Lent: Day 5 // Attitude of Gratitude

After the first Sunday break yesterday, we are back with the next installation of the Lent challenges!

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{Lent} Day 5:

40 acts // An attitude of gratitude // There’s something rather wonderful about genuine gratitude: it impacts both the person who says thank you and the person who hears it. Try this before you do anything else today: grab a pen and write a thank you note to someone. Thank someone who doesn’t usually get thanked: your bus driver, local postman, that one guy that always puts a fresh pot of coffee on or empties the dishwasher at the office. These people need to be appreciated, and being thankful is a great way to start the week! Show us your thank yous using #40acts.

I decided to write a note to my TA and friend, without whom 
I couldn't do what I do at school. Thanks Loubie Loo! :)

Live Free // Swearing, picking your nose, biting your nails; everyone has a bad habit or two. Try to donate £1 every time you (or someone else :/) catch yourself doing it #BeFree #LiveFree. This one could fit in nicely with the Generosity Jar from day 2!

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Hope your Lent efforts are still going strong!

Blessings!

Ronell x

"15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which 
indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and 
admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns 
and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 

17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name 
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

{Colossians 3:15-17}

It's Not About Age

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 27, 2013

Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
—1 Timothy 4:12

Timothy, Paul’s “spiritual” son in the ministry, was very young, and he was fearful and worried about what people thought of his youth. Paul told him to let no man despise his youth. It really does not matter how old or young a person is. If God calls someone to do something, and they have the confidence to go forward, nothing can stop them.

How you respond to your age and, for that matter, how others respond is really up to you. We all age in years, but we don’t have to get an “I’m too old” mindset. Moses was eighty years old when he left Egypt to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Confident people don’t think about how old they are; they think about what they can accomplish with the time they have left. Remember, confident people are positive and look at what they have, not what they have lost.

Even if you are reading this book and let’s say you’re sixty-five years old and feel you have wasted most of your life doing nothing—you can still start today and do something amazing and great with your life.

Lord, You used people of all ages throughout the Bible, and You can use me. Today is a new day, and I am excited about what You have for me to accomplish. Amen.

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From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

You Are What You Think

Today was a tricky day for me- we had a bit of a crisis on hand at school and I had to figure out a solution on a strict deadline! Naturally I just wanted to stress and panic, but God just impressed peace on my heart and the need for a positive mental attitude. I prayed and I just did what I could, but God miraculously gave me peace and showed me a way out! I was so relieved!! It just showed me once again how our attitudes towards life, circumstances, ourselves and others really dictates the level of peace and calm in our lives.

In today's post on Joyce Meyer's daily devotional, she wrote about our attitudes and thoughts and the effects they have on our lives, so I thought I would share. Remember: don't think about how big your problem is, think how big your God is!

Blessings!

Ronell x

{Joyce Meyer}

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. —Philippians 4:8

We are what we think. What we think about truly determines our character, our emotions, our attitudes, and our decisions. Our thinking has a direct impact on our lives.

For example, if we think unkind thoughts, we become unkind. If we think loving thoughts, we become loving. If we think angry thoughts about a person, we often do not treat him in a loving way. The same principle applies to circumstances and situations. If we think things will go well, that’s often the way we experience them.  I am not saying that we can control everything that happens to us with our thinking, but if we think right it can sure improve the quality of our journey.

Today’s Scripture is so important because it tells us exactly the kinds of things we need to think about. The verse encourages us to think in the most positive ways and to “fix [our] minds” on the virtues it mentions. This means we are not to allow our minds to be easily distracted from them. 

God wants us to discipline ourselves to think right thoughts—He knows that right thinking is one of the best ways we can love ourselves and other people.

Love Yourself Today: Think happy thoughts and be a happy person!

{Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer}

Desire and endurance to succeed

The picture below is of a great quote that explains why so many people fall short of their goals and why many others attain them.

If we looked at succeeding in our quest to change the world (e.g. End slavery/poverty/hunger) through this filter, we would be successful! For those trapped by slavery /poverty/ hunger, it really is of life and death importance!

Blessings!

Ronell x