Gratitude

by Emilie Lewis and Adriane Brown

When the alarm goes off in the morning…what is your mindset?

Let's be honest…sometimes we wake up in a hurry or with a full schedule staring at us in the face! But, despite what we may have going on, we FIRST stop and thank God for the breath in our lungs and read His Word to get it inside of us to set our hearts and mindset in the right direction for the day. Gratefulness is a daily CHOICE. A posture and a daily decision that needs to be put into practice.

We GET a chance to wake up and choose to appreciate life, people around us, relationships, opportunities, and things about our lives. Granted, all things and situations are not always butterflies and rainbows…but in which direction will we choose to place our focus, mindset, and heart when it concerns life situations?

Psalms 138:1-3 (MSG) gives us such perspective on being grateful and appreciative.

“Thank you! Everything in me says, 'Thank you!' Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again, 'Thank you!' Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; most holy is your name, most holy is your Word. The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength."

As we go into the holiday season, some situations, relationships, and emotions may try to trigger a 'not-so-grateful' attitude of the heart. But, we can always look for God's love, goodness, and faithfulness, which will help us remember to be thankful and grateful for the people we are with.

A few years ago, a study was done to see if gratitude impacted stress and anxiety. The research found that not only did gratitude minimize stress, but the participants who PRACTICED gratitude showed a reduction in the level of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone.

However, the most amazing thing revealed in this study was that gratitude and anxiety CANNOT COEXIST in the brain. WOW!

It puts 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 into a new perspective, don’t you think?

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Let’s be a group of women who choose to practice daily to be grateful...it’s a beautiful choice and will change our perspective on life!

With love ,

The Central Austin Sisters Team