Lighting Up With Gratitude: Cultivating a Heart of Thanksgiving

Do you remember the juice cups, that you stick the straw in? What happens every time you poke that straw through the plastic? Juice spills out! In life, the same holds true: what is inside of you will come out once poked. What would spill out of you: sourness or sweetness, grumbling or gratitude, light or death?

Today we are delighted to have Jessica Gilbert with us again as we talk about how to Light up with Gratitude as we go through the Thanksgiving Season.  Not only do we want to take advantage of this cultural holiday that has a biblical basis, but we want our lives to spill over with gratitude when we are poked. 

Cultivating a heart of gratitude, takes preparation, training, and discipline. As we offer practical tips and traditions to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in ourselves and our kids, see which ones work for you. 

The ultimate spirit of gratefulness begins and ends with our personal relationship with God. What are you grateful for that He has done for you, protected you from or provided?
Enjoy Rend Collective’s Counting Every Blessing,  appreciating all the things God has given.   

From Rend Collective: Just because we intellectually KNOW God’s promises, doesn’t mean we always feel them to be true. Counting Every Blessing came from a season of real wrestling with God because we couldn’t see His promises coming to pass. We despaired instead of looking at the signs of His goodness along the way. It’s so easy to give in to looking at what God hasn’t done yet rather than counting the blessings God has already given us.

As we try to set the Thanksgiving table for Jesus to be the centerpiece of our heart celebration,  who pointed you to Jesus? How can you thank them this season?  Grab a seat, fill your cup with gratitude and let's light up with thanksgiving together!

Grumbler’s Guide To Giving Thanks Book by Dustin Crowe
Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks YouVersion 7 Day Plan
Corrie Ten Boom Story in Hero Tales Volume 2

SOCIAL MEDIA: @called_toshine Instagram.
Follow us on Instagram and enjoy the community as we spur each other on through inspiration, encouragement, and equipping.

And always you can find resources to help you connect to the people around you at NBS2GO! (nbs2go.com)

— A ministry of NBS2GO: Neighbor Bible Studies to Go and Cru

Transcript

Pam McCune: 0:03

Hello, Jesslyn here, and Pam, welcome to the community where we explore how Jesus is our light.

Jesslyn Adams: 0:08

We're here to spur each other on to love God and others right where we live. We are called to shine. Do you remember those juice cups? You know, the ones that you stick the straw in? In fact, just last night at Chick-fil-A, my son ordered an apple juice with the straw. And what happens every time you poke that straw through the plastic? Juice spills out, inevitably. And in life the same holds true. What is inside of you will come out once poked. What would spill out of you? Sourness or sweetness, grumbling or gratitude, light or darkness. Today we are delighted to have Jessica Gilbert with us again as we talk about how to light up with gratitude as we go through the Thanksgiving season. Not only do we want to take advantage of this cultural holiday that has a biblical basis, but we want our lives to spill over with gratitude when we are poked and, let's be honest, we all get poked at times.

Jessica Gilbert: 1:02

Yes, we do. It's interesting that in the verses right before the we are called to shine like stars in the universe. Paul says to do all things without grumbling or arguing. In many places Paul contrasts not grumbling with praise, thanksgiving and even rejoicing. In Philippians, he encourages us rejoice in the Lord always. I'll say it again rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And in 1 Thessalonians 5, he also says Always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. I'm not saying I have this down, but these verses seem to describe how we shine through, lighting up with a heart of gratitude.

Pam McCune: 1:56

A few years ago, I remember preparing to host the webinar on letting your light shine in the fall. To prepare, I was reading the book the Grumbler's Guide to Giving Thanks. In it, Dustin Crowe talks about the juice cup and he also talks about what aroma are we giving off the aroma of life or the aroma of death? I remember pondering that concept. What does that mean giving off the aroma of life or the aroma of death? While I was setting up my cute pumpkin backdrop for the video, putting out my fall candles, thinking I wish the audience could smell how good they smelled. And it was at that moment that I smelled something bad, and I mean really bad. I diffused some purification, I lit those candles and I continued preparing, but the smell grew worse. Sometimes I felt like it's getting better. But if I left the house and I came back in whoa, I was hit by a wall of the smell of death. We did some deep cleaning. I mean, we deep cleaned everything and we found nothing. We decided something had to have died inside the wall and wondered how are we ever going to get it out of there? So as we recorded and went live on the webinar, we were sharing how people could be a light and pointing them to Jesus, the light of life and all I could think of. I'm so glad the audience can't smell my room right now because it has the smell of death. It does not have the smell of life.

Pam McCune: 3:19

Well, afterwards my dad said Pam, I think maybe it's in your dryer. I think a mouse might have climbed into your dryer. I have no idea how you knew that. We went quickly to cleaning out the whole laundry room. We deep cleaned and bleached every single thing in the laundry room, but death was still there.

Pam McCune: 3:37

Connor, our second born, came in town and he was so sweet, he kindly spent hours helping us dismantle the dryer looking for Mr. Mouse. Yeah, there was no mouse, but finally in that pedestal drawer underneath the dryer, we opened it and under all the work gloves was Mr. Mouse. He had met his fate there and was spreading the aroma of death. Well, we disposed of Mr. Mouse along with all the work gloves and slowly the aroma of death left as well. After many of us in life, our grumbling and disputing gives off that aroma of death and sadly we don't even notice the smell because we're so used to it. It might take a hard self-evaluation or even asking others to tell us honestly what aroma are we giving off? Searching for the problem is a big part of sending the aroma away, and once we find the source, it is much easier to make a plan to dispose of it. Jessica and Jesslyn, what would you say? Are you more of a grumbler or overflowing with gratitude? Either way, how do you cultivate an attitude of gratefulness?

Jessica Gilbert: 4:45

I think it's hilarious that I'm on this episode with you guys. I'm the last person in my family that should be here. I know it's not about being perfect, right? I'm not going to lie. If I were poked, I you know, being a mom of three under five years old, as I often am poked sometimes like sourness is just going to come spilling out. I'm more of a grumbler, to be honest. Even just preparing for this episode, it convicted me.

Jessica Gilbert: 5:12

Cultivating gratitude is not something I have been doing a good job of and I could feel it in my soul. One thing that I started doing just to go around in the car. Everybody say something we're grateful for. Okay, just after a little while saying like, thank you God that we even have this car, thank you God that we can choose whatever song we want to listen to that over time, helped a little bit. I had to even bring that practice into my home. As you know, I've been watching the kids for sometimes a four hour stretch by myself. I'm sitting on the kitchen floor just scribbling on a piece of paper. God, I'm so grateful that I have food to give my kids. Thank you for this home that I have. Thank you for this baby boy who still likes to snuggle with me. It kind of started to feel good to have a different rhythm in the face of stressful situations.

Pam McCune: 5:55

Jessica, so honest and I so appreciate it and I know with littles we have to say no to a lot of things, but it really can affect our heart. When you scribbled on those pieces of paper, did you feel like it was helpful at the moment, or was it an act of obedience and by faith, I'm going to do this.

Jessica Gilbert: 6:13

A little bit of both. Honestly, I think what it helped me the most in is that my husband was going to come home very soon and had I not done that, when he walked in the door he would have met a Jessica that was resentful and angry and bitter, and not a Jessica that is happy wife to see her husband. It really did give me that ability to say thank you God for what's going on. When he walked in, I had already laid those things down before God, things that I was frustrated with and sought the things that I was grateful for there are just moments when there is not a sweet aroma of sounds in the house, when everybody's in the mood.

Pam McCune: 6:53

But I've seen you turn it. Can you tell our audience a little bit about when you do a dance party to change the momentum and the tone in your house?

Jessica Gilbert: 7:01

It's weird, because my reaction when things get loud is okay, how can I get things as quiet as possible? But that doesn't work with little kids. Sometimes amping up the fun gets them to settle down. We'll just play songs. There's this guy, danny Goh sings the wiggle dance. Even if it's just the chicken dance, they will just stop and do whatever the song is calling them to do and get in their fun mode. And then, right after we're able to say okay, now we're going to transition to the next thing, put on your shoes.

Pam McCune: 7:30

Brilliant, I love it.

Jesslyn Adams: 7:31

I can relate to. My kids are a little older, but I can struggle being grateful when I get stressed or people make requests and demands of me. I can easily get critical of myself, which means I'm going to be critical of others, can't really see the good and the hard sometimes. I have been trying to work on this. So for 15 minutes most days, not every day I have in my schedule silence and solitude. I sometimes abbreviate it and call it SNS.

Jesslyn Adams: 7:59

I do try to spend some extended time with God alone, not with an agenda, and for me I can easily get distracted. So I like to try and get outside, really, whether it be nature by our river or even just the hammock in my front yard or even in the bathtub when I take my Epson salt bath and I lock the kids out. But during that time I ask God to search my heart, to help me sit silently, to maybe reflect back on the day, and I ask him where did I feel anxious or just disconnected from you? Where did I feel your presence? Where did I feel your comfort?

Jesslyn Adams: 8:32

And it's interesting when I throw those questions out what he brings to mind. But I'm realizing I have to silence my voice to hear his voice and I don't think I realize how often I just talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, which he loves. To hear my voice, but only his voice can really calm my heart and change my perspective, and so I call this practice the prayer of examine. It just helps me reflect back over my day. Slowly. I notice what God's been doing. I write down each thing in my journal when I can, or just stowed away in my heart and mind, and then slowly marvel and awe and gratefulness take over those feelings of anxiousness, despair and complaints.

Jessica Gilbert: 9:09

Wow, Jesslyn, that takes so much discipline to even be able to sit for 15 minutes and listen and get away from the dishes, the noise, whatever chaos is going on in your home, and that's so encouraging to me. That's something that I definitely want to try to incorporate into my life. I'm learning so much from y'all. I think for me I'd have to set an alarm on my watch because I don't even look at my calendar. I love that. That's something I want to try for sure.

Pam McCune: 9:34

Jesslyn, thanks for saying most days. I like that you put a grace margin in there of knowing it's not going to happen some days, oh yes, even though on the days that it doesn't happen, when life is upside down, is probably when you need it most. Yep, let's just admit reality. Sometimes we can't fit it in, but most times, wow. That would be refreshing. I have a tendency to grumble, even though one of my life verses is a cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a broken spirit drives up the bones. Haven't memorized? I say it all the time, but I don't always live it out. November seems to be a good reset for me. It's when I like to go on a gratitude hunt and turn my grumbling into gratitude. In case September and October I was grumbling, in November I can go on a gratitude hunt to personally aim at telling God what am I thankful for, what went well, what am I surprised by? But thank you, lord, for the opportunity to trust you in this. Sometimes it is spoken prayer and many times for me it is writing it in a journal, because it helps me to focus a little bit more, because my brain can go all kinds of places when I'm talking and praying and end up in the grocery list On my journal. It helps me to actually write down, lord, what am I thankful for? What is truly coming out of me? Is it aroma of death or life? If you have littles, maybe you can do it with them in the car on a walk Kids that are listening right now. I encourage you to challenge your parents to take you on a gratitude hunt. You can search for what you are thankful for. I've kept a gratitude journal and finding three things daily to say that I'm thankful for is such a great goal, I have to tell you. Sometimes I've gone four days and realized, oh no, I have 12 things to come up with and this is going to be hard. Sometimes less is more, but training ourselves, as well as our kids, is just that. It's training. It is cultivating a heart of gratitude one step at a time.

Pam McCune: 11:31

Now there is traditional gratitude that can be generic, big picture, and there's specific gratitude, focusing what is in front of you right now. You can do that by beginning thinking through a tangible daily gratitude like good, smelling hot coffee, amen. Then think through a truth, something that has happened. It could even be something you don't feel thankful for. Your child is sick, you're not thankful for their sickness, but a truth could be that you're thankful for the extra time you are spending together.

Pam McCune: 12:02

Or a truth might be my husband didn't get the job he applied for. Thank you, lord, that our family dynamic isn't changing right now. We're not going to move. If you find your kids are just quickly naming things they see right in front of them that toy, that toy to check off, being thankful, slow them down to consider being thankful for what they are saying, maybe you could say that's great, we want to encourage each thing that they acknowledge. But then to say let's change it up and add another layer or let's try something new. Sometimes, if we just pivot a little, it can help us truly cultivate the pattern of being grateful and going deeper.

Jessica Gilbert: 12:42

Maybe we can think of this season as no shade November, instead of no shave. No throwing shade or no grumbling November, not to punish ourselves or our families each time we grumble or throw shade on them, but to become aware of what we're focusing on. When we grumble, we focus on what we don't have. We're grateful. We think of all the things that we have in front of us to be thankful for. Yeah, this is my favorite part of the show, where we get to share some practical ideas and listeners get ready to take note of which ideas might work for you. I know I will be. Let's get to sharing some more of what have y'all experienced to help cultivate and show gratitude.

Pam McCune: 13:18

Okay, bake, take, thank. For the bake, use your gifts in the kitchen if that brings you joy, or go shopping to a bakery. Yes, once you get those baked goods, wrap your goodies up and take them to someone you are thankful for. Verbally, say thanks, or put it in a card and say we appreciate you. Now, on Thanksgiving Day, don't forget people over pies. Now, you may not know what I'm talking about. My daughter has become the cook, the baker, the planner that I am not. She takes after her daddy.

Pam McCune: 13:47

One Thanksgiving she and I attempted a chocolate chess pie that our friend makes and we spent much time bonding, laughing, making this pie and it didn't taste or look like a pie. It actually had the aroma of death. So if you enjoy making a mess in the kitchen, do it. And if you all spend all day on Thanksgiving cooking, if you do that and you become the aroma of death, please remember people over pies. Bonding with people in the kitchen and outside the kitchen is more important than the perfect, most beautiful pie. Laughter goes a long way, friends, when things don't turn out to your expectation or as planned, a dash of laughter will cover much. My friend has a tablecloth of memories that she pulls out for whoever comes to her house in the month of November. She has them sign their name and write one thing they're thankful for and write the year as that tablecloth comes out. It is a scrapbook of memories of who's been in and out of the house, what they were thankful for that year, and it is a beautiful tribute to family and friends.

Jessica Gilbert: 14:55

That's really cool. There's the grateful tree. In the past we've given out chalk and asked our neighbors usually kids to draw what they're grateful for, and a friend had the idea to use the chalk to draw a tree and let neighbors add things that they're grateful for, like in the leaves. This could also be done inside your house. Cut out paper leaves or get a bag of leaves from hobby lobby. Make a banner adding words each week or day that you're thankful for. This sounds really doable to me.

Jessica Gilbert: 15:19

I live on a trail and the Rangers they just won last week the World Series Go Rangers. As I was walking the trail, there was a huge chalk display saying go Rangers, win. And so I guess my neighbors might be open for this idea. On the trail we might have to test it out. Also with words of affirmation during November. Take advantage of verbally appreciating people or writing notes with old fashioned pen and paper. You could say so grateful to have you as a neighbor, a friend, family, coworker, or even on social media. This is a time to use it for good and tell friends how thankful we are for them.

Jesslyn Adams: 15:51

I love that, Jessica. Words of affirmation are my love language, and even my own husband, who says that wasn't his love language when we were first married, now says he loves words of affirmation and needs it. And I think we all need it. We all want to hear something really kind. Pam, I love what you were talking about with the kids and helping them think through things to be thankful. So don't underestimate a faithful jar or a bucket by the dinner table With a piece of paper, or we even have some note cards and a pen. We write down things at dinner or bedtime, what we're thankful for throughout November, and read them on Thanksgiving. It's a simple tradition that you can do even if you're traveling. I have tried incorporating this at our meals a couple days a week, and now I must admit that our boys at the beginning used to always say the same thing I'm thankful for recess, for dessert or my game. Those are all wonderful. But recently one of my sons, maddie, said you know, I'm just really glad I have a bed at night. And I thought, oh my goodness, okay, you're taking it another layer deeper and I thought that was so worth it. And so you're right. It does take cultivating Another way to stimulate your thankful heart with your kids is the ABCs of gratitude.

Jesslyn Adams: 16:56

Have a game to try to come up with something with every letter that you're grateful for. If you're with your kids, try to help them succeed with those tough letters. A could be for adoration of our dog, who's so sweet and greets us with the kiss every day. B maybe the mini books that we have. Or my oldest son loves bacon. I mean, it could be anything. It's amazing how that changes all of our hearts, not just the kids.

Pam McCune: 17:18

Great ideas. One time during COVID, I did this alphabet of praise on my Facebook wall. Oh, wow, and it's probably the most comments I've ever had on Facebook. They were in such a hard place that everybody wanted to stop and think of things that they were praising God for and thankful for, of who He was at that time we did some different aspects of his character, but these are great ideas. Hopefully one of these fits or can be adapted for where you are in your season of life.

Pam McCune: 17:47

Lighting up with gratitude can be for all the blessings we have, for the people we appreciate, or, by faith, for the things we don't like. But we trust God. He has a purpose for allowing it. But don't forget our foundation of gratitude, our relationship with God. My thankful song is Rend Collective's, Counting Every Blessing. The heart of it is counting the blessings of being in relationship with God. Here are some of the words in case you haven't had the delight of hearing Rend Collective.

Pam McCune: 18:19

I was blind, now I'm seeing in color. I was dead. Now I'm living forever. I had failed, but you were my redeemer. I've been blessed beyond all measure. I was lost. Now I'm found by the Father. I've been changed from a ruin to a treasure. I've been given a hope and a future. I've been blessed beyond all measure. You were there in the valley of shadows. You were there in the depth of my sorrows. You're my strength, my hope for tomorrow. I've been blessed beyond all measure. Surely your goodness pursues me. Surely your heart is still for me. I will remember your mercies all my days, through every storm and gale. I am counting every blessing. Counting every blessing, letting go and trusting when I cannot see. Surely, every season, you are good to me. Oh, you are good to me, okay y'all.

Pam McCune: 19:17

I'm tearing up. Can you believe that just reading these words is bringing me back to the hardest hards that I've had? I couldn't say I was thankful for her, but I sang the words by faith, to say you know what? He was with me in the valley Through those storms and gales. Lord, I'm counting every blessing, letting go and trusting when I cannot see. Surely, every season, you are good to me, oh, you are good to me. No matter if things feel thankful or if, by faith, we choose that God's character is allowing good, we can set our mind to be thankful and stop and remember the things that he has done for us. And it starts and stops with our relationship with Him. It is my ringtone, it is my go-to song to remind me of all I have to be thankful for and it reminds me to start and stop at what God has done for me. And as we're thinking through gratitude and knowing God personally, who pointed you to know Jesus, who are you thankful for?

Jessica Gilbert: 20:22

Well, the first person who pointed me to Jesus and led me into a relationship with him was my mom. She became a believer while pregnant with me. She was a teen mom and she literally sang a worship song as she birthed me. So I'm told I can remember maybe being four or five years old, about to get a spanking for some act of disobedience. I did, and as I lay there anxiously waiting for it, it never came. And my mom said I'm not going to spank you. You know what that's called Mercy, that's not getting something that you deserve. And then she handed me a piece of candy and I'm thinking this is a trick. And she says do you know what this is called? It's grace getting a gift that you don't deserve. She told me that's what God does for us and I'll never forget that.

Jessica Gilbert: 21:06

Today I'll tell you that her relationship with God is vastly different. She's experienced, as many of us have, a fair amount of church hurt and abuse in her life. She's put a lot of distance between herself and Christians. But, guys, my mom gave me my first taste of the sweetness of Jesus and that's the reason why I work at learning more about how to follow him, well, why I do call to shine. I want to equip people who are walking alongside men and women who are disillusioned and distrusting of the church. I want to encourage us to learn together how to be a light that reveals the darkness but doesn't knock them blind. I'm just so grateful for my mom for revealing to me who Jesus is. Wow, jessica.

Pam McCune: 21:44

I really appreciate how you verbally acknowledge all that your mom did for you. She gave us such a powerful illustration to you of mercy and grace that you'll never forget.

Jesslyn Adams: 21:56

Yes, Jessica, I loved your story, and it helped me realize how impactful the little years can be with kids. They do remember big time events, and you remembered something pivotal at four to five years old. My parents, too, were a great example of growing up and prioritizing faith in God. I personally invited Jesus into my heart in high school. That's when I understood I needed a relationship with him, but as I entered my freshman year of college, I was struggling in my faith and pretty much put Jesus on the back burner. God kept pursuing me, though, and provided me a potluck roommate that was unlike anyone I had ever met. Her name was Jessica, so that was ironic, jessica and Jesslyn being roommates together, and even though our names were similar, our days could not look more different.

Jesslyn Adams: 22:38

While I was sleeping in and missing class often sorry, mom and dad Jessica, on the other hand, was getting up every morning by 6.30, having a devotional time outside of our dorm room, and she was doing this in her hallway, so she wouldn't wake me up. She was always so kind and patient, as I came in late at night while she was asleep. I sadly even remember popping popcorn at 2am because, let's face it, I had not been making good choices that night. I had been drinking every weekend, trying to live this lukewarm faith one foot in the world and one foot in with Jesus, and I honestly kept Jessica at a distance that fall.

Jesslyn Adams: 23:11

But after Thanksgiving break we came back and she had brought me a Christmas present. To my dismay I thought, wow, I don't know if I've been the kindest to her. I can't believe she's doing this. And inside that gift were Bath and Body Works lotions she had noticed mine were running low, my favorite since and I loved it. Her thoughtfulness and prayers for me really drew me back to Jesus. Seeing her devotion to spend time with him, to want to know him. I don't think I'd really seen that in someone my age and I'm like, okay, this exists. Like she loves being with Jesus. She was reflecting his love and grace for me and slowly but surely over the next few months, jessica helped me turn back to Jesus and was there spurring me on over the next four years of college, and she still does today.

Jessica Gilbert: 23:51

Wow, Jesslyn, I appreciate all the ways that she poured into you, also appreciating that you said. Admittedly, you kept her at a distance. That gives me hope that when the people I'm trying to be a light to, if they keep me at a distance that perhaps with some consistency in my care, they will eventually open up.

Pam McCune: 24:10

That does give hope and it's another Jessica that was faithful and persistent. What is it with Godly Jessica's? In Texas, some grandmother years ago must have prayed for a Godly heritage in the Jessica's. I don't have any Jessica's in my family, but my parents pointed me to Jesus as well. They brought us up faithfully attending church, where I heard many Bible stories and, I'll be honest, tried hard to get all the right answers on Sunday mornings. It wasn't until fifth grade that I realized I actually didn't have all the right answers and I finally understood I had a choice to make to choose Jesus, to say yes to him, and once I did, I ran to wanting to learn more about him and knowing him. I owned it and then Lynn and Sally and Georgia and Tim and many, many more continued to point me towards him through the tricky and emotional junior high and high school years. They pointed me to him one step at a time.

Jessica Gilbert: 25:09

That's beautiful Pam. I'm grateful for all those people that poured into you, and that's true. I mean we talked about how stars shine brightest in the cluster. We need other people to do the work of being a light to others, so I love all of those people that poured into you and helped you get to know Jesus more. Yeah, november can be a great time to be thankful, and especially be thankful for those who pointed us to Jesus. We can do it verbally or through a note, and, as we do, we can also pray that God will use us to point others to Jesus as well. It's been great being with you guys today. For our listeners, come find me on the Kaldishine Instagram account and say hi, I would love to interact with you.

Pam McCune: 25:46

Yes, y'all should, Jessica. We're so glad you're here. Jesslyn, how are we going to get her here all the time?

Jesslyn Adams: 25:52

Yes, I would love that. So, listeners, being thankful is a choice. Cultivating a heart of gratitude doesn't happen from saying thank you for one day or for one month, but that one day or one month is a step in the right direction, and once we take those first steps, it's easier to take the next right step as well. Laying a foundation of gratitude and thankfulness will help change us from the inside out, so that the next time we are poked, we will spill over with the aroma of life During World War II, Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsy were arrested for hiding Jews in their Dutch home.

Pam McCune: 26:25

They were sent to labor concentration camp. In one camp, Ravensbrook, the barracks they stayed in were far from ideal. There was hardly space for them to move around as so many women were tightly packed into the one bunk room. To make matters worse, it was infested with fleas. Corrie wondered how they could live in such a place, but her older sister, Betsy, said God had already given them the answer. She told Corrie to read the passage from the Bible they had read that morning.

Pam McCune: 26:55

Corrie went to 1 Thessalonians 5, read verses 16 through 18. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. Betsy exclaimed that's it, Corrie. That's His answer, "Give thanks in all circumstances. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks, such as, as Cory asked, such as being assigned here together. Betsy said and Cory agreed. They went on to thank God that they had been able to keep their Bible, that there were so many people there who would be able to hear God's word, and then Betsy gave thanks for the fleas the fleas, cory thought. Betsy, there's no way even God can make me be grateful for a fleet. Give thanks in all circumstances, betsy quoted. It doesn't say in pleasant circumstances. Fleas are part of this place where God has put us. So they gave thanks for the fleas, but Cory felt sure that this time Betsy was wrong.

Pam McCune: 28:01

Time passed, the days filled with hard work and cruel guards, but every single evening the women and their barracks would gather around to hear the word. They were grateful they were able to read the Bible, but they wondered why the guards didn't stop them. Then one day Betsy learned why. It was because of the fleas. The guards refused to enter the barracks because they knew it was infested with fleas. God had a purpose, even for those horrible fleas. When it seemed like everything was stripped from them, here was evidence that God cared about them-- fleas. Fleas was God's way of providing a means by which these suffering women could be near to Him through His Word.

Jesslyn Adams: 28:42

I love that, this Thanksgiving season, give thanks to God for every good and perfect gift he allows, and also thank him for how he will use all things for good in the lives of those who trust him. This is how we cultivate gratitude. This is how, when poked gratitude will come out. We have so much more to explore together. So be sure to subscribe to our podcast, and if today is inspired or encouraged to you, you can help others find us by taking a moment to give us a review on your favorite podcast streaming site.

Pam McCune: 29:10

And as our thanks for joining us here, we invite you to follow us on Instagram at called to shine. As part of our called to shine Instagram community, you will get encouragement and ideas to help you connect to the people around you.

Jesslyn Adams: 29:24

And, as always, you can find resources to help you shine the light of Jesus at mbs2gocom neighbor Bible studies to go. In our next episode we will look into simple ways to make sure we don't miss celebrating Jesus's birth through the Christmas holidays. How can we make time to simply adore him?

Pam McCune: 29:41

Thanks for joining us today. We are called to shine.