The Practice of Gratitude Archives

I Would Have Lost Heart… The Practice of Gratitude: Part 8

November 26, 2017 By Kristin Saatzer 4 Comments

The Practice of Gratitude: Part 8

Psalm 27:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

¹⁴Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

I would have lost heart, the scripture says…

I am the blessed mother of four amazing dudes. This passage of scripture from Psalm 27 was a familiar one when my circus was young. I returned to these words often. I truly would have lost heart unless I believed these wild ones would grow up with just a teaspoon of civility. I grabbed courage as I prayed they would show goodness to one another at some point in their maturity (goodness in the land of my living!) My life was a bevy of chaos, broken things, fights, noise, emotional outbursts, and fun. Little piggies ate at my table and monkeys climbed my kitchen. I agree with those who say that parenting is not for cowards or the faint of heart. Still, I was thankful for it all.

My youngest is now 13 and my brood is mostly civilized. Thank you, Jesus! My prayers for them continue, even more so. As I glance back at the tragic global events of this fall, I must find the courage to release my sons to fly in such a world.

Have you found yourself losing heart these days? I sure have. The news has given us some tough pills to swallow lately.

I would have lost heart

Yet! There is good on this globe. This is where I connect the dots between our scripture above and The Practice of Gratitude. In all the events this fall, natural and human-made disasters, we saw people acting bravely. Good people risked their lives for others. We’ve read of generosity beyond measure. The goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living, we do not need to mine deep to discover it.

When I focus on the negative and heartbreaking, and the world my boys face, I lose heart. Therefore, the antidote is a practice of gratitude.

As I have shared in earlier blogs, I keep a journal where I record my gratitude. As of today, I have a list of 5,146. Here’s a few from my list this week: apple pie, four boys together for Thanksgiving, didn’t have to drive today, phone time with sis, health insurance, breath in my lungs, friendship with Sarah, orange/red/purple leaves, yellow/green butterflies in my yard… I wait on Him here as I jot down sweet blessings. He fills me with the courage to face the scary. Oh, how God strengthens my heart. Every. Single. Day.

Intentional gratitude changed my life.

Intentional gratitude changes my days.

Do not lose heart, my friend. Wait on God, be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart. I challenge you to record your gratefulness. Mine for the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living. It will change your life. It will change your days.

“How precious are My children who remember to thank Me at all times. They can walk through the darkest days with joy in their hearts because they know that the Light of My Presence is still shining on them.”

~Jesus Calling

Photo by Magda Fou on Unsplash

Grateful for Dental Pain?

August 1, 2017 By Kristin Saatzer 3 Comments

The Practice of Gratitude Part 7

Some dental pain is the worst kind of pain! Can I get an Amen?

And I am no stranger to pain. At times, it has been my constant companion. I will spare you my list of experiences with this formidable foe. Just know: I know of what I speak.

These last 10 days I endured almost unrelenting tooth fun. I am close to awarding this experience with my “worst-pain- ever” prize. The torture stopped for a few hours during the numbness of a root canal. Never had I looked forward to a dentist visit like the one I did that day, knowing I’d have a few pain-free hours. Twisted, I know.

Are you still with me? Because root canals and dental pain make for catchy, riveting blog posts. Something to brighten a day, right? If you are still here, thank you for staying. You are my support group today and you should get your own prize.

So, how can I be grateful for level 10 dental pain? God reminded me through this trial, that I do best when I go to gratefulness. Consequently, each day, I took out my gratitude journal and listed things like the following: medical insurance, dental care, friends that pray and check in, a greater empathy for those in acute pain, my mom and sister’s concern, my husband sitting up with me at night in my tears. This is good stuff.

As I go even deeper in my contemplation of these 10 days, I find I am profoundly grateful for God’s presence. You see, during the severest nights, when I couldn’t pray, I cried out to my Jesus. I cried out His name repeatedly.Continue Reading

The Treasure of Trials

May 26, 2017 By Kristin Saatzer 2 Comments

The Practice of Gratitude Part 6

Have you unintentionally crossed paths with someone who has hurt you? How did you respond? With thankfulness?

Neither did I.

Recently, this happened to me. It threw me, running into others who were a party to my deep pain. As I marched forward in faith, seeing these people stumbled my steps and ground was lost on my victory journey. Darkness closed in again.

How can I be thankful here God?

This morning, I opened my gratitude journal and sat for 15 minutes. Nothing.

I often get spiritual dementia and forget where my treasure lies. When faced with these people, I found myself thinking: Seriously God? Now this? Now them? After the shock left, I didn’t go to thankfulness and smiley faces.

Next, I grabbed my Bible after gratitude failed to come. In my rabbit trails, I landed on Colossians 2:3:

In Him are stored all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~ISV

IN HIM. He is where my treasure is. He is my wealth. It always comes back to Him. Practicing gratitude is mining for treasure in and with God (the keeper of wisdom and knowledge) through my trials.

So, I picked up my journal again and thanked God for God. I thanked Him for yet another opportunity to look in the Bible for answers. Yet another opportunity to remember that no matter how dark it gets, my God can always be trusted. His light is always there. I mine for treasure, filling up with thankfulness as my perspective shifts, my mind is clear to see blessings in the trial.

It is messy. This ugly beautiful of life. Therefore, I practice giving thanks when life stinks. Practice. Practice. Practice. Slowly learning, slowly growing.Continue Reading

If, Then and Colossians 2:7

May 11, 2017 By Kristin Saatzer 7 Comments

The Practice of Gratitude Part 5

Last week, after a dire diagnosis, my dad underwent Open Heart Surgery. And each day brings a teeter-totter of challenges and emotions. Yet, the Lord’s comforting hand holds my sister Jeni and me. We feel the prayers as hundreds lift up our dad. We see God’s perfect, sweet timing as events unfold. We watch extraordinary nurses and doctors care for our father. We are grateful. Grateful our dad is still living and grateful for God’s presence in each step.

Jeni and I grieve as tears spill. We clench our hands in anxiety and hold on to one another in support. Still, I discovered something about we two: we have deep roots. We sisters practice thankfulness in a time of heartbreak because we are rooted in our faith. Rooted in God’s word. Rooted in Jesus.

Colossians 2:7 NLT says:

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

The classic “If, Then” principle is Colossians 2:7.

IF our roots have grown down into God and we build our lives on Him

THEN our faith will grow strong and we will overflow with thankfulness.

Even when death is knocking at the door of someone we love. Even when we face depression or health failure. Even when we are running out of money. Even when…. you fill in yours. Even then, we can be grateful.

Why?

Because we are rooted in the truth of God’s word

We spend time in His presence in prayer

We hang out with supportive friends who love God

We fill up our tanks most weeks at church learning truth

We water our roots and they grow deeper and deeper into Him.

I do not know how my dad’s story will play out. Or mine. I do know that life knocks us down. The bible promises this in John 16:33 (https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.16.33.NIV). Some years it seems as if each time we get up, we are knocked down again and again. Here is where our practice of gratitude finds its mettle.

So, my friend, IF we are rooted deeply with Jesus, THEN we know we will grow strong and because of this, we can be thankful in anything life throws at us.