Here are some Simple Acts of Gratitude:

            ∙   Begin a gratitude journal. I am doing this myself this year. I love journals. Every year it is my intent to keep one. I buy these beautiful books and write one or two pages and then nothing. But the thought of it occurs to me at the start of every year. This year I am going to keep it simple. Every day write down 5 things I’m grateful for. I challenge you to do the same. It’s okay if you are repetitive, there are no rules- it’s your journal. Just take the time to write down what you are grateful for that day. It will be interesting to see how this helps us and where we are a year from now. I have a feeling that if we are faithful with this, we will discover many things about ourselves and our outlook will change both with our physical self as well as our spiritual self.

            ∙   Practice praise. Nothing opens our eyes to the gifts we have been given more than focusing on the Giver. Find at least one new thing to praise God for each day. We are more blessed than we realize. Let’s thank our maker!

 

            ∙   Stay alert for those “God nudges” and be grateful when you sense them. When you feel like you should be doing something for someone, act on it. Keep track of those nudges. Write them down, nothing how you responded and the outcome. When we practice listening for that still small voice we become better at hearing it.

            ∙   Thank God in all circumstances. There is reason for everything in our lives. This means that sometimes you’ll thank Him for not so good things in your life. But if we look past just the circumstance itself, there is often a blessing to go with it. We just have to be open to what God is taking us to. You don’t reach the top of the mountain without climbing it.