It’s November, the month of Thanksgiving…the time when we’re supposed to focus on all the things for which we’re thankful.
A few years ago, though, I realized Thanksgiving is often a difficult time as well.
Maybe you’re not feeling all that thankful this year. Maybe instead of celebrating, all you feel like doing is grieving. Two years ago, when we lost our fourth baby a week before Thanksgiving, that’s exactly how I felt.
I didn’t feel thankful for anything because my pain blocked my eyes from seeing my blessings.
Shortly after that very difficult season, my sister-in-law gave me a copy of Ann Voskamp‘s book, 1000 Gifts. A friend of Ann’s challenged her to make a list of 1000 things for which she was thankful. The result of the challenge was not only a long list of blessings, but also a transformed woman.
Thankfulness, as Ann will tell you, changed her life.
Many of us have thankfulness backwards. We think we have to feel thankful to voice thanks, when in fact, the very voicing of thanks often creates feelings of thankfulness. (Click to tweet this!)
A couple of months ago, I held a 5-Week “Become a Better Mom Challenge.” That challenge changed the way I parent my boys. The feedback from that month was so positive, I decided to do another challenge for November.
Here’s how this Thankfulness Challenge will work: Every Monday, I’ll post a new (very do-able) challenge here on my blog. I’ll also talk about the challenge on my Facebook Author Page throughout the week.
Here’s the first challenge:
Week 1 Thankfulness Challenge: Every day in November, write at least one thing for which you’re thankful in a journal.
Use the hashtag #thankfulchallenge and share it with me on my Facebook Author Page or on Twitter.
Who plans to join me for this challenge? If you’re in, share 1 thing you’re thankful for in the comments. I’ll start…I’m thankful for my son, Caden, whose birthday is this month!
Click to tweet this: I’m joining the #thankfulchallenge with @LindseyMBell this month!
A little late, but I’m thankful for the opportunity to stay at home and homeschool my kids! 🙂
And they are so blessed by you, I’m sure, Brandi!
I thankful for my crazy, hectic, loud, non-stop, messy life that God has blessed me with!
Love that, Satina!
I’m thankful for this day off to get caught up on all the little things I’ve meant to do for a few weeks now.
Great thing to be thankful for, Megan.
Today I had flat tire and was bummed when I first noticed it. But quickly it came to me that at least I have a car. Some people may never get an opportunity to own a car. So today I am thankful that I get the opportunities of being a car owner flat tires or not!
What a great way to view a flat tire!
I am thankful for my job
I’m In.
I am thankful for my job
I am thankful for a warm home. I love doing this!! My kids and I wrote on cut out leaves and birds of fall colors last year. We wrote each day one thing we were thankful for and we clothes pinned them on rope. It was wonderful when it was finished we could see all the different things we shared.
What a neat idea, Jennifer!! Love this:)
I’m in!
I am thankful for a beautiful fall day!
Me too! I love fall!