Thanksgiving Journal

We are about 40 days away from Thanksgiving!

In the Bible, we see how 40 days is a time where people experinece transfomraiton in their lives. As we are going through the pandemic, when it seems to be difficult to give thanks, we are encouraging the people of God to practice giving thanks through writing a Thanksgiving Journal.

Through this practice, we pray that we will be able to live out Paul’s challenge to

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

How to write a Thanksgiving Journal

Get a journal or notebook
Think of 2-3 moments of the day that you can give thanks to our Lord
Write down the ‘what, why, and how.’
- What – What happened that you would like to give thanks to God
- Why – Why are you thankful?
- How – How do you see God working through this moment in your life? May also use it as a way to write a prayer. How do you need God’s help?
Pray – end the journal with offering these thoughts to God, as thanksgiving, and remember others in your prayers.

Example Journal

Day 1 – Date: October 17th, 2020

I give thanks to God for using me as a tool to lead a Serivce of Death and Resurrection for two familes (What). It is an honor to be part of a special moment of one’s life. It is a priviallge to lead this service, as I was praying for the greiving family. I’m thankful that I was able to plant a seed of the Good News to this family. When I shared how I’ll continue to pray for their family, as they overcome the greif, I’m thankful for the sincere appreciation (Why). I am witnessing how God is leading me to see people, who might not heard the Good News or have a distorted version of the Gospel. I pray that God will open ways for us to reach out to all people.
I give thanks for the short get-away to Lexington, VA, with my wife (What). I give thanks for the beautiful day and weather. I give thanks for the changing colors, and the drive up to I-81, my favorite route. I give thanks for the conversaion we shared while driving and walking around Lexington. I give thanks for the good coffee and pretty downtown (Why). I see how God is molding our vision together. I see and give thanks to the companionship together (How).
I give thanks for starting this journey of journaling our thanksgivng, everyday (What). I give thanks that we don’t have to be bound by coming up with 3 prayers of thanksgiving. I give thanks for the time to ponder and reflect on how God is working in my life (Why). I look forward to see how God will help us to see how we live out the challge to give thanks to our Lord in everything we do (How)!

Daily Reading Schedule

Date	Scripture	Verse
Mon. (10/26)	1 Chronicles 16:34	“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Tue. (10/27)	Colossians 3:15	“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Wed. (10/28)	Colossians 4:2	“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Thurs. (10/29)	1 Corinthians 1:4	“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.”
Fri. (10/30)	2 Corinthians 9:11	“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
Sat. (10/31)	1 Timothy 4:4-5	“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”
Sun (11/1)	1 Thessalonians 5:16-18	“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Mon. (11/2)	Philippians 4:6-7	“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Tue. (11/3)	Jonah 2:9	“But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
Wed. (11/4)	Psalm 28:7	“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
Thurs. (11/5)	Psalm 50:14	“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High.”
Fri. (11/6)	1 Chronicles 16:23-26	“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.”
Sat. (11/7)	1 Chronicles 29:13	“And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.”
Sun. (11/8)	Hebrews 13:15	“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Mon. (11/9)	Psalm 28:7	“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
Tue. (11/10)	Psalm 56:4	“In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Wed. (11/11)	Psalm 69:30	“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.”
Thurs. (11/12)	Psalm 89:1-2	“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.”
Fri. (11/13)	Psalm 95:1-3	“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”
Sat. (11/14)	Psalm 92:1-3	“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.”
Sun. (11/15)	Psalm 100:4	“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
Mon. (11/16)	Psalm 107:8-9	“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
Tue. (11/17)	Philippians 4:8	“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Wed. (11/18)	1 Thessalonians 5:16-18	“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Thurs. (11/19)	1 Corinthians 9:10	“Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when farmers plow and thresh, they should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.”
Fri. (11/20)	2 Corinthians 9:10	“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”
Sat. (11/21)	Galatians 6:9	“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Sun. (11/22)	Isaiah 9:3	“You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as soldiers rejoice when dividing the plunder.”
Mon. (11/23)	Jeremiah 5:24	“They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.'”
Tue. (11/24)	Psalm 67:6	“The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.”
Wed. (11/25)	Proverbs 18:20	“From the fruit of their mouths people’s stomachs are filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.”
Thurs. (11/26)	Revelation 14:15	“Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, ‘Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.'”

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