Thanksgiving Day is now about 10 days away. Well, at this writing anyway. If you’ve been on social media, you may have seen many who are giving thanks through the alphabet. It seemed like a great idea and surely a way to remember to give thanks each day.
So I started doing it with my adult children and their spouses, sending a group email each morning for each of us to share our thanks. It’s been wonderful. Each letter is revelatory in and of itself.
The typical email went out to my kids with the question …. Any “O” gratitude this morning?
I had sat for some time thinking on the letter “O”. Some letter gratitudes come quickly. Others take a little time and thought. Whether quickly or slowly, I want my thanks to be genuine. And I wrote …
I am so grateful He enables us to overcome whatever life may bring.
We can sure throw those words – ‘overcome’ or ‘overcomer’ – around rather loosely. After all, isn’t that what we are supposed to be and do in life? Dictionary.com defines ‘overcome’ as:
- to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; conquer; defeat:
- to prevail over
Interesting that we don’t give thought to exactly what is involved in being, or becoming, an overcomer. We can only be defined as such once we have battled. It’s the process that makes us overcomers.
God will not allow life to get the better of me, or to conquer me. Rather He prevails over it all.
When I am overcome with the stresses of life, He overcomes.
Today I am joining … Testimony Tuesday and Teaching What is Good and Unite and True Story and Titus 2 Tues. .
Hello Joanne, that’s a great idea, giving thanks through the alphabet. I guess I’m not enough on social media to see it! And I love the word overcome. Your post renews my hope today because September and October were pretty hard months, but you’re reminding me that I can OVERCOME and give thanks in November!
Betsy, I am sorry to hear the past months were difficult for you. Praying that this is the month you overcome in Him. Grateful for you!
Hi Joanne! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Your post today is a great encouragement because you are so right, It is the process of the battle and leaning on Jesus during it that makes us overcomers. We CAN Overcome! No matter what we are facing He is always bigger! Blessings to you!
I am not sure why it never hit me that it is the process which makes us overcomers. And He is always bigger than what we face. Hoping I always remember this 🙂
What a wonderful idea! My daughter has been doing acrostics. I’d love to get her to do a Thanksgiving one!
It has been a great way for our family to grow deeper together in Him. Acrostics are always a wonderful exercise too & helpful in remembering.
I love this! I have had a huge struggle with anxiety, especially through my pregnancies and after. I have worked very hard to “overcome”, but still experience those small set-backs here and there. I need to remember to celebrate my small moments of overcoming with my biggest ones. Happy to have found you on Titus 2 Tuesday Link-Up!!
Liz, I think as we celebrate those seemingly small moments, we will come to realize they were truly bigger moments than we thought 🙂
<3 this 🙂
My husband and I each make a list from A to Z every year, and we share our lists with each other on Thanksgiving Day.
Lyli, I love the idea of waiting till Thanksgiving to share the list. Perhaps that is an idea for next year for us 🙂
We can only be described as an overcomer once we have battled! How true! Thankful to have Christ in me to fight those battles!
Ellen, I am not sure why that truth has not hit me before but it was a huge lightbulb moment for me 🙂 Like you, I am most thankful He fights on my behalf. Grateful you stopped here!
I just love that you are doing that with your family. What a wonderful idea. I want to find new ways to keep us connected with our times together few and far between these days. And I’d like to find ways to share Christ with my boys in a way that isn’t pushy but hopefully God uses to draw them maybe a bit closer to Him. I’m thinking A-Z gratitude list isn’t designated for the month of November only . . . you’ve got me thinking now. 🙂
Much love to you, Joanne.
Oh Beth, you are so right! It’s not only designated for just November. I am trying to come up with one for the Advent season next 🙂 Give it a try. Warning – they’ll probably feel a bit silly at first but keep going. It kicks in & real sharing & transparency comes. May we be intentional, not pushy, in maintaining focus on God, relationship with our adult kids & real intimacy with God & them in the days ahead. Much love to you too, Beth!
God does overcome and for that I am so thankful. There are times that the word “overcome” feels big and in order to truly overcome it has to be a big challenge. However, overcoming something is as simple as letting go of my stresses and letting God handle it instead. Love your email idea! Sounds like a great idea for next year! 🙂
Mary, we truly are overcomers in & through Him. The enemy fools us into thinking we are down for the count. Our God never goes down!
Love the alphabet idea! Would be a great one with my little kids! Although we might end up with being thankful for otters or octopus.
🙂 Kathryn, we have had a few like that thrown it. But it is part of what makes us realize just how much we have to be thankful for.
We certainly are called to be overcomers, and to be a blessing to others. May we enjoy this thanksgiving time to remind ourselves to be grateful for the little things and the many big blessings we have in Jesus. Thanks for sharing with us here at tell me a story.
Hazel, your comment reminded me that whether big or small, we are to be grateful for it all. Grateful I joined you this week!
I am majorly overwhelmed right now so thank you for reminding me that I don’t have to be overcome!! Love your daily gratitude emails to your family…precious!
Holly, you may be overwhelmed but never overcome! I’ve been praying for you as you make the transition. Know, know that our God is ordering your steps.