I got up this morning and swung my legs out of bed and walked myself over to my Keurig and made my favorite flavored coffee. I love drinking it on my porch while I pray, we have an amazing and peaceful view.
Today wasn’t different than most. Jump in the car and get life going. Get’er done. Off to work, stop by somewhere and pick up dinner on the way home.
It’s easy to take for granted things that become normal.
Just because they are normal to us doesn’t me that they’re normal at all.
Some people needed help out of bed this morning and couldn’t get up at all without help. And I was a little grouchy because I had a shin splint.
I walked to my coffee maker. Walker-free. Wheelchair-free. Just me.
I have a Keurig. Seems like no biggie. Until I remember visiting Haiti. The people we feed every month have NO appliances at all. Coffee? Not even on the days they REALLY need. Much less vacuum packed, favorite flavor, freshly made at my fingers tips.
And that view. From my house. Not a shack made of dirt. Not a slum. No drive-by shootings in my neighborhood. Not even a rented apartment. I get to live somewhere that I OWN, MINE! (Well, me and the bank for now lol). I can paint the walls whatever color I want! And instead the tendency is to complain about cleaning the place.
I’m not trying to make you feel guilty.
And only the BRAVE will comment on this (Go on! I dare you! Be honest with me in the comments so others don’t feel bad. It’s ALL of us after all. At least type an ‘amen’.)
This isn’t a ‘feel good’ blog.
This my friends is an invitation to sit back and remember EXACTLY hos GOOD God has been to us.
To be THANKFUL for every little thing that might become normal and get taken for granted.
To show God that we haven’t forgotten and we DO appreciate His love and provision.
Thankfulness is the key. I just forget my keys sometimes.
So, if you made this far in the blog (I pray you did, I really think it’s worth it), and like me you are starting to be thankful for ALL the little things that God does for us EVERY day. Then SHARE. Share the blog. Tag a friend. Share a comment. A shout out to the God who has done it all and made it all possible.
God, thank you. Thank you for being there day in and day out. When I notice, which is a LOT less often than I should. And when I cruise by on autopilot. Forgive me Father for taking your graciousness for granted. Today, I purposefully focus on just HOW GOOD You have been to me. And I say THANK YOU! In Jesus name, Amen.
Amen.
More than any other morning, I needed to be reminded that I am blessed. I was sinning in self-pity and I thank you for the gentle reminder that I am blessed!
I am more thankful for the things I have. I dare not take the littlest things for granted, such as walking! I know people who have Lupus who cannot even walk or is in and out the hospital and I am praying for them, but God I have not spent more than some hours in the ER due to this stupid illness the devil say I have, but not God! I am able to work and provide for my daughters daily! Thank you God for everything and I thank you in advance for my LCSW that I will have tomorrow! Amen!
I have been experiencing periods of just remembering to thank God for fresh air and water. The simplest things. Like u guys say if your faithful over the little then he will open the doors to the much. Thank God for you and Pastor David…..U guys have truly impacted mine and my families lives. AMEN
Hallelujah thank you ABBA DADDY. Oh sooooooooooo thankful!!!! Amen and Amen!!!!
Thinking of Haiti, then thinking of where I am blessed enough to live, makes any and everything I’ve ever complained about pointless. Thanks for this reminder this morning; To be grateful and giving.
This is so good! As I rush to the airport, another week working out of town, no one to see me off, no one to come home to at the end of week, feeling a little sad and empty, then read this! Thank you God for my career. Thank you that I am a nurse with an awesome job as a consultant. Thank you God for my income. Thank you for all the people I get to meet every week in a new place. Thank Father for Florida this week. Thank you I’ll spend the week in a great hotel near the beach, paid for by my company. Thank you that I’ll have a beautiful apartment to come home to, furnished with all the new furniture you provided. Thank you that I have children and grandchildren that love me. Forgive me for my times of “forgetting”..I LOVE you! Thankyou in Jesus Name. .
And you help people for living! A job with purpose! Girlfriend, God has favored you!
Amen I don’t have a house but I have apartment!!
Thank God for it I have food clothing shelter a car with car insurance!! Woke up this morning in my right mind!!! Glory to God!! Pastor Crank was on ???????????? yesterday at church he beat the devil down!!! (Bye Bye) where would I be without God/Faith Church??? Got joy joy joy down in my soul !! Thanks have a blessed day ????????
🙂
Amen. There was a time when I had lost everything one minute I was in my apartment the next the Marshall came and pad locked it! I was homeless for almost a year. I slept in a hallway for a few days was sent to a homeless hotel and finally one day the Lord asked are you ready. This was after a few years of paying to God about my situation too long a story for this platform. But, once I said yes I’m ready my whole world had changed! ! That was in 1988 and now I live in west palm Beach surrounded by palm trees and sunshine I am so grateful for the life I have the fact that I wake up everyday is a miracle! I have so so many things to thank the Lord for there isn’t enough space to name all the times It could have turned out differently but God! !! Thank full isn’t even an eloquent enough word to say how much he has fine for me! !
Thank you for your ministry Pastor Nicole and for providing a platform to share an encouraging word. Amen
Lisa – Sharing this story will bring such encouragement to people!!! I’m so proud of you!
I recently started working with children that are moderate to severe on the autism spectrum. I am a students one on one aid, meaning for 6 hours a day I am attached at their hip. Most of these kids aren’t able to feed themselves, go to the restroom alone, and many will never learn how to drive, or have their first kiss. Yes, they lose out on the day to day things of being independent, but also on those moments that too many of us are so pivotal in our lives. I try to live each moment thankful for everything and that God made me for such a time as this.
Sophia – I love that you spend your days helping such angels.
Talking to me for sure. Especially about cleaning the house. How dare I complain about having a big beautiful house to clean! The remodeling I want to do, but will take years to be able to complete like I want. Instead I need to be thankful I have a house to clean and make the way I want. Thanks Pastor Nicole for the reminder 🙂
I love your heart Tryna!
Amen
Hi, I’m thankful ????.
I live in a trailer in Virginia and had to do my share of repenting.
When I was married I had a nice home and I will again.
But what I wanted to share with you is I thought about the things I was thankful for as I watched and prayed as “Matthew” went up the coast.
I too had warmth, water, coffee, clean clothes,warm shower,food, roof over my head, vehicle, money in bank and wallet(not much but some????).
Thankful, God is so good
You’re on your way to God’s blessing!
Amen!!!
A needed reminder to be thankful for even the little things.
Try as I might, sometimes the chatter box inside my head over takes me.
Thank you God for all the blessings you have me with. I am blessed.
Again I say Amen!!
A friend’s book – Crash the Chatterbox – might be a great read for you! It’s Steven Furtick 🙂
Amen Nicole! We need to step back and look at the BIG picture sometimes – reality check….what we call a “come to Jesus talk”.
Although I complained about traffic, I have a nice vehicle to drive, don’t have to catch a bus and a tank full of gas. I, too, complained about cleaning my apartmeny today, but guess what, I not only have the tools to do it, but also the strength to do so. I get to excercise my oprion to create wralth, be a mom and to be a friend, a blessing to someone. Thanks, PN for the mich needed reminder!
Girl – you got this!
Hello Nicole,
I haven’t talked to you in quite some time, however I follow your blog and also follow baby Dave. You father-in-law Pastor David Crank SR was my mentor and my spiritual leader. I received the holy spirit for the 1st time at Faith Christian Ministries on Larkin Williams Road in Fenton many years ago under Dave Crank SR and it changed my life forever. I’ve heard you speak several times and you keep it real and you truly are a anointed woman of God.
I died on an operating table in Barnes Hospital in early February 2011 and had no brain activity and my time of death was called. My Daddy God held me and told me that he loved me so much that he allowed me to physically die, so he could rewrite my story. I was in a comma and on life support for over a month. When I finally came home from the hospital, I wasn’t able to perform 90% of my daily functions by myself, for over 6 months. You never realize how extremely blessed you really are until you have lost everything. But God had a new story to write and here I am. You, your husband and your father in law David Crank SR inspired me to become the woman I am today. Thank you for always keeping it real and for making such an impact on women everywhere. Take Care Nicole and Thank you for allowing Daddy God to use you and your husband in such exceptional ways.
Alisa A. Moore
Sales Representative
Liberty Mutual Group
1010 Market Street Suite #560
St Louis, Missouri 63101
Direct Office Line (314) 361-2344 EXT: 08552 Fax Line (314) 361-7065 Toll Free line (888) 971-8200
AlisaAnn.Moore@LibertyMutual.com
Thank God for HIs grace and mercy and healing power! Miss you ALisa!
Amen, thanks………I really needed that!
Amen! After reading this and thinking about the video that was played on Sunday, I felt bad about complaining about how I have to get my own car and a permanent full-time job. When actually I need to be thankful we have a car and I have a job period. I needed this reality check! Thank You! God bless you!
Such a great attitude Elizabeth!
Every morning i wake up thanking God he is still protecting my vehical from being repo. As i am 5 months behind in payments
I also thank him everytime i drive with expired plates. I thank him for the electric/water still on for my children which im in debt for 1289.00. Im very thankful for my job that bearly puts food on the table for my kids i gladly will go without because their belliess and lifes are more important. I thsnk God for my mother snd stepfather who have paid my rent for the past 8 months and also ask he reimburse them beyond my thoughts
I thank God for onky 1 anxiety/panic attack today so far. I thank God for this never ending HORRIFIC situation i am in. Why??? Cause it reminds me to pray for others like mine or in a worse situation than mine and i also pray for the ones that dont know or will ever know what this is like and thank you God for blessing them
But thank you for all the blessing you shower me with daily. I love you so much God i truly do.
If anyone takes this being sarcastic. It is NOT. As God as my witness. May he bless you in ways youve never been blessed!!!????
Renee, With that kind of praise I believe God is taking you up and out of this situation and your test will become your testimony. God did this same thing with me! #sisters
Amen! Joel was just talking about “replacing prayers with praise” this morning on my morning commute. Thanking God for what you have and what you WILL have!
Jennifer – I love that statement!
Amen! We need to remind ourselves daily and be thankful always. Thank you for the reminder!
Thanks for the well-deserved reminder.
Thanks for the reminder to be grateful for all the small things! Like my 2003 van that is paid for and minimal amount that has to be put in to ma