16 comments

Nancy Leigh DeMoss

The Blessing Jar

Posted on 11.20.12 by Nancy Leigh DeMoss | Twitter: @NancyDeMoss

My normally quiet house is bustling with activity as I’ve got lots of company spending the week here, with more expected this weekend. It looks like we’ll have fifteen to twenty people of all ages together for Thanksgiving dinner.

Last year, after a wonderful meal around candlelit tables, we gathered in the living room on sofas, chairs, and the floor. I printed out the following questions on slips of paper and put them in a “Blessing Jar.”

We passed the Blessing Jar around, and one at a time, different people (including children) picked a question out of the jar. Then, a few shared their response to that question. It was a sweet time of reflecting on God’s goodness and blessings in our lives over the past year.

Here are the questions I included in the Blessing Jar: 

  • Name a song that has been a blessing to you this year.
  • Name one friend who has been a blessing to you this year.
  • What is one book that has been a blessing to you this year?
  • Share a Bible verse that has been a blessing to you this year.
  • Share one special memory from the past year for which you are grateful.
  • What is something about your church that has been a blessing to you this year?
  • How have you seen the heart of Jesus in a member of your family?
  • What is one financial or material blessing from the past year for which you are grateful?
  • How have you seen God at work in the life of an unbeliever this year?
  • What is one area of your life where you have seen God at work this year?
  • What is one answer to prayer you have experienced this year?
  • Share something from the past year that has been “hard,” for which you are grateful.
You might want to make a Blessing Jar this year, and add some questions of your own. Either way, I’d love to hear how you celebrate Thanksgiving and make it meaningful for your family and friends.

Comments

  1. What a nice idea! Even if one celebrated Thanksgiving alone, this would be a good exercies to do.
    theshepherdspresence.wordpress.com
    posted by Karyl Entner
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 9:12 am
  2. We are so grateful be able to gather around our Thanksgiving table once again this year with our hearts filled with love, blessing and thanksgiving to the Lord. Even though our table has now grown much smaller because several of our loved ones have gone to Heaven to be with Jesus, our hearts are still filled with peace and love to the Lord for this blessed assurance that they are with Him and it is well with our soul. When asked the question, how has the Lord blessed you in this last year. One by one our dear family bows their head in a heartfelt and personal prayer of love, thanksgiving and blessing to the Lord, knowing His Blessed Assurance in knowing Him now and living with Him forever is the Greatest Blessing of all.
    posted by Suzy Mazur
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 9:25 am
  3. WONDERFUL IDEA!!!!! I THINK we'll be trying this!!!!!! :)
    http://tladydesigns.blogspot.com/
    posted by Becky Green
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 9:56 am
  4. P.S. THANK YOU again Nancy for your book!!!!!!! I am REALLY ENJOYING IT!!!!!!!!!! :) I think it's THE BEST DEVOTIONAL I've EVER read!!!!!!! :)
    http://tladydesigns.blogspot.com/
    posted by Becky Green
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 10:00 am
  5. What a wonderful idea! I think we'll do this as a family this Thanksgiving! That's a great way to bring back to our memories what God has done for us this year...
    posted by Amanda Ridenour
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 10:00 am
  6. Great idea!!! Gonna ask my husband if he would like to incorporate this into our day. Thanks for sharing. :) And thank-you for the many ways you have blessed me and my family over the last year!!! May you and your family enjoy your time together.
    posted by Kim Zolman
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 10:04 am
  7. We always put up the Christmas tree at the beginning of the month and turn it into a Thanksgiving tree. We make ornaments to hang on the tree - most of which have what we are thankful for written on them. However, I really like this idea and will incorporate it this year. Perhaps year round :)
    posted by Stephanie
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 11:15 am
  8. I love this idea. Sadly enough, we are the only ones in our family that are believers. :( I will have to get creative. :)
    www.mcmanuspartyoffive.blogspot.com
    posted by Talysa McManus
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 11:22 am
  9. Great idea!!! Gonna ask my husband if he would like to incorporate this into our day. Thanks for sharing. :) And thank-you for the many ways you have blessed me and my family over the last year!!! May you and your family enjoy your time together.
    posted by Kim Zolman
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 12:33 pm
  10. Great idea!!! Gonna ask my husband if he would like to incorporate this into our day. Thanks for sharing. :) And thank-you for the many ways you have blessed me and my family over the last year!!! May you and your family enjoy your time together.
    posted by Kim Zolman
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 1:46 pm
  11. I have long been a fan of your radio and book ministry. Didn't know you had a blog until my friend from The Shepherd's Presence alerted me. I passed on your idea here in my own blog today. Thank you.
    www.lindasbiblestudy.wordpress.com
    posted by Linda J. Kreger
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 2:15 pm
  12. Nancy,
    I LOVE this idea and plan to use it with our children this weekend. Happy Thanksgiving to you! I am grateful for your stand for Christ, for your faithfulness to His Word, and for your service to Christ. He continues to use you to sharpen me. It was a delight to meet you at True Woman. I hope we can meet again someday. Happy, Blessed Thanksgiving!

    Ruth Adams
    trainingheartsathome24.blogspot.com
    posted by Ruth Adams
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 3:20 pm
  13. THanks for sharing this meaningful activity!
    posted by Elisa
    on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 7:19 pm
  14. I used this with our college & career kids last night at our Thanksgiving get-together. Very meaningful & insightful! TY, Nancy! God bless you!
    posted by Tammy
    on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 5:34 am
  15. Nancy,
    I too want to say thankyou for the Quiet Place Devotional. I take it prayerfully to heart each morning. I am so blessed by the Revive our hearts and the True Woman ministries.
    The blessing jar is a great idea and we will do this tomorrow around our table.
    posted by Carol Fleck
    on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 8:19 am
  16. It's a wow!.God in Heaven will really appreciate the writer of this piece.There's an upcoming youth programme in my church on December 29th,2012.It will be great to make use of it.SHALOM
    posted by Omoboriowo
    on Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 3:38 am

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