Gratitude Mindset
by Tina Yeager
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
How do I serve the Lord on empty word count days? As I approach this season of thanksgiving, my cornucopia of harvested pages lays empty. Wordsmithing lost its ground to a season of travel-and-recover cycles.
This week began with wilted motivation. Like many days this year, I failed to deliver meaningful sentences onto the stark page glaring from my screen. When I tried to set up writing time, words refused to sprout onto the pages of my new book. I must now duck additional damage from the enemy’s shame-hail in these weeks between to-do and done.
But this season offers more depth than chilling storms or brown land. The timeless virtues of Thanksgiving remind me my soul may refill with meaningful words, even if not intended for the page of a book.
Scripture encourages giving “thanks in all circumstances.” This month’s holiday recognizes the gratitude offered by settlers emerging from a horrific season of grief. Prayerful lifestyles sustained them long before they enjoyed a successful harvest.
The advice of Scripture to adopt gratitude as a mindset, applies to my lifestyle and writing, as much as it did to our fore-bearers. As a message-farmer, I can choose a mindset of praise long before my words germinate. My soul thrives and my words will grow to prosper if I choose to give thanks in all seasons.
I’ve managed to cultivate a grateful soul-scape some of the time, but I’m still improving my responses to certain situations. When traveling, I thank Jesus for protection and anointing. As I follow up, I pray with gratitude for online contacts. I’m thankful for opportunities to set writing aside and spend time with friends and family.
I’m learning to thank my Father when he stops my productivity so I will rest. Like this week, when I needed sleep, prayer, and meditation on his word. Hustling for word count remained a much lower priority than centering my spirit. I’m thankful the Lord offers to till my soul-soil for words intended to feed his audience, my loved ones, and my own soul.
Father, I praise you for your ultimate significance as the living word. Remind me to dwell in gratitude with you. Guide my heart’s tilling rows to maintain thankfulness. Let all my words grow from gratitude and offer praise-nourishing fruit. Amen.
Award-winning author, speaker, licensed counselor, and life coach, Tina encourages audiences to fulfill their potential. She offers writing workshops through Serious Writer Academy, hosts the Flourish-Meant podcast, and is a mentor with Word Weavers International. Beautiful Warrior, her book on women’s esteem is available on Amazon. To connect with her, visit tinayeager.com.
Soil rich in meaning and a terrific reminder God’s the Author of our words—whether on the paper or in rest.