Living a Life of Gratitude {Making Your Home a Haven: Week 1}
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
(Psalm 136:1)
{Cue the Confetti!!!}
It’s time to begin the 10th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible Study! This week’s spiritual discipline is gratitude! Join me for Week 1’s video as we discuss Living a Life of Gratitude —then pull our your journals and begin!
Week 1 – Gratitude
Jesus died on the cross and rose again for the forgiveness of our sins. Through our faith in Jesus, we have a personal relationship with Him. Our God is personal. Never forget that! He is our creator and He loves us. He knows exactly what is best for us. So, He tells us in His Word to –give thanks.
Giving thanks is an important spiritual discipline that helps open our eyes to the good gifts that God has generously given to us each day.
Interestingly, it is also scientifically proven that listing the things we are grateful for improves our relationships, our mood, our sleep, our hopefulness, our resiliency and our physical and psychological health.
Week 1 – Challenge
Start a daily gratitude list!
Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, let it remind you to say a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer for peace in your home.
I will be starting mine in the morning but you can start yours at dinner time or whenever is convenient for you. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Let’s make our homes feel like a warm hug and a sweet haven all month long!
You see when we do not take the time to tend to our own souls – we have nothing left to give to others. So many times I have found myself busy and running on empty and then I snap – in a moment of frustration and weariness I say or do things that I would never do if I was more rested and connected with the Lord.
And so this month – let’s be intentional! Genesis tells us, God created the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh day, He rested.
God stopped!
We are made in God’s image and we need to stop too. Stop and simply light your candle and say a prayer of thanksgiving.
Life has many twists and turns each day. It is very easy to become frazzled and frustrated. In our own strength, we cannot be peaceful and thankful. This is where Christ changes everything! While many things will happen in your home this week that feel out of your control, —there is one constant…
God.
God is with you.
And the flicker of your candle on the counter morning, noon and night will remind you – there is a God who loves you, that you can turn to over and over and over with your stress, struggles, worries and fears.
So let’s begin our gratitude lists now.
Pull out a pen and paper and begin. As you set your pen to the paper – wait on the Lord. Seek God and ask him to show you all the ways he has shown himself to you lately.
Give thanks to God for both the big and small blessings in your life.
They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:31)Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
(Psalm 136:1)
Here is this week’s Bible Reading Plan
This Week’s Verses of the Day:
(Leaders: You can use these images in your groups by using right click and “save as” or screen shot them.)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Click HERE to print the Verses of the Day for Week 1.
Here’s the Daily Bible Reading Plan
Printable Bible Bookmark
Printable Bible Coloring Bookmark
Signature GMG SOAK Bible Study Method
Video explaining the Bible Coloring and SOAK Methods of Study
Here are the highlighters, pens and pencils I mentioned in the video:
Highlighters – Acid Free – Bible Hi-Glider
Fine Line Non-bleeding Pens – Micron Archival Ink and Multi-Colored Gel Pens
Colored Pencils – Crayola Twistables and Crayola Colored Pencils
I use the ESV Inductive Study Bible as my personal study Bible.
Don’t Miss the Daily Check-Ins on Facebook and Instagram!
Join us EVERY weekday morning ANYTIME after 7:00amEST on Facebook
to discuss the day’s reading assignment.
Share pictures of your candles, flowers, playlists and favorite places to rest on Instagram by using the hashtags: #MakingYourHomeAHaven and #WomenLivingWell.
***Unlike my other Bible Studies, this series will only have Monday blog posts. For daily encouragement during this challenge follow me out on –> Instagram and facebook . I’ll be there every day cheering you on!
It’s time to begin!
It’s time to focus on what we are grateful for – because…
What we focus on – grows.
And complaining makes us weak -but living a life of gratitude – will make us strong!
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Walk with the King,
Courtney 
Chime In: ***Share with us in the comment section some of the things you are grateful for today.
Just look around the room where you are sitting right now. I am positive there are more than 10 ordinary things we could easily give thanks to God for. Share them with us!
I’m so glad you are joining us!
You can use any notebook you have
but if you want the optional journal, it is available
exclusively on Amazon here.
This post contains an affiliate link.
Thank you❤
Thanking God for “Women Living Well” out loud where all can get a sweet glimpse of God The Father and seek Him for yourself????????
I am grateful unto God for what he has done is doing and will do in me. I am thankful for him correcting me, I am thankful for his grace and mercy, I am grateful for my family. I am grateful to know I am not an after thought unto God
I feel so blessed and thankful! I know God is with me!
Just I am thankful that i was reminded to be thankful..it has not just ended with My Father it also made me realise good gifts of family around me..it simply opened my ‘gratitude eyes’ and acctivated my Energy on saying Thank You!
I am thankful for coffee, electricity, heat on this chilly morning, the gift to read my Bible. I am thankful for Bible study groups to share with. I am thankful for my health.
This event has opened my eyes to a new level of worship.Thanks Women Living Well for your help.To God Be The Glory!
Courtney, I thank God for you & your ministry to women around the world today. It is a blessing.
Thank you for this study.
I am thankful for the freedom to praise God in this country and I am thankful for my relationship with my husband and for our good health.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week! 🙂
I am thankful for my grandbabies and the relationship we get to share. I am thankful for this day! And for this study!
I’m thankful to my bestie Crytsal Smith for reaching out to me about this bible study not knowing that I had already seen it and considered doing it. This was confirmation that I should join.
Crystal*
Thank you! I enjoyed Week 1 Day 1 and am looking forward to this month-long study. What you said about how complaining making us weak but giving thanks to God makes us strong, well, that really jumped out at me!
Thanks,
Dawn from Sheboygan, WI
I’m thankful for having a home with heat and a candle that smells amazing to start this bible study!
I am grateful for my horses, my job and my children.
I am thankful for my church family and sweet friends who are an encouragement to me daily. I am thankful for my husband and how he shows me love by acts of service. I am thankful for my children and how I see them growing and maturing. I’m also thankful for a warm home, coffee and a beautiful Fall candle!
Is there anyway you could do a video on how you do the coloring chart? Maybe with the exact lesson we are on (just one). I really am struggling with it. I know it sounds simple, but I’m not sure if I’m looking for word for word or concepts. If a command mentions the the word love…..is that blue or red? Ugh….really overwhelmed. Sorry, I’m sure this probably comes easy to most people.
Thanks,
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne,
I am daily posting my Bible with the color coding on instagram here: http://www.instagram.com/womenlivingwell So you can see my Bible for this study there! I hope it helps. A lot of verses could be more than one color, so it’s okay if your Bible looks different than mine. There is no right or wrong way to do it – it’s just a tool to help us slow down and really soak in God’s word.
I also have a youtube here that explains color coding – https://youtu.be/ugLUHdPpUMg . But I think if you visit my instagram daily that should help.
So glad you are joining us!
Courtney 🙂
Thank you for acknowledging me. I have been reading the Bible for a long time and this is showing me how to actually sit still and Soak in the presence of God and learn his word and how to apply it to my daily life. So I am grateful and thankful for that on this day.
I am thankful for finding this bible study. It has come at the perfect time. God is so good.
i am thankful to the Lord, I connected with this bible study through Facebook and since then i have
grown spiritually, have understood many things in the process of the few bible studies i have done
with you. To God be the glory, honor and adoration. May God bless you Courtney for your commitment.
I am joining again this year and posting weekly on my blog. This is something I look forward to each year. I am posting at livinglifewiththeloves.blogspot.com
I am grateful for all God has provide for me Spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Just like the one leper, I give a shout of praise to God!
Thank you so much for the study !!????????☕️
Courtney, I thank God for you & your ministry to women around the world today. It is a blessing.
I’m grateful for Courtney and this ministry. You are a light! Keep shining!