A New Year’s Challenge

Over the past couple of months, I have gradually been reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It has been a slower read for me because every page is filled with wisdom and a reason for underlining and highlighting. In her book, Voskamp asks how do we find joy in the midst of our everyday lives? While I don’t align with all of her theological understandings, her invitation to embrace everyday blessings and to embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God’s gifts has been very worthwhile for me.

“Thanks is what multiplies the joy and makes any life large.”

This book has been very applicable for me in our transition to life in Nicaragua. A wonderful friend told me before we left that it would be important for me to “turn my yucks into wows.” When there are things about living in Nicaragua that I don’t quite like, it is important for me to reframe them and try to look at them from a different perspective. This has been a key for my transition so far.

“To name a thing is to manifest the value that God gave it.”

A fellow MCCer told me on one of my first days here that she found it helpful to intentionally notice and look for three things each day that I could be thankful for, to find beauty when it isn’t always beautiful. This has also been an extremely helpful practice for me.  I am trying to notice the “little” things and give a name to these blessings.

“I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, in all the days before I die, the moments before I sleep.”

And so I thought, like Voskamp I am going to chronicle my everyday blessings in this next year. Three a day! Will you join me in doing this? We may just find that it changes our perspective on life.

“…to not just take the blessing, but to be the blessing.”

I hope that you enjoy the read, and the practice! “The secret of joy is to keep seeking God where we doubt He is.”