I have been talking to a very good therapist for a couple years now. One thing she has helped me with is to be grateful for what I have. She has taught me that every feeling we feel is valid. We can acknowledge when we feel discouraged and feel those darker feelings. But we should get out of that mindset as soon as we can and not stay there very long.

So, I have kept a gratitude journal for a few years. Talking with my therapist, I have changed what I write down every day. I write down 4 things every day in my gratitude journal.#1 is I’m grateful for (one thing), #2 is I have seen God’s hand in my life today (one way), #3 is I’m proud of myself (one way), and #4 is I found joy in my life today (one way). I have found that breaking these up has really enriched my life.

I want to talk today about the ways I have seen God’s hand in my life. On Monday this last week, I was having a particularly hard day with my health and I noticed God’s hand in a quiet and unexpected way.

While I was outside with my dog Coco so she could potty, it was a cold morning. I saw frost covering the crunchy grass, but it sparkled like glitter in the light. Even in the cold-and even on a difficult day-it made me smile. That small moment reminded me how important it is, especially on hard days, to notice beauty, to feel gratitude, and to let joy gently find its way in.

In Psalms 32:8 it says, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” We learn in this verse that sometimes God guides us not with answers, but with moments that remind us that we are seen.

I invite you all to look around you every day and try to notice the small moments that make you smile and help you feel your Heavenly Father’s hand in your life. Those moments are all around us. We just need to notice them.

Ask yourself a couple questions: What is one small thing today that reminded me that I am not alone? How does practicing gratitude help me recognize God’s hand in my life? I know that if we all do this, we will be blessed and we will see our Father’s hand more in our lives.

picture by Alexander Van Steenberge on unsplash.com

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