Gratitude

Future Hope Ministries

Dan and Joy Cutchen

We hope your Thanksgiving time was a wonderful reflection of your life of gratitude to our loving and amazing heavenly Father!

Dan's mom, Dovie Cutchen, joined us this year for Thanksgiving and it was a SWEET time of precious memories.

She was able to spend much time with her grandsons and their wives: Stephen and Ashley and Matthew and Anna.

We also had some wonderful fellowship with Joy's family.

Mom was so happy and it was a treasure for us all.

Dan, Joy, Dovie, Matthew and Anna Cutchen singing some

GRATITUDE songs Joy picked out and Dan arranged.

In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I Thessalonians 5:18

Mr. William Arthur Ward (1921–March 30, 1994), a prominant speaker and writer here in Texas, posted this wonderful proverb on the power of thanksgiving:

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.

I love this quote about gratitude. Psalm 100 tells us to come into God's presence with thanksgiving and praise. Living a life of gratitude places us under His good, steadfast love. A life of gratitude transforms our hearts and situations into happy hearts and singing situations! (Psalm 100:2)

And yet, living a life of daily gratitude is very difficult. The fact is, in our own strength, it's impossible. But Jesus reminds us of who does the work, “...With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

The apostle Paul adds to that, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;" (2 Cor. 4:7)

It takes power to live in gratitude.

Praise God! We don't have to force ourselves or "try" to do better. The key is surrender and opening up our hearts to the power of His Spirit.

Colossians 3:17: "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."