Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday 9-22-2022

Harvesting

Thankful Thursday welcomes the fall equinox at 9 pm tonight. This demarcation signals a shift in seasons. For many people, it also signifies a nudge to routines and gatherings with connected communities.

These shifts in routine, connection, and reconnection call for a peak at our expectations and values. Where our time is spent. The purpose of the time being spent. And with whom we spend that time. Each answer to these pieces is important. The answers give insight into your appreciation or lack thereof for where your life is at this moment.

Here in fall, the season of hard work to gather the fruits of plantings, we use our energy to do work and make the connections. These connections will turn into celebratory feasts in a short time. But now is the time for work. Many hands make light work, but we each have to do our part. You know, the one that God has called you to, that part.

Side by side, in community we gather in shared efforts to bring value to the lives around us and in turn, it also brings value to our lives (2 Corinthians 9:8). So go ahead and make the effort to do the work. Get connected. Then, see how God works through the blessings He pours out.

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday 9-22-2022 Experience Opportunities:

All are invited to Worship both online and in person. Worship services occur at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, & 10:30 am. Christian Education will occur at 9:10 am. To learn more about online worship, click here. Or want to revisit a message that really spoke to you? Check out our Sunday Sermons.

Want to be part of a prayer group? We come together in a collective effort to support and lift up others during your time with God. Join our Facebook group: Gravel Hill Prayers. It is a closed group to be mindful of the private and sensitive requests made. And it’s purpose is for you to be a prayer warrior both interceding where others are asking for assistance in prayer and requesting prayers for situations that need lifting. To join, please send an email to Katie.

Thankful Thursday 9-15-2022

Shared Joy

Thankful Thursday sees construction continue a neighbor’s home and as Cooper and I got our morning walk in, an invitation came our direction to check out the progress. The current stage of construction features framed walls with firing and plumbing prepped and ready. As we walked through the space, she shared the future hopes for each space along with the thoughts and concerns that directed their decisions.

Getting to listen to each of these thoughts took me along and brought me up to speed on their construction journey. As she shared, she beamed with excitement. That excitement was contagious. I began dreaming with her envisioning the hopes before her.

Such a fun, beautiful shared start to our day was a joy! I’ve been smiling all day thanks to the invite to hear and share in a dream. And yes, a return invitation stands to see the finished product – and I can’t wait to celebrate with her! I challenge you to be a sharer in someone else’s joy. Listen to their dreams and celebrate the vision for their future.

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday 9-15-2022 Experience Opportunities:

All are invited to Worship both online and in person. Worship services occur at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, & 10:30 am. Christian Education will occur at 9:10 am. To learn more about online worship, click here. Or want to revisit a message that really spoke to you? Check out our Sunday Sermons.

Want to be part of a prayer group? We come together in a collective effort to support and lift up others during your time with God. Join our Facebook group: Gravel Hill Prayers. It is a closed group to be mindful of the private and sensitive requests made. And it’s purpose is for you to be a prayer warrior both interceding where others are asking for assistance in prayer and requesting prayers for situations that need lifting. To join, please send an email to Katie.

Thankful Thursday 9-8-2022

Loved

Thankful Thursday sings along to the song: Never Been a Moment by Micah Tyler. The reminding message: you and I both are loved at ALL times by our Creator. He loves us. He may not love the actions we choose, but He loves us.

Sitting in that reminder as an imperfect human is a warm embrace wrapping all the broken, hurt, and ugly parts with all the joyful, spirited, and good parts into the gift that we each are for the world. You. You are a special gift that has been loved for all time and will continue to be loved.

Blessings!

P.S. Another good song comes your way through our Song of the Week post on Facebook & Twitter tonight – enjoy!

Thankful Thursday 9-8-2022 Experience Opportunities:

All are invited to Worship both online and in person. Worship services occur at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, & 10:30 am. Christian Education will occur at 9:10 am. To learn more about online worship, click here. Or want to revisit a message that really spoke to you? Check out our Sunday Sermons.

Want to be part of a prayer group? We come together in a collective effort to support and lift up others during your time with God. Join our Facebook group: Gravel Hill Prayers. It is a closed group to be mindful of the private and sensitive requests made. And it’s purpose is for you to be a prayer warrior both interceding where others are asking for assistance in prayer and requesting prayers for situations that need lifting. To join, please send an email to Katie.

Thankful Thursday 9-1-2022

Building Up

Thankful Thursday hears a thought running through my brain that I recently learned. It is this: It takes twelve compliments to neutralize the effect of one criticism. Given this info, what does my daily dialog (with myself and others) sound like? Does it meet a compliment to criticism ratio of 12:1?

Paul when writing to the Thessalonians strikes on this very important piece of engagement. In 1 Thessalonians he shares, ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. ¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

Paul’s words challenge us to examine our thoughts and actions. If you are consistently meeting the level of 12:1 compliment to criticism ratio, what is a new or different way to infuse complimenting into routine? For those not quite at that level (including myself!), pick a loved one that you will intentionally share ONE compliment with EACH day for the next week. (If you are feeling energetic try for two compliments each day.) And bite your tongue when a criticism or critique is on its way from your brain to their ears (stop that thought from coming to life as words from your mouth!)

This week consistently acknowledge their efforts. Build them up with compliments. When you edify your loved ones, you strengthen them in a way no one else can. Be that builder starting today.

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday 9-1-2022 Experience Opportunities:

All are invited to Worship both online and in person. Worship services occur at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, & 10:30 am. Christian Education will occur at 9:10 am. To learn more about online worship, click here. Or want to revisit a message that really spoke to you? Check out our Sunday Sermons.

Want to be part of a prayer group? We come together in a collective effort to support and lift up others during your time with God. Join our Facebook group: Gravel Hill Prayers. It is a closed group to be mindful of the private and sensitive requests made. And it’s purpose is for you to be a prayer warrior both interceding where others are asking for assistance in prayer and requesting prayers for situations that need lifting. To join, please send an email to Katie.

Thankful Thursday 8-25-2022

Taking It All

Thankful Thursday thinks about the big changes so many families are going through right now. With these changes beginning, new routines come into homes; communities reconnect at school, work, or the local coffee shop; and opportunity for vision to be made real in these new settings awaits.

All this newness brings a lot of unknown. Fear and worry love to grab hold of these thoughts in our minds. You can overcome them by bring the list of items that hold your concern right now and taking all of them to God (see Psalm 121). No item is too small or too large.

When you bring all of you to God (including your fears, worries, excitement, and joy) with an open and willing heart, God will take it all. He will hold it. As our Provider, our Protector, and our Creator, He will sprinkle ideas and thoughts into your life that help to begin building that vision and a better future.

Blessings!

Thankful Thursday 8-25-2022 Experience Opportunities:

All are invited to Worship both online and in person. Worship services occur at 8:00 am, 9:15 am, & 10:30 am. Christian Education will occur at 9:10 am. To learn more about online worship, click here. Or want to revisit a message that really spoke to you? Check out our Sunday Sermons.

Want to be part of a prayer group? We come together in a collective effort to support and lift up others during your time with God. Join our Facebook group: Gravel Hill Prayers. It is a closed group to be mindful of the private and sensitive requests made. And it’s purpose is for you to be a prayer warrior both interceding where others are asking for assistance in prayer and requesting prayers for situations that need lifting. To join, please send an email to Katie.