An attitude of gratitude
Keeping an attitude of gratitude is a must in this day and age. While modern society encourages consumerism, materialism, and instant self-gratification, we must take a step back. We must consider counting our blessings and actually being thankful for them.
Gratitude enriches our lives in more ways than we can imagine. It keeps depression and negative thoughts at bay, allowing less stress and less self pity or self-loathing. It can even improve our overall well being.
Gratitude also boosts our positive outlook in life and even enhances our personal relationships. It can contribute to our spiritual growth. It also allows us to keep a thankful attitude towards a higher power, or other people, or the world around us.
I recently came across this book on gratitude, Thankful From Within – A Devotion Book For A Grateful Heart. This inspiring read is written by Gracia Amor, the blogger behind Diary Ni Gracia. I must say it is a great resource for anyone who would like to jumpstart their gratitude journey.
Thankful From Within in a nutshell
Penned by Gracia Amor, a Filipina OFW blogger, Thanksful From Within is a daily devotional that focuses on the Scriptures and the practice of daily gratitude.
This book takes the reader on a 30-day journey towards better spirituality by ruminating on Bible verses and pondering on practical ways to relate and apply said verses in daily life.
Each daily Bible verse is also accompanied by a short reflection that serves as the reader’s guide. In turn, the reader will be asked to write a short reflection and prayer about the verse for the day.
Grace Amor has written this book in a very straight forward way which is easy enough for anyone to understand. It is beginner-friendly and not intimidating for those who are just new in the practice of daily devotionals.
The quotations and Bible verses featured in the book are all beautiful, well thought out, and uplifting. They inspire and encourage the reader to continue on with the daily journey.
The anecdotes featured in the book are relatable without being very “preachy” and off-putting for those who are not yet accustomed to the practice of daily devotional or Bible verse reading.
I love that ample space is provided for the reader’s reflection, application, and prayer. It is perfect way to encourage readers to make longer and meaningful reflections and prayers.
The only downside I can see in this book is the size. I must admit it wasn’t the most convenient to carry around. The book can benefit more if it was published in a much smaller, handy form, thereby making it much more convenient for readers to bring the book along in a meeting, on a long drive, or even an overnight or out-of-town trip.
Mum’s Two Cents
This book has resonated with me because gratitude is something I have always aimed to practice regularly. It has caught my curiosity ever since I heard about it in one of those Oprah episodes many years ago. In fact, I used to regularly share gratitude and thankfulness quotes here on my blog. If you are a follower, I am sure you must have encountered one of my Thankful Thursday posts here. On some occasions, I would also draw up a list of the things I am thankful for in a given week.
Practicing gratitude daily is an essential part of my life. It allows me to keep a positive outlook, most especially on harder and more challenging days. Several months ago, we were dealt with such a life-altering and heartbreaking challenge and it was gratitude that allowed me to understand it and eventually accept it. By God’s grace and gratitude, I have learned to slowly embrace it and move forward with it.
Using this book as my guide helped me to accept the challenge we have been dealt with. Pondering on the daily verses, and practicing my gratitude regularly proved to be very beneficial. Gratitude allowed me to see things in a different light. Somehow, it empowered me to see beyond loss and grief towards hope and healing.
If you would like to purchase your own copy of Thankful From Within – A Devotion Book For A Grateful Heart, please visit Gracia Amor’s website at diarynigracia.com. There is also an option there to download the e-book for free. You can also read about the book and other inspirational posts by Gracia on the following socials:
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