A Holy Trust and Gratitude

Today I was listening to 'One Thousand Gifts' that I have on audio book, and I have came across to chapter 8. My heart really needed to hear this chapter today. I felt lots of anxiety over the weekend: Another hope for a job opportunity for my husband came and went; My cat scratching like mad only leaving behind scabs that I cannot explain but yet acting pretty much like herself - looks like allergies; My heart feeling overwhelmed by the notion of our current situation that our country is in; My job in all of it's 'unpredictiveness'.

John 6:29 (NLT) ~ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”


Ann in this chapter mentioned that stress and acting on anxiety is actually an act of 'disbelief' - not really trusting on what God has done for us already and what he will do for us in the future. She used the symbol of a bridge that she crossed on one winter day, to speak of trust. The bridge has planks of thanks and gratitude underneath it. Those planks of thanks reinforce our trust (a holy trust) to God that all of this is in HIS care and not mine. That I need to look to Him and really 'believe' Him - not my anxious situations and racing thoughts. Focusing on thanks renews our troubled and cluttered minds.

Township road bridge near my house

**Bridge planks of gratitude for my troubled mind:

Be thankful for the little surprises

21     A withered mint plant renewing it's leaves. 22     Wind chimes moving gently in the wind.
23     Recreated leftovers in the fridge.
24     Cooler summer days after a long-term heat wave.
25     Riding lawnmowers that can be borrowed.

26    Peaches from a local farm market.
27    Jar from a freebie basket.
28    Unexpected lavender colored lilies on my desk at work that some one brought in from their garden (having flowers on my desk mind you is an extreme rarity at my office, so these were a very nice surprise).

29    Abundance in a crock pot.
30    Little purple butterflies flying around as I pull out really stubborn weeds.

Let the thanks feed our trust ~ Ann Voskamp

Don't forget to hop on over to Ann's place to check out other gifts!