thankfulness

Keith Ferrin / November 21, 2018

The 4th Annual Thankfulness Challenge – Week 3

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to relaxing, eating too much pumpkin pie, and spending some unplugged time with friends and family. Have you joined the 5-Minute Thankfulness Challenge? It’s not too late! (After all, is there ever a good time to NOT be thankful?)

NOTE: Two weeks ago, I invited you to join me in spending 5 minutes a day, for 3 weeks, being thankful in 5 different categories. If you haven’t read that post – or joined the challenge – here’s the link to find out all about it. And remember, if you’re going to share or tweet about it, make sure to use #ThankfulnessChallenge so I can follow along!

Today, I’m sharing seven more verses that remind us of the why, what for, and how of being thankful. I don’t know about you, but this practice is helping me enter into the holiday season more focused, and more grateful for all God has done. [Read more…] about The 4th Annual Thankfulness Challenge – Week 3

Keith Ferrin / November 15, 2017

Thankfulness Challenge 2017 – Week 3

A week from tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to relaxing, eating too much pumpkin pie, and spending some unplugged time with friends and family. Have you joined the 5-Minute Thankfulness Challenge? It’s not too late!

Keith Ferrin / November 2, 2016

A Thankfulness Challenge: 5-Minutes, 5 Categories, 3 Weeks

Last November, I shared 14 images with Bible verses about thankfulness and gratitude. People told me they shared them, printed them, and posted them. Two years ago, I challenged you to five minutes a day of thankfulness. This year, I’m combining the two and adding an extra week’s worth of images!

NOTE: I have included the first seven images at the bottom of this post. However, I will also be sharing one each day on my Facebook Page. Certainly the easiest way to share them is to like my page and share them right from your news feed.

Frequently, it’s difficult to be thankful. In fact, it is pretty easy to find reasons to not be thankful.

We should all take this thankfulness challenge not because we want to do it. We should take the challenge because we need to do it. That’s why I’m doing it.

Take this 5-minute #ThankfulnessChallenge not because you want to, but because you NEED to.

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When I look at much of what’s happening around me, I don’t feel thankful. There are many, many things that are not “thankfulness-worthy.” And not just small things. Big, important, really hard things as well.

For example…

Friends whose newborn is still in the hospital…after four months.
Continued racial tension around our country…and the world.
A good friend who recently lost his job…after two decades with the company.
Two presidential candidates that have forced me to apologize to my own kids for leaders I don’t want them to be like.

Ugh.

I want to complain. I want to whine. I want to gripe. I don’t want to be thankful.

That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I need this thankfulness challenge. Will you join me?

Keith Ferrin / November 22, 2012

6 Ways Thanksgiving Shows Up In The Bible

Thanksgiving is a cool holiday.

Intentionally recognizing all we are thankful for.
Intentionally getting together with family and friends.
Intentionally eating an heaps of awesome food.

I think we should do it every week month. 🙂

Today I did a quick search on the words “thankful” and “thanksgiving” in the Bible. Come to find out they are in there quite a bit. As I read through the list, I started noticing all of the different ways that thankfulness was expressed.

I know you’ve got some pumpkin pie to eat so I’ll make this quick.

Keith Ferrin / August 18, 2010

The Power of “Thank You”

Had something happen today that doesn’t happen very often. I got a real, live thank you card. Seriously! When was the last time you got a hand-written – not just an email! – thank you card? Just to prove that it actually happened, I took a picture of it. Here you go:

As you can see, it was from a kid who is only nine years old! I just met him a couple weeks ago. I spoke at his church and was talking with him after the service. Came to find out it was his 9th birthday. Gave him a Gospel of John CD, he thanked me, we cracked a few jokes about how much cooler he was than his older brother (who was standing right there of course), and off he went.

Honestly, I haven’t given it much thought. Until today. I love kids. And I love thankful people. So…when I get to meet a thankful kid I guess that just makes for a great day.

Oh…and my favorite part was seeing the phrase “warm regards and best wishes” in a card from a nine-year-old. Outstanding!