In everything, give thanks.
How do those four words strike you? Naïve? Infuriating? Impossible? Offensive?
For Ann Voskamp, the notion of being able to give thanks was lost between her gnawing anger and deep resentment toward God for his unfair dealings in her life and the lives of others. Having suffered from agoraphobia and anxiety for much of her life, she despaired of finding a joy of her own.
Then a friend dared her to write a list of a thousand blessings. Over the months that followed, she made some profound discoveries:
- How it's possible to give thanks even for the things that might crush you
- How thanksgiving always precedes the miracle
- How to slow down and live fully in the moment
- How things that feel like trouble might actually be gifts of grace
- How to break the bondage of fear by embracing everyday blessings
- How trust is the bridge over tumultuous waters that leads to joy
- How to turn your blessing into being a blessing to others
In this video Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Ann encourages us to take on the life-changing discipline of journaling God's gifts—to discover a way of seeing that opens our eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of becoming present to God that brings deep and lasting joy. It’s only in this expression of gratitude for the life we already have, that we discover the life we've always wanted…a life we can take, give thanks for, and use to serve others. In it, we come to feel and know the impossible right down to our core: that we are wildly loved by God.
Sessions include:
- Attitude of Gratitude
- Grace in the Moment
- All Is Grace
- Trust: The Bridge to Joy
- Empty to Fill
Designed for use with the One Thousand Gifts Video Study (9780310684398), sold separately.
Ann Voskamp is the wife of a farmer, mama to seven, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Broken Way, The Greatest Gift, Unwrapping the Greatest Gift, and the sixty-week New York Times bestseller One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has been translated into more than twenty languages.
Named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today, Ann knows unspoken broken, big country skies, and an intimacy with God that touches tender places. Cofounder of ShowUpNow.com, Ann is a passionate advocate for the marginalized and oppressed around the globe, partnering with Mercy House Global, Compassion International, and artisans around the world through her fair trade community, Grace Crafted Home. She and her husband took a leap of faith to restore a 125-year-old stone church into The Village Table—a place where everyone has a seat and belongs. Join the journey at www.annvoskamp.com or instagram/annvoskamp.
