Count Your Blessings {Think On These Things}

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I open to the book of James and the verse strikes at me right between the eyes.  Count. It. All. Joy. It is the ALL that sticks in my throat.  Every last little thing?  Surely, God, You don't mean ALL. It is apparent that I have misread the words, right?  And I am like the little two year old on the cassette tape...skipping some of her numbers...counting to her momma and daddy... 1...2...3...5. I thought I had learned to count, but the recording of that toddler...of me..is just like the adult version who still has some learning to do in the counting department.  To learn to count it ALL. Learning to count the heartaches and the sorrows.  To count griefs as graces {Ann Voskamp}.  To count problems as praises.  To not skip any of life's challenges. To count it ALL joy.

There is a book that sits by my bed.  The one with the bird and "believe" on the cover.  It holds my new lessons in counting since it is blatantly obvious that numbers aren't my thing. The one where I count it all.  The one where I count the pains.  The one where I count the heartaches.  The one where I count them as gifts. These are the hardest to count, not because of the high numbers, but because of the high cost to me.  Thanksgiving is hard when it comes to having gratitude for grief.

The pages don't lie.  There are sorrows.  Painful abuse. Deaths. Rejection. Friendship failure.  And yet, He asks me to count them as JOY.  For several years now I have counted and tried to "believe" like the journal cover proclaims that the heartaches can become "heart joys".  And you know what I have found?  A Father that loves me.  That wants to give me joy.  That is only out for my good.  A Savior that in order to save me brought grief into my life because He knows that nothing and no one rises again unless there is death.  That pain brings peace as crazy as it sounds.  That counting griefs as graces bring gladness.  I wouldn't have believed it...but I lived it.  I can look back on the gratitude list of grief and be glad for a Father that loves me.

Will you join me in November as we learn to count all over again? We will write out these verses below on the ways God blesses us, and if you are up for the challenge start a list...starting counting the way He loves you.

You can download the file here.

If you would like all the Think on These Things verses or want to know more about it, click here. Want to know why Scripture writing is so beneficial? See this post.

Instagram

During the month I try to post my thoughts on the verses on Instagram. If you would like to follow me you can find me here. Also, if you are posting your own thoughts there please use the hashtag #thinkonthesethings. I would love to read how God speaks to you!!

Supplies

There are many ways you can use these verses. You can read and meditate on them. You can write them out as you meditate on them. You can read them and then write about them in a journal or journaling Bible. You could do verse mapping with them (See this post). Here are some of the items I use...

A single column journaling Bible allows you to make notes in the margins.

ESV Single Column Journaling Bible (TruTone, Chestnut, Leaves Design)
ESV Single Column Journaling Bible (Black)
ESV Single Column Journaling Bible (Brown, Flap with Strap)

Some highlighters {These are my absolute favorites!}...

Eco Highlighter Pencils - Set of 5 Colors

Black pens are great for writing out the verses...

Black Ink Pen Set
Black Artist Pen Set

I love these journals that lay flat...easier to write in! They are great for Scripture writing!
Studio Oh! Deconstructed Journals

Let's Think On These Things!