of this blog post was inspired by Ann Voskamp... check her out?

She writes about, speaks about and lives out this idea of thanks-living.

Will you live thanks? Have you realized how much grace you have? 

Pour it back out... Will you give to a Compassion Child Development Centre in Masbate, Philippines?

Online giving is now up and you can support the cause behind Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy without trekking over here. Click here to give. :)

And if Toronto isn't too much of a trek for you, I'd love to see you at the concert! Ann will be speaking at the event. You can purchase tickets here.

Thank you!