Kristi Woods

What Does the Bible Say About Being Thankful?

November 19, 2019 by Kristi 10 Comments

What the Bible Says About Thankfulness

It notes many things, but what does the Bible say about being thankful? Have you ever considered which verses include gratitude to God or pertain to a Christian’s thankfulness?

During this time of thanksgiving, but all year too, let’s dig in deep and take a look at what the Bible says about thankfulness.

How Can I be Thankful to God

Thankfulness begins with intentionality. But let’s be honest, it’s easy to rush on with the day-to-day grind, leaving gratitude and our offering somewhere behind. Being thankful to God is important, however, and we should include it in our daily lives.

David offered praise and thanksgiving. After Gabriel spoke the words of promise to Mary, she offered praise sprinkled with gratitude. So did Hannah and the leper. In both the Old and New Testament, we see intentional decisions to offer thanks to God, setting a grand example for us to follow.

Here’s How I Offer Thanks

I started listing my thanksgiving on daily tasks sheets. Find free links to these two faith-focused daily to-do lists in the Subscriber Library. Subscribers can check in the latest “Insider” monthly newsletter for the password. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here and the password will arrive in the series of welcome emails. (Be sure to check spam if you don’t see it in your inbox.)

God also grabbed my attention one day when I didn’t feel like offering thanksgiving. He prompted me to start giving thanks backwards. Sounds a little off-beat, but it’s powerful–and easy. Read more here.

Why is Being Thankful to God Important

It’s in the Bible. That’s a start. Anytime I see topics in the Word, I perk up. How about you?

If we study the lives of those in the Bible who offer thanks to God, we find that some magnificent things happened. Consider that you and I, generations later, read about and glean from their offering. God likes our offerings of thanks and prompts us to do so in His Word.

Psalm 100:4 tells us that we enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts. That is, we approach the Almighty and come into His presence, with thanksgiving playing a vital role. Find out more about this verse in the Treasury of David or by comparing the verse in these versions. (I found The Message to be especially interesting.)

Bible Verses About Thanksgiving and Gratitude

Here are five Bible verses centering on both thanksgiving and gratitude.

Colossians 3:15 ESV
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
1 Chron. 16:34 ESV
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Psalm 69:30 ESV
“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.”
Psalm 100:4 ESV
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
Psalm 9:1 ESV
“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”

Bible Verses About Being Thankful for the Little Things

God often uses little things in mighty ways. Consider what happens when we offer thanks for them. Here are three Bible verses to study, memorize, and hold close to the heart.

Phil. 4:6 ESV
“[D]o not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
1 Thes. 5:18 ESV
“[G]ive thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Col. 3:17 ESV
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Resources and Gift Ideas for Being Thankful and Showing Gratitude

Sometimes it helps to have a few resources on hand for our study or use. Below are items to use for self or as gifts.

517336: The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude

The Power of Being Thankful: 365 Devotions for Discovering the Strength of Gratitude
By Joyce Meyer

432551: Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy

Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy
By Nancy Leigh DeMoss

587448: In Everything Give Thanks: Three-Year Keepsake Gratitude Journal

In Everything Give Thanks: Three-Year Keepsake Gratitude Journal
By Rebecca Currington

552009: A Thankful Heart Is a Happy Heart: Gratitude Journal for Kids

A Thankful Heart Is a Happy Heart: Gratitude Journal for Kids
By Crystal Paine

Ceramic Mug-Handwarmer-Warm The Heart-Thankful

Thankful and Blessed Jute Hanging Decor

I’m Thankful for You: A Special Offer

As we wrap up this post on “What Does the Bible Say About Being Thankful”, please know I appreciate you, friend. For every subscriber and reader here at KristiWoods.net, I thank God. Because your life matters and this journey together is a good and God thing.

Sale on Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study

As a thank you, I’m offering this special price on Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study. It’s normally $6.99 but lists at $5.50 from now until Dec. 4. It’s a wonderful stocking stuffer, a faith-filled last-minute gift, a Christian option for gift-giving across the miles, and a great way to dig into God’s Word at the start of the new year. Don’t miss it! Buy your copy and save before Dec. 4.

Available Now

If you’re looking for a physical book to give this Christmas or one for yourself, consider these devotionals from Wholly Loved Ministries. You’ll find them on this “Published Here” page, under the “Non-fiction” heading. Both are available from Amazon. (I’m honored to have pieces in both devos.)

5 Types of Bible Study for the Hungry Christian

November 12, 2019 by Kristi 6 Comments

Do you Bible study? Are you a hungry Christian, ready to learn more about the Bible? Have you ever considered the various types–maybe even tried a few?

Well, if you’re a hungry Christian like me, always ready to devour more of the Bible and ripe for growing in faith, here are 5 types of Bible study for us to investigate.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Bible Study Methods: SOAP

Shortly after arriving at my husband’s new duty station in Hawaii, we attended New Hope Christian Fellowship with Dr. Wayne Corderio as pastor. I still recall James 1:19-20 because of one of his sermons. But he also introduced us to a Bible study method he created: SOAP.

SOAP

S ~ Scripture
Write it out.
O ~ Observation
What are the facts? What do you notice about the people, location, subject-matter?
A ~ Application
How does this apply to your life?
P ~ Prayer
Spend time with the Lord, with thanksgiving, praise, questions that have risen, requests, and more that pertain to this passage and your walk with Jesus.

Many churches and Christians use the SOAP Bible study. It’s free. Just grab your Bible and possibly a notebook. Or, there’s a Bible focused specifically on the SOAP Method, too, in case you’re looking to add one to your shelf.

NIV Life Connect Study Bible, hardcover

Inductive Bible Study

An inductive Bible study focuses on a passage of scripture. Participants make observations then draw conclusions based on what they observed.

Kay Arthur is one of the top Christian Inductive Bible study writers. She hosts a whole library of studies, even Bibles geared toward this study. For specific studies and other helpful products that help encourage growth in your faith, check out this page:

Kay Arthur Inductive Bible Study Products

Word Bible Study Method

If you’ve hung around me for very long, you know this is one of my favorite study methods. I LOVE WORDS! And before I even knew it was a thing, I created my own word Bible studies with, well, one word.

I love them so much, I wrote a Bible study on one word: believe. God dropped this one word on my heart in late 2018. I thought I knew what it meant. He’s taught me so much more.

When we think we know what a word means, it’s often wise to check again. To search the Lord. Dig into resources. Scour the Scriptures. Wait for His revelation. That’s typically where we’ll find change and glory for God.

Dark purple square announcing the Created to Believe Bible Study — **Click Here to Purchase**

Verse by Verse Bible Study Method

Curious about Jesus’ birth? How about Paul’s conversion, offering thanks, or Esther’s encounter with the king? The verse by verse type of bible study method is perfect for each of these scriptures and many other topics.

Simply read one verse and then the next. Try several versions. Similar to a word study, grab a commentary or other Bible study tools to glean more about the verse, drawing your conclusions about the word meanings and context after studying. If you’re not certain where to start, look up a topic (that’s of interest to you) in a Bible concordance and begin there.

Application Bible Study

How does this passage or verse apply to my life? That’s a vital question to an application Bible study. It’s simply studying–whether through topic, chapter, verse, etc.–with its application in your own life at the heart oft he matter. Try journaling your insight and that which the Lord offers. Memorize those verses and apply them to your life. And if you’re not sure how, ask God. He’ll answer.

We can read the Bible. We can read each year, over and over, but unless we determine to apply its truth and power to our life, to allow God to grow us in His righteousness, we’ll miss out. Our Christian faith will never reach the depth possible. Regardless of which types of Bible study we choose, apply it personally. So hungry Christian, devour well His Word.

She Prays { Book Review }

October 22, 2019 by Kristi 2 Comments

Have you heard of She Prays?

She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God, a nonfiction Christian book, released recently. Have you heard of it? I hope so. If not, dive in and learn more. Because if you’re like me, this one’s a resource you’ll come back to again and again.

Is This a Book on Prayer or…?

It’s a gem! And a challenge to converse with God–with comfort and ease.

As I began scouring the pages of this book, that’s what came to mind. I hope we see She Prays around for years to come. It’s a challenge well worth taking.

Debbie Lindell authored this ministry tool. She and her husband, John, serve as lead pastors of a church in Springfield, Missouri. You also might associate her name with the Designed for Life women’s conference. (I’d not heard of it but wondered why after reading of its attendance reaching 10,000 women–just three hours from my home.)

She Prays is not a book on prayer specifically, but it is a challenge for new believers and seasoned Christians alike. This 31-day prayer challenge reads like a book but breaks each day’s reading into short and sweet daily portions. It’s easy to devour the allotted 2-4 pages each day.

Announcing the Faith Library - light green with gold

She Prays — Tell Me More

I fell in love on the first day. There, on those opening pages, Debbie dives into prayer but handles it through the vehicle of salvation. Then she progresses to other topics–all through the vehicle of prayer. Call it authentic and gentle, not in-your-face, Bible-thumping style. I’ve honestly never read words threaded together, addressing prayer and the Christian walk in the way she does.

It’s broken into four, overarching sections and categorizes the prayer focus accordingly:

She Prays with Understanding
(Salvation, who we are in Christ, etc.)
She Prays with Knowledge
(Who God is, His provision, etc.)
She Prays with Trust
(God understands, waiting, lessons amid the darkness, etc.)
She Prays with Power
(Praise, Ask, Prayer, etc.)

Here’s What Else I Like About this Christian Read

The daily reading ends with an action step. Each is different and not your typical, end-of-the-chapter version. They’re creative. Unusual. Interesting. Impactful. And more.

Examples: Read a passage out loud, write a letter to God, or set a phone reminder to pray daily.

I also like that she includes space at the end of each day for notes, prayer, and journaling.

Other Helpful Book Reviews

Purple background with white oval and words announcing Created to Believe Bible Word Study

How to Use this Book

Use this book as a birthday, Christmas, Mother’s Day, or graduation gift. It lends itself to younger believers, but the author mentions growth as well, and that’s for all of us. (Because we’ve never learned it all, have we?)

It’d be a wonderful challenge for women or small groups. I imagine Christians growing in faith as they dive into this 31-day challenge together, sharing their insight and understanding.

Give it to a variety of folks. It crosses many categories.

Where Can I Purchase She Prays?

She Prays, the paperback and ebook versions, are available through the links below, which support Christian business, or wherever books are sold.

736822: She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God

She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God
By Debbie Lindell

102688EB: She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God - eBook

She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God – eBook
By Debbie Lindell

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The publisher supplied a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Club Starts TONIGHT

Our book club starts tonight, Oct. 22. Find out more on the Free Christian Resources page under the Seated with Christ picture. Sign up today!

And don’t forget to go out and grab a copy of She Prays, too. It’s a book most will enjoy.

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