A New Challenge: Gratitude and Encouragement, Post 1
This has been a tough year. If I tried to bullet it out, you’d be depressed by the end. Think daughters who can’t drive, two of whom will never drive; husband having one joint replaced and needing another; job loss; fire; fire recovery; job loss; husband breathing deteriorating.
Yesterday was particularly difficult. I was getting into a real funk, ready to swear off social media and walk away from all things electronic. My ex was acting up, and the feeds all seemed to be feeding that darkness that comes to call at this time of year when he does his thing.
Instead of being a complete recluse, I decided I would go to two different churches where no one really knows me; I’m not isolating. Yes, I’m not connecting with anyone who could hold me accountable for my attitude, but I’m not isolating.
The second one was an ecumenical thanksgiving service run by several local ministers and one lay person. The keynote speaker focused his discussion on Colossians 3:12–17.
What was most challenging to me and my run-the-world-my-way attitude were verses 15–17 from the Passion Translation (thanks, biblegateway):
Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.
Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises, and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts!
Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!
Um, no gold star for me lately. This packed quite the punch, even in the version the pastor shared from, and in this version, I’m left with nothing to say.
So for the rest of the year, I’m going to go quiet in FB with the exception of Messenger. Here in Medium, I’ll probably still interact, but at a much slower pace. I may even post other pieces, or I may just start to fill my queue for the new year.
Instead, I’m issuing a new challenge. I want all people of goodwill to consider flooding social media with the Gratitude and Encouragement challenge.
From now until the end of the year, limit the more mundane activities (no cute cat videos, no trumpooning, no political posts, no trolling). Instead, on a daily basis in the social medium of your choice, provide one inspirational quote and one person, place, thing, or idea for which you’re thankful. At the end of each week, you may nominate up to three connections to pick up the torch.
Inspirational Quote
Galatians 5:1, The Passion Translation
Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free — not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.
Gratitude Inducer
I am grateful for freedom, both the freedom I have as an American to write and express myself (within the bounds of good taste and common sense) and the freedom I have as a Christian to forget my past, press forward, and make wise decisions.
Suggested Tags
Gratitude, Encouragement, Challenge
#EndofYear, #GratitudeandEncouragementChallenge
