Jun 5th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

The One Place Discouragement Won’t Sprout (Thankfulness, Pt 4)

Perhaps you’ve thought of the act of giving thanks as being God’s will and a blessing to Him. But have you thought about how beneficial it is to you when you’re thankful? I mentioned one benefit in the last post. Here’s another. Discouragement: An Open Door in the Heart of the Ungrateful Discouragement can stem from ingratitude—and it leaves you vulnerable to oppression and... read more

Jun 3rd 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Why Your Joy is Dependent Upon Giving Thanks (Thankfulness, Part 3)

Do you wish you had more joy in life? Are you a glass-half-empty person who can’t help but find a reason to be ungrateful in every circumstance? The Relationship Between Thanksgiving and Joy In One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp describes her route through pain and loss—her route to joy through thanksgiving. She gives insight into Jesus’ sacrifice of thanksgiving at the last... read more

May 30th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

The First Perfectionist and His Impact on Your Attitude of Gratitude (Thankfulness, Part 2)

Are you bogged down trying to do everything flawlessly? Is your plate of responsibilities so loaded you feel like you’re drowning? Are you exhausted, drained, burned out? Do you love to make lists? (Double ouch on this one! My lists are color coded—even the ink I use on my sticky notes!) Do you have so many things to do you can’t find time for a restroom break, let alone a pause to... read more

May 28th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Thankfulness Training: Confessions of a Perfectionist

God has been convicting me about my lack of thankfulness.  You see, I’m a perfectionist. And as such, I habitually focus on the elements of life that are less than perfect. When I was a child, my mother was an art student. She would paint the most beautiful scenes—on canvas, on pottery, on things like coal buckets. Passing through the sun room that doubled as her art studio, I loved seeing... read more

May 22nd 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

God’s Power in Weakness (5): Scriptures About Weakness and Strength

What better way to end this series about God’s strength in our weakness than by looking to the source of our strength, the Word of God—the Living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written word, the Bible. It’s vital that our minds be renewed through scripture, giving us an understanding of God’s perspective of our weakness. But victory through weakness doesn’t occur by mere head... read more

May 20th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

God’s Power in Weakness (4): Too Much Going for You

When Gideon was first called, he felt weak, insignificant, inadequate. He said to the Angel of the LORD (Jesus), “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15, NKJ). In spite of this weakness, when it came time to fulfill his call, Gideon had too much going for him—so much going for Him that God... read more

May 17th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

The Friday Feed: News and Inspiration

For your weekend reading, here are few links to: News You Can Use, Encouraging Devotionals, Inspiring Quotes, and Kindle Deals. Noteworthy News Thabiti Anyabwile: Why You Should Not Listen to Me [An excellent post about influence! A poetic sentence in the first paragraph is dead on: “We live in a world where influence is traded, debated, manipulated, and fabricated….” Well said.] >... read more

May 15th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

God’s Power in Weakness (3): Spurgeon, Murray, and Wilkerson on Weakness

Great men of God throughout history have had at least one common experience—weakness in the face of God’s call. Below are excerpts from C.H. Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, and David Wilkerson regarding weakness. These excerpts helped me view my weakness through God’s eyes. I can easily become so preoccupied with the temporal realm, so accustomed to judging life from a human standpoint, that I... read more

May 13th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

God’s Power in Weakness (2): God Chooses Those Who Are Not

Has God called you to do something, but you feel totally inadequate for the task? Perhaps you’ve responded saying: “I’m not qualified…” “I’m not capable…” “I don’t have the proper training…” “I’m not smart enough…” “I’m not outgoing enough…” “I’m not... read more

May 6th 13 Posted by Natalie Nichols

God’s Power in Weakness (1): Jamie Grace, An Inspiring Example

Do you think you can never fulfill your dream, your calling, because of a weakness or inadequacy? God chooses the weak to shame the strong! His power is accomplished in our weakness and inadequacy! Weakness is actually an incredible opportunity. Jamie Grace is a beautiful example of this truth. BGEA published an inspiring article about the Dove-award winning singer/songwriter. In it she talks about her... read more