The minister writes… from our March 2021 newsletter
Dear friends,
I came across an idea the other day which I thought I’d share with you. It’s something I’m planning on doing myself and I invite you to join me in it.
It’s called an A – Z of blessings and the idea is to give thanks to God each day for the blessings he has given you which begin with that day’s letter. So, for instance, for ‘A’ I might thank him for the Awesomeness of nature, for close family members whose names begin with ‘A’, even for Age because it brings experience and wisdom.
You can think of one blessing or several, but the point is to give thanks. Thus, we cultivate an attitude of gratitude which will help us through when times are tough.
My thinking was that if we started on the 1st March and did one letter per day, we would finish just as we are about to go into Holy Week which is when we reflect on the last week of Jesus’ life, his passion, his death and his resurrection – surely the greatest of all blessings for us and all who believe.
I also thought it would be good if some of you were willing to share your lists of blessings with me and I could compile a list of some of the most popular – and the most unusual! – and publish them in next month’s newsletter. To do that I’d need you to send them through before you quite got to the end of the alphabet but that’s OK, it would leave me to come up with something for X,Y and Z – and I already have some ideas in mind!
Whilst it is a light-hearted thing to do, it isn’t trivial. So often we find ourselves in a downward emotional spiral, dwelling on the difficulties of our lives and fretting about our problems. Though we can’t just dismiss those thoughts, we are urged to take everything to God in prayer and thus to receive his comfort and his strength. Don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray and give thanks to him. (Philip 4: 6 – 7 NIRV)
Note those last words about giving thanks to God. That can be hard to do when life is challenging but that is probably when it is most necessary. Paul, writing his first letter to the Thessalonians, bids them (and us) to: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5: 16 – 18 NIV)
When we reflect on the blessings that God has showered upon us, it changes our mindset, it changes our hearts and it changes us. In the praise and gratitude, we find we are uplifted.
I do hope you will join me in this venture and I look forward to reading some of your lists.
With every blessing,
Sharon