This month, we’re covering True Woman Manifesto commitment #12: “Live out the mandate of Titus 2—as older women, modeling godliness and training younger women to be pleasing to God in every respect; as younger women, receiving instruction with meekness and humility and aspiring to become mature women of God who in turn will train the next generation.”
That’s not all, though. We’re also going to intersperse several posts on gratitude throughout the month. After all, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Nancy just wrote a fantastic new book titled Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy.
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What are some of your favorite beauty regimens? 
Painting your nails?
Shaving your legs?
Coloring your hair?
Getting a massage?
How about choosing—and overflowing—with gratitude?
(Hmmm . . . which one of these things doesn’t seem to fit?!)
In her most recent book, Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy, Nancy Leigh DeMoss says,
“. . . I would go so far as to say that there is nothing more becoming in a child of God than a grateful spirit. By the same token, there is probably nothing that makes a person more unattractive than the absence of a grateful spirit.”
I don’t know about you, but that’s enough to make me want to be grateful! But, how? How do we as women get a grateful heart change? It’s not like we can just buy a thankful spirit in the cosmetic aisle at Wal-Mart . . .
This is going to require a bit more work than your average one-time make-up application. Just ask Joni Eareckson Tada. She’s lived her entire adult life as a quadriplegic due to a diving accident when she was seventeen. Nancy had the opportunity to spend some time with Joni, and she asked her, “How do you maintain such a joyful spirit with all the challenges you’re forced to deal with on a daily basis?” This is what Joni said:
“You know, Nancy, I think I’ve just disciplined myself for so many years to ‘give thanks in all things,’ that it’s become my reflex reaction.”
Wow. As Nancy says,
“The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices. It is a godly habit and pattern that over time becomes a new muscle in our spiritual makeup.”
The good news is that you don’t have to work up an appearance of gratitude—there really is reason for you to be truly grateful! Just look at the Cross—that central point in History when God engraved you in the palms of His hand as He took those nails in order to bear your guilt, shame, and sin. As Nancy says:
“The only people who can sustain a consistent flow of thanksgiving between them and God are those who know who, what, and where they’d be if He hadn’t intervened and saved them from themselves.”
How long has it been since you thought about where you’d be if Jesus hadn’t pursued, loved, and forgiven you? Are you whining, or worshipping? What beauty regimen are you practicing today?
Comments
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How that the enemy was coming against King Jeshoshaphat and he sought the Lord. The Lord sent a message and said to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. King Jehoshaphat sent his singers to battle first and then the troops. While the singers were going forth and praising the Lord.."praise the Lord for the his mercy endureth forever"...the Lord sent ambush against the enemy and Judah was delivered. Not only delivered but it took them three days to gather all the spoil from the battle that the Lord had fought for them.
Then the pastor said "Give thanks in all things for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." He said that God inhabits the praises of His people. It's like when you praise and thank the Lord for His wonderful works and Who He is, He pulls up a chair in your midst and sits down with you.
I'm thankful to be alive today and to know that Jesus Christ is my hope. Looking forward to drawing closer to Him and learning of Him. Needing Him more and more each day.
on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 9:42 am
This time together is bringing joy to our marriage.
We begin our prayer with praise and thanksgiving to our Lord God. This directs our attitude for the new day. It is a blessing.
I have noticed another way that giving thanks has directed my attitude. I keep thank-you notes on hand. Writing thank-you notes to people that have blessed my life or given a gift is a way to notice the good things in life. The very act of writing, putting it down on paper, helps me remember.
on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:55 am
I have found that even if I don't have much to say to God at a given moment. I always have something to thank Him for. It is like a life line reminding me that he is good and he is for me not against me.
I've also learned that it is a discipline to look past the seemingly good or bad things in our lives and to see Jesus. Jesus is always good, no matter what is happening. When we see this clearly, nothing can steal our joy and nothing can compete with our worship of Him.
on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Exemplifying spiritual and physical beauty requires time and effort; to coordinate or “dovetail” the two consider using this spiritual grooming routine as you dress daily . . .
As I physically cleanse my body
Spiritually I will ask my heavenly Father to create a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
As I physically apply my foundation
Spiritually I will recall that as God’s child I was chosen from the foundation of the world and that my standard of living for this day is to align with His Holy standard (Ephesians 1:4).
As I physically put on my garments
Spiritually I will meditate on the clothing of the Christian soldier and purpose to put on the full armor of God today (Ephesians 6:10-20).
As we exemplify spiritual and physical beauty, we will fulfill Peter’s instruction of not allowing our adornment to be merely external because we have chosen to cultivate the hidden person of the heart . . . which is precious in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:3-4)!
on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Presently i'm experiencing continual chest pain and my doctor believes it's muscular and not a heart issue. I need to thank God that the stress test, x-ray and cardiac enzymes are all normal. The pain continues and God-willing my doctor and I will figure out why, in the meantime, "Thank you God that the pain is not due to something wrong with the ventricles of my heart. I trust in YOU Almighty God"
on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 5:33 pm
One of the resources that I use to start my time of devotion with the Lord is Ruth Myers' excellent little devotional entitled, "31 Days of Praise." I love it because Ruth incorporates Scripture in her "praise prayers", and when I read it, it gets my mind centered
on the greatness of God and all that He is, and all that
He has done for me.
Also, thank you Professor Ennis for sharing your "Spiritual Grooming Routine." I very much enjoyed your book that you co-authored with Lisa Tatlock,
"Becoming a Woman who Pleases God." I had recommended this book to a friend, and she was so helped by it! (as was I!)
on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Something Nancy said; “The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices. It is a godly habit and pattern that over time becomes a new muscle in our spiritual makeup.”-NLD ...That reminded me of what my friend Darlene who led me to the Lord said; " When you get a reaction that is not pleasing from your husband, it's the result of all the seemingly little things you have not honored him in. All of them add up.
Every night I by God's grace remember to tell God thank You for His faithfulness for so many areas of the day. And in the morning I tell Him thank You for Your Lovingkindness...
Psalm 92 1-3; IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
on Friday, November 6, 2009 at 2:59 am
on Friday, November 6, 2009 at 7:33 am
"He will beautify the meek with salvation ..." (from Ps. 149:4)
Blessings through our Lord Jesus,
on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 4:30 pm