Shining Your Light in a Dark World

Gratitude in the heart is spoken on the lips with thanksgiving. So what does discontent sound like on our lips? I think it sounds a lot like whining and complaining. Complaining has become a national past-time, it seems. It can be found everywhere, cropping up in the majority of conversations.

What if we sounded different? What if our lips declared the praises of God, instead of the complaints of men? What if our worry turned into prayer? What if our whining turned into thanksgiving?

It’s such a small thing, isn’t it? But can you imagine the light it would give in a dark world? So subtle, yet so powerful.

I dare you to try it; to spread a bit of God-glory by speaking words of thanksgiving, to be a light in the darkness.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6

Who knows what God might do to use your grace words to open the doors to gospel words.

Speaking His praises as I count gifts #1277 – #1297

• loved one well cared-for and released from the hospital
• doctors who wasted no time in taking necessary action
• lunch with a friend; plans to do it again
• discovering “reach” in one of my favorite bible verses (I’ll be writing about this one 🙂 )
• my girl bursting with excitement all week, anticipating a friend party
• my daily breakfast shake
• yogurt
• sister expecting baby number three!
• my girl napping in the sun (is she part pup? 😉 )

• flowers to welcome spring; deciding to ignore the calendar and take our decorating cues from the weather instead – if Michigan wants to act like spring then we’ll play along 🙂

• glow sticks, giggly girls, a tripod, and a not-so-freezing night to capture it all; and remembering what I learned from Kent Weakley, of course 😉
• letter writing
• God stirring a loved one’s heart
• my girl missing her brother who was away for the weekend; him coming home all smiles from a youth group trip
• days growing longer; sun pouring through the windows well past dinner
• laughing with my girl over how similar she is to Anne Shirley, of Anne of Green Gables

In hope,
Shelli