"What do you say? Thank you!"

This week, I want to focus on thankfulness: humbly recognizing God's grace, mercy, and sovereignty in your life.

"What do you say? Thank you!"

This week's devotions are written by my son, Bryant Forshee, Lead Student Pastor for Cross Church, Springdale, AR campus.

- Pastor Danny

"Give thanks in everything; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

(1 Thessalonians 5:18, CSB)

My and Kyndall's two-year-old, Tabor, and also our one-year-old, Miller, are learning so much right now! Tabor is repeating colors, singing songs, counting, playing a lot of basketball, Facetiming his grandparents, and a lot of other really fun things! It has been a really fun season with the boys, but it has obviously also been a big season of Kyndall and me parenting them on what to do and what to say. One of the things we are constantly trying to get our two year old to say, and one thing he is starting to pick up on, are two simple but profound words: "thank you."

This week, I want to focus on thankfulness. When you think of thankfulness, what comes to your mind? Is it a person, place, or thing? Is it a moment you had in life that you were thankful for? Is it a fond memory? I don't know what your experience with thankfulness is, but I hope that after this week, you are more thankful for all the things God has given you in your life!

For this week's sake, we are going to work off of this definition (my own): Thankfulness is humbly recognizing God's grace, mercy, and sovereignty in your life. This recognition of God's grace, mercy, and sovereignty leads us to well up with gratitude and thankfulness in our hearts! When we recognize the gifts that God gives us, we cannot help but feel thankfulness! Jerry Bridges, in his book, The Practice of Godliness, says this about thankfulness: "Thankfulness to God is a recognition that God in His goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and cared for us, both physically and spiritually. It is a recognition that we are totally dependent upon Him – that all we are and have comes from God."

With these couple of definitions of thankfulness, I want you to take at least the next 5 minutes (literally, set a timer on your phone or ask Alexa to start a timer for you) to write down a thankful list. Write down people you are thankful to God for, write down moments in your life you are thankful to God for, write down the good moments that you're thankful to God for, write down the tough moments that made you rely on God more and be thankful for those moments, and whatever comes into your mind in terms of being thankful, just take some time for a gratitude/thanksgiving journal. As you write, you will find your heart filled with gratitude and thankfulness for all of the gifts that God has given you. You will find yourself in awe of the character and kindness of God because of the outpouring of His mercy, grace, and sovereignty in your life.

Today and this week, be thankful!