happy Thanksgiving

 So let us never stop offering to God our praise through Jesus. Let us talk openly about our faith in him. Then our words will be like an offering to God.
- Hebrews 13:15 (NIRV)
 
Sometimes praise really is a sacrifice. We don’t always feel thankful. Life doesn’t always make sense. Our emotions don’t always line up with what we know is true.
And then there’s Thanksgiving week — a beautiful time, yes, but also a whirlwind. If you’ve ever been responsible for preparing a huge Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends, you know exactly what I mean. The menu planning, the grocery shopping, the cleaning, the baking, the endless list of “don’t forget this!” running through your mind. By the time the turkey is in the oven and the pies are cooling on the counter, you’re already wondering why your feet hurt and how you managed to dirty every dish in the house.
It’s in moments like these — when life feels busy, overwhelming, and anything but peaceful — that offering praise truly becomes a sacrifice. Not because we don’t love our people, but because the weight of responsibility can crowd out the gratitude we intended to carry.
But this verse gently reminds us that thankfulness isn’t about everything going perfectly. It’s about who God is. He walks with us through the stress, the noise, the rushing back and forth. He meets us in the kitchen chaos as much as He meets us in the quiet morning prayer.
So even while stirring the mashed potatoes or setting the table for the tenth time, we can whisper a simple, sincere “Thank You, Lord.” Not because we feel calm, but because He is still worthy.
Thank Him today — not because everything falls into place, but because He holds everything together.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

restoration

Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
- Jeremiah 30:19 (NKJV)
 
This verse is tucked inside a chapter of restoration — and isn’t that such a beautiful picture? God tells His people that after everything they’ve been through, thanksgiving will rise again from their lips.
Maybe that speaks to you today. Maybe you’ve had a year where gratitude felt just out of reach. 2025 has been a challenging year for a lot of people. I personally have experienced so much heartache — job loss, death, medical issues — and I know so many who are carrying their own quiet storms. It’s hard to be thankful when life has felt heavy, uncertain, or downright painful.
But God has a way of restoring us from the inside out. He breathes life into places we thought were permanently broken. And when He does, gratitude returns — not forced, not faked, but flowing from a heart He has healed.
Your thanksgiving doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be honest. And even if it feels small right now, trust that God is rebuilding you — and joy is coming.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

every day

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
- Psalm 68:19 (NIV)
 
I love that little word — daily. God doesn’t wait for us to “have it all together” before He pours out blessings. He doesn’t check to see how spiritual our week has been. He just keeps loading us up with gifts, one after another, every single day.
And yet… sometimes I get so frustrated with life that I just have to vent. Call it venting, call it ranting, call it having a come apart — whatever you call it, it’s all the same. Life gets heavy, and my heart starts to feel like it’s carrying a backpack stuffed with worries, expectations, and the things I’m trying way too hard to handle alone.
But here’s the truth I have to remind myself of in the words of one of my favorite artists, “You were never meant to carry this beyond the cross.”
How fortunate are we that our God cares enough to take every burden we drag around and let us leave it right at the foot of the cross? Every frustration, every worry, every late-night overthinking session — nothing surprises Him, and nothing is too heavy for Him.
My heart is filled with awe and wonder that my God is so powerful, so faithful, and so close that there is nothing He can’t handle. And in that truth… I am blessed.
And so are you.
When we pause long enough to notice what He does for us — the help He gives, the strength He provides, the peace He brings — gratitude rises. Those “daily benefits” aren’t just nice ideas; they are lifelines that prove His love over and over again.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

for our sakes

For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:15 (NKJV)
 
Isn’t it amazing how God can take all things — even the parts of life that make zero sense — and somehow use them for our sake?
I was thinking about how grace doesn’t just touch one life; it spreads. It catches on like a spark in dry grass. Someone forgives you, and suddenly you find yourself quicker to forgive someone else. Someone shows kindness, and your heart softens enough to pass that kindness along. Before you know it, grace is multiplying, and thanksgiving follows right behind it.
This week, look at your life through the lens of grace. Even the hard moments have left something behind — wisdom, resilience, compassion. And when we recognize how God has woven grace through our story, thanksgiving naturally sounds louder in our hearts.
Thankfulness abounds when we realize He wastes nothing — not even the parts of our story we’d rather skip.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

 

mountains

For behold, He who forms mountains, And creates the wind, Who declares to man what his thought is, And makes the morning darkness, Who treads the high places of the earth— The Lord God of hosts is His name.
— Amos 4:13 (NKJV)
 
As we head into Thanksgiving week, most people turn to verses about giving thanks, singing praise, or entering His courts with gratitude. Those are beautiful, of course — but this year I found myself drawn to something different.
Amos 4:13 isn’t your typical Thanksgiving scripture. It doesn’t mention gratitude. It doesn’t say “be thankful.” It doesn’t even talk about blessings.
Instead, it talks about a God who forms mountains, creates the wind, walks the high places of the earth, and — this is the part that stopped me in my tracks — declares to man what his thought is.
In other words,
He knows us. Completely.
Every thought. Every fear. Every wandering place of the heart.
And He loves us anyway.
The God who carved out the mountain ranges with His hands and stirs up the wind with a whisper is the same God who leans in close enough to understand our thoughts before they ever reach our lips.
And that… that is something to be thankful for.
Thankfulness isn’t just about listing the good things in our lives. True gratitude comes from knowing the One who holds our lives, understands our hearts, and remains faithful even when we’re complicated, messy, emotional, distracted, or inconsistent.
He doesn’t just notice us — He knows us.
He doesn’t just see our actions — He sees our motivations.
He doesn’t just hear our words — He hears the things we’re too afraid to say out loud.
This week, while we celebrate with turkey, pie, and all the traditional things, I want to take a moment to thank God for something deeper:
I am thankful that the Creator of the universe knows my thoughts and still chooses to stay close.
He knows when my mind spirals into worry.
He knows when I’m distracted by things that don’t matter.
He knows when my thoughts turn negative, fearful, or tired.
He knows every corner of my heart — the good, the bad, the broken, and the healing.
And still, He walks with me.
Maybe you’ve had a year full of ups and downs. Maybe your mind hasn’t always been the calmest or the kindest place. Maybe your thoughts have wandered in ways you aren’t proud of. Mine sure have at times.
But Amos reminds us:
The God who shaped mountains can reshape our thoughts.
The God who creates the wind can breathe peace into anxious minds.
The God who treads the high places walks beside us in our lowest ones.
This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for many things… but today, I’m especially thankful for a God who knows my thoughts and still calls me His own.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

fall leaves

Then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.
- Psalm 91:4 (NKJV)
 
There is something so comforting about fall.
The crunch of leaves underfoot.
The cool, crisp air after a long, hot summer.
Pumpkins on porches.
Fields turning golden and ready for harvest.
Everything seems to whisper, “A change is coming—slow down and notice it.”
Growing up in Iowa, fall always meant harvest time. The fields were buzzing with tractors, combines, and trucks lining up to haul away the grain. The sky had that unmistakable golden tint that only happens in October, and the air smelled like corn, soil, and wood smoke.
But mid-November could also mean snow—sometimes a dusting, sometimes a full-on blizzard—so there was always this urgency to finish gathering the crops before winter decided to surprise us. Even as a kid, I remember thinking how unpredictable fall could be… and yet how faithfully the harvest always came.
That’s exactly what this verse in Deuteronomy reminds me of.
God promises to send rain in its season, so His people can gather what they’ve planted. Not too early. Not too late. Not too much. Not too little. Just enough… exactly when it’s needed.
Isn’t that the definition of His faithfulness?
Just like the turning seasons in Iowa—where one day you’re raking leaves and the next day you’re scraping ice—God knows exactly when to bring refreshing rain and when to let things rest. He knows when it’s time for us to gather the harvest He’s grown in us—spiritually and emotionally, not just physically.
As the leaves begin to change and fall, I can’t help but think of all the changes God walks me through as well. Some seasons are full and bright. Some are quiet and slow. Some are messy and painful—shedding old things I’ve hung onto for far too long. But every season has its purpose… and every season holds a reason to be thankful.
Fall encourages reflection.
It reminds me to look back over the last year—not with regret, but with gratitude:
For the prayers God answered.
For the storms He calmed.
For the blessings I didn’t expect.
For the things He asked me to release.
And for the faith He strengthened along the way.
Just like those Iowa fields, God brings each of us to moments where we can gather the good He’s grown in us—lessons learned, joy restored, peace renewed, and hope rekindled.
He gives the rain in its season.
He gives growth in its season.
He brings change in its season.
And He gives us reason to be thankful in every season.
As I breathe in the crisp fall air today, I’m choosing gratitude.
How about you?
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible

on track

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
- Proverbs 4:25-27 (NIV)
 
Happy birthday to my amazing husband, Randy!
To celebrate his birthday, we took a train ride on the Arkansas–Missouri Railroad Saturday, and it was absolutely wonderful. There’s something about riding a train that settles you in a different way—maybe it’s the slow rocking, maybe it’s the steady rhythm of the wheels, or maybe it’s just the chance to step back and breathe for a minute.
One of my favorite parts was stepping out onto the back platform of the train car. I stood there watching the tracks disappear behind us, the wind brushing across my face, and I found myself thinking about how grateful I was that those tracks stayed right where they were supposed to be… especially as we crossed a few very tall trestles!
But of course, as my mind tends to do, it wandered to my spiritual life.
Isn’t it funny how a train can stay perfectly on track through hills, curves, and bridges—while I can slip off track over the tiniest little thing?
Have you noticed how easy it is to drift off course?
It doesn’t take a dramatic derailment—just one little distraction. One unexpected setback. One irritating comment. One worry I let simmer too long. And suddenly I’m spiritually wobbling all over the place.
I can start my day with the best intentions—Bible open, heart steady, coffee in hand—and somehow end up chasing everything but what God asked me to focus on. Meanwhile, that train stays locked onto its tracks no matter what comes around the bend.
This scripture reminds me that staying on God’s path takes intention.
God doesn’t say, “Glance ahead when you remember.”
He says, Fix your gaze.
Look straight ahead.
Stay steady.
Don’t drift.
Life will always tug at us—people’s opinions, stress, old habits, our own emotions that flare up out of nowhere. But when our eyes stay on Him, He keeps our steps firm, even when the path is narrow or the trestle is high and a little scary.
And just like a train engineer follows the rails laid out before him, we follow the path God places before us—trusting that He knows every turn and every crossing long before we get there.
Today, I want to be more intentional about where my eyes are.
Not on the distractions.
Not on the things that knock me sideways.
But straight ahead—toward God’s purpose, God’s voice, and God’s heart.
Because the more I focus on Him, the less likely I am to derail over something small.
 
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Daily Inspiration from the Bible