This #soulh2o devo is coming as a result of my recording with my adventerous friend Ruth Thorogood!
I’m so thankful for this girl!
Recording the Thanksgiving episode with her got me thinking about my need to get back into the habit of Counting My Blessings in an effort to defeating anxiety in my life.
I vaguely remembered writing a devo about that and saw that I sent it out exactly 2 years ago today! How crazy is that! As I read it, I felt so strongly that I needed to resend out this devotion instead of the one I had written for this week. I thought if I had a hard time remembering it and I wrote it, that it would be pretty-much new to you too! I’m late getting it out again but hoping I have things regulated with all the new on my plate since starting the Soul H2O Radio show real soon 🙂 Girls, I’m loving it and hope you are too.
Praying you have a blessed Thanksgiving weekend!
Defeating Anxiety By Counting My Blessings
This post was featured on Crystal Twaddell’s FRESH MARKET FRIDAY Linkup. 
This weekend, we Canadians will celebrate Thanksgiving. Our houses will be filled with the delicious aromas of turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potato mash and pumpkin pie. I’m responsible for bringing the Green Bean Casserole and my Thankfulness Journal.
COLLECTING THANKFULNESS
Years before I tried to get people to share what they were thankful for around the table and that never worked, so I bought the book and began collecting the gratitude of my family and friends at Thanksgiving dinner. This year I’ve stepped it up a notch and again began Counting My Blessings each morning. This practice always helps change my outlook on life.
In Philippians chapter four, Paul is writing to help people struggling with anxiety. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” He then teaches how to keep this kind of peace in verse 8 by keeping our thoughts fixed on things worthy of praise.
Science & Scripture
I love when science backs up Scripture. Recent studies have given fact to Paul’s theory on defeating anxiety with thanksgiving.
In a Psychology Today magazine article called The Grateful Brain; The neuroscience of giving thanks”, Alex Korb, PhD tells how practicing thankfulness
“has the power to reshape your neural pathways….
help you exercise more, sleep better and be happier…
So gratitude had a direct effect on depression symptoms
(the more gratitude, the less depression)
and an indirect effect on anxiety
(increased gratitude led to improved sleep, which led to lower anxiety).
Either way, with gratitude you’re better off, and you get a good night’s sleep.”1
In a scientific study of 293 adults with mental health issues, people were put into three groups. The first group received counselling. The second group went to counselling, but also had to journal about
“their deepest thoughts and feelings about stressful experiences”.
The third group
“wrote letters expressing gratitude to others”
along with counselling sessions. This last group incorporated gratitude writing in their health regimen
“reported significantly better mental health“ by four weeks and still at twelve weeks.2
God’s ways make sense. He knows what works.
So, start defeating anxiety in your life by daily Counting Your Blessings.
Prayer
Father…I’m thankful for Your Word. It speaks right into my life with the same relevance to me as the people in Paul’s day. Defeat anxiety in my life as I express Thanksgiving to You and those around me. Let me experience Your peace when I focus my thoughts on Counting My Blessings and not my losses. In Jesus Name…Amen
Start defeating anxiety in your life by daily Counting Your Blessings Click To Tweet
If you think you may be struggling with clinical depression or anxiety, check out my MENTAL HEALTH page for some guidance and links to great resources.
If you liked the refreshing in this #SoulH2O devotion, you’ll love my latest Soul H2O Devotional book: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions for Women.
- 1. Philippians 4:6-8
- 2. Psalm 103:2
- 3. Ephesians 5:20
- 4. Psalm 118:1
#Dare2Share
Post in the Comment Section below and bolster the faith of someone else!
1. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prefrontal-nudity/201211/the-grateful-brain Website Accessed: 2017-10-09
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10503307.2016.1169332?scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=tpsr20 Website Accessed: 2017-10-09
YES!!! Science is constantly proving the Bible true… if we’d just look rightly! XOXO
Liz, it absolutely is 🙂
The Simple Show podcast just did an interview with Max Lucado on his new book Anxious for Nothing that focused on these verses you shared today. It was excellent. I’ve read those verses for ages, but he shared insights and applications that were fresh. Here’s the link: https://theartofsimple.net/podcast/anxious/
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Michele,
Thanks for sharing. It’s so great when you’re on the same wave length as inspiring authors such as Max 🙂 lol. I can’t wait to listen to the podcast. He is one of my all time fave writers.
~Sherry
xoxo
I consider “Thanksgiving day” as an opportunity to fix up certain issues. I always feel thankful to my hubby, child, relatives, and friends. I thank them to be always with me.
Stephanie,
Thanksgiving day is a great day to recalibrate your life 🙂
Have a blessed week.
~Sherry
xoxo
Unfortunately, I’m familiar with anxiety. So I do agree with you that gratitude is a great antidote. I just need to remember to do it more often! Thanks for the reminder, Sherry.
Lisa,
I hear ya girl! I have to be intentional or it doesn’t happen.
Have a blessed week.
~Sherry
xoxo
Happy belated Thanksgiving. I love how science backs God’s Word, too. I’ll have to remember this to add to my meditating on Isa. 26:3 when I’m awake at night. 🙂
Kelly,
Forget Counting Sheep…Count Your Blessings 🙂 That would be a good title for another post! Have a blessed week.
~Sherry
xoxo
Happy belated Thanksgiving, Sherry! I love how you didn’t let your family stop your plan of incorporating ways of giving thanks. You found a way that would work for all of you. You lived out how counting your blessings gave you fresh ideas for them to count their blessings. Thank you for sharing how living with gratitude impacts all that we do!
Thanks Crystal 🙂 You are such a sweet, encouraging friend!
~Sherry
xoxo
sherry, I love that you keep a journal each Thanksgiving like that. What a beautiful legacy to leave for the generations who come long after y’all. Do you keep the same book and bring it back year after year, or a different one each year? — And, God always makes sense, doesn’t He? No arbitrary rules for the sake of rules, but rules that nourish and protect us. Leave it to God to make the act of gratitude a gift itself. 🙂 Two for the price of one. 🙂 (And, love that you’re doing a daily list too, friend.) xoxo
Brenda,
It’s the same book year after year and many like to review it each Thanksgiving. I loved your thankful post today!
~Sherry
xoxo
You are making me hungry for Thanksgiving fare. Love it that counting our blessings has so many benefits. I know it works in my life. When I start looking for the positive / blessings I just keep seeing more and more. The same is true for the negatives. Find one, and begin to notice lots of others.
Theresa,
You’re so right! We have to CHOOSE to focus our thoughts on thankful things.
~Sherry
xoxo
Our Thanksgiving is coming up. I think I’ll put my framed chalk board on an easel for the family to write their Thanksfuls on! I love this ideas. I agree – a thankful heart is a happy heart. It is life-changing! Thank you for sharing such sweet encouragement!
So glad you were encouraged 🙂
~Sherry
xoxo
An interesting perspective Stuart! Writing out our gratitude is so important.