Dear Ones,
Hope you wake with a thankful heart! Also hope you had a great 4th of July! Today I plan to go downstairs for coffee and choc covered raspberries and then this afternoon we are invited to friends for coffee and fellowship. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   How do we rate on a thankful scale of having a heart full of gratitude? Would we be at the high end or the low end depending on our present circumstances?
   I recently read in my devotions from I Thes.5:16-18 (Amplified), “Be happy (in your faith) and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer (praying perseveringly); Thank (God) in everything (no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks), for this is the will of God for you (who are) in Christ Jesus (the Revealer and Mediator of that will).”
   It’s pretty clear that the Lord is not telling us to be thankful only when things are going super well but rather all the time. However, it doesn’t mean we are saying thank you for the hardship itself but we are to be thankful in everything. That can mean being thankful for His comfort and peace even in the circumstance as we know He is faithful and will carry us through.
   I was reading an article by Lynnette Kittle whose family went through a big financial crisis with medical bills over $50,000 and her husband’s job as Sr. Pastor ended. They had 4 daughters and in the midst of this challenging situation she and the girls made a Thankfulness Cake. They frosted it and put candles on it and expressed their thankfulness to the Lord that He was faithful. She said it made a lasting impression on the family and set the tone and outlook for them going through that crisis time.
   That is what God calls us to do, to live out thankfulness in everything. We can start out praising Him for the small things. I often praise the Lord for our water as I see videos of people in poor countries who have only muddy water to drink that other people often have bathed in etc. But when a well is dug and they have good water, it changes their lives.
   You may start with being thankful for your morning cup of coffee and then go on throughout the day becoming aware of many other blessings like forgiveness and healing, and pause to give thanks. 
   We can only thank God in all circumstances, if we have our trust placed in Him. May we live out a life of thankfulness each day!
   Challenge for today: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be thankful in all things.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy