November 22nd, 2023
by Matt Miofsky
by Matt Miofsky
Gratitude is like penicillin for the soul. Gratitude is linked to everything from better sleep to lower blood pressure, stronger relationships to better self-esteem. Creating a habit of giving thanks literally and spiritually improves your life. I think that is why God so often reminds us to be thankful. It is hard sometimes to focus on what we have instead of what we don't, what is here instead of what isn’t, what is right in our life instead of what is going wrong. While gratitude is healthy anytime, it is much better if we create a habit of practicing it. And there is no better day to start that habit than today. So, I thought I would offer four easy ideas for making gratitude a daily practice in your life.
Take time this weekend to choose one person who has played a role in your life and write them a thank you note. You’ll be amazed by the difference this will make in the lives of people around you, and it takes 5-10 minutes a week.
My kids roll their eyes when I do this, but it works, and they engage. If you have a family, try eating together at least once a week. When you do, ask one question related to gratitude that everyone has to answer. It can be as simple as “What is one thing that you are really glad happened today?” or “What was the best thing that happened last week?”. Then say a prayer thanking God for those occurrences.
I love this one. Each day, I try to pay attention to people who just seem to go above and beyond. It is easy to be disappointed, but it takes work to pay attention to what is good. And then go a step further and offer a compliment or kind word. Try it, and you’ll see what a difference it makes in the lives of others (and in you).
Starting a habit of spending a few minutes each day with God will change your spiritual life more than any other discipline - if you stick with it. But a lot of us don’t know where to start. That is why I wrote a daily devotion and prayer book, The Methodist book of Daily Prayer. Pick it up, or one like it, and start. You can get my new book at our sites on Sunday, Amazon, Cokesbury, or locally at the Novel Neighbor.
I hope all of you have a great day. Do something fun, eat some food, and find time to rest. This weekend is the start of the Christmas season at The Gathering and worship is going to be incredible as we start our new series Simply Christmas: Finding God in the Small Things. It is easy to rush through this season and miss the simple, small ways that God is working. So join me Sunday as we talk about how to simplify our Christmas so that we can see God in the small things around us.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. The Gathering’s Christmas Eve schedule is set, including several early services for those of you going out-of-town. You can find all the services and details here. Just a note, all the Sunday services on the 24th will be Christmas Eve services, even in the morning. Also, we need even more people willing to serve during December at The Gathering. Serving is another great way to express gratitude. If you are interested in serving this month, let us know here.
- Write a Note
Take time this weekend to choose one person who has played a role in your life and write them a thank you note. You’ll be amazed by the difference this will make in the lives of people around you, and it takes 5-10 minutes a week.
- Dinner Questions
My kids roll their eyes when I do this, but it works, and they engage. If you have a family, try eating together at least once a week. When you do, ask one question related to gratitude that everyone has to answer. It can be as simple as “What is one thing that you are really glad happened today?” or “What was the best thing that happened last week?”. Then say a prayer thanking God for those occurrences.
- Words of Affirmation
I love this one. Each day, I try to pay attention to people who just seem to go above and beyond. It is easy to be disappointed, but it takes work to pay attention to what is good. And then go a step further and offer a compliment or kind word. Try it, and you’ll see what a difference it makes in the lives of others (and in you).
- Daily Prayer
Starting a habit of spending a few minutes each day with God will change your spiritual life more than any other discipline - if you stick with it. But a lot of us don’t know where to start. That is why I wrote a daily devotion and prayer book, The Methodist book of Daily Prayer. Pick it up, or one like it, and start. You can get my new book at our sites on Sunday, Amazon, Cokesbury, or locally at the Novel Neighbor.
I hope all of you have a great day. Do something fun, eat some food, and find time to rest. This weekend is the start of the Christmas season at The Gathering and worship is going to be incredible as we start our new series Simply Christmas: Finding God in the Small Things. It is easy to rush through this season and miss the simple, small ways that God is working. So join me Sunday as we talk about how to simplify our Christmas so that we can see God in the small things around us.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. The Gathering’s Christmas Eve schedule is set, including several early services for those of you going out-of-town. You can find all the services and details here. Just a note, all the Sunday services on the 24th will be Christmas Eve services, even in the morning. Also, we need even more people willing to serve during December at The Gathering. Serving is another great way to express gratitude. If you are interested in serving this month, let us know here.
Posted in M-Note
Recent
Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1
October 6th, 2024
It Doesn't Have to Be This Way // M-Note 10.5.24
October 5th, 2024
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
September 30th, 2024
A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24
September 27th, 2024
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3
September 22nd, 2024
Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3 General Conference Halftime Report// M-Note 4.27.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 4
May
Very Good News at the End of General Conference//M-Note 5.4.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Announcing The Gathering’s Church Planters Lab//M-Note 5.11.24My (Hypothetical) Commencement Address // M-Note 5.18.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 4
June
July
September
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 1Transitioning...to 47 // M-Note 9.7.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 2Invitations Work in Mysterious Ways // M-Note 9.14.24Students Stepping Up: Getting Involved in Ministry // M-Note 9.21.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 4Explore - Week 3God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideSENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23Lent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
March
Lent Devotional Day 8Lent Devotional Day 9Celebrating BEYOND // M-Note 3.3.2023Lent Devotional Day 10Who Is Jesus: BONUS Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 11Lent Devotional Day 12Lent Devotional Day 13Who Is Jesus: Week 1 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 14Lent Devotional Day 15Lent Devotional Day 16Lent Devotional Day 17
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
2 Timothy
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Devotional
Discussion Guides
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Evangelism
Explore
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Hebrews
Holy Ambiguity
Holy Spirit
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Inside Voice
Isaiah
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Lectio Divina
Lent
Life
Limitations
Longing
M-Note
Matt Miofsky
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
The Bible
The Church
The Gathering
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments