Love & Thanksgiving

Hey Sis, the holiday season is here! One of our favorite times of the year. A time to slow down, gather around loved ones, and soak in the warmth of family and connection. As we step into this season, I felt led to share a word on love and thanksgiving.

I’ve talked before about how gratitude is a weapon against the enemy. It shifts our focus from lack to abundance. It protects our hearts from the subtle ways the enemy tries to pull us into comparison, discontentment, and discouragement. He wants us so consumed with what we don’t have that we overlook what God has already done.

If I’m honest, I’ve noticed how easy it is for me to think about what I wish I had, or what I feel is missing, instead of truly embracing where God has me right now. Maybe you’ve been there too—wanting the next thing, the next season, the next blessing. But today’s devotional is an invitation to pause.

Appreciate the Season You’re In

The season you’re standing in right now is one you once prayed for.
But because our world moves like a hamster wheel—always pushing us to chase “what’s next”—we often forget to recognize the blessing we’re already living in.

We get caught up wondering:

• What is God going to do next?
  

• How will He bless me next?
  

• When will things look the way I imagined?

And in that mindset, it’s easy to feel like God isn’t showing up in the ways we hoped. But the truth is this:

God does everything in His perfect timing.
And sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply say,
“Lord, thank You for what You’ve already done.”

Gratitude grounds us.
It reminds us of God’s faithfulness.
It brings peace, clarity, and a deeper awareness of His love.

Love & Thanksgiving Flow Together

Love and thanksgiving flow from the same place—a heart that recognizes God’s goodness in every season.

When we can say:

“God, everything may not look how I expected, but thank You for where You have me. Thank You for the prayers You’ve already answered. Thank You for the grace I’m standing in today.”

That is gratitude.
That is love.
That is thanksgiving.

It honors God.
It transforms us.
It restores our joy.

A Holiday Season Encouragement

Sis, my encouragement for you this holiday season is simple:

• Rest in the blessings you’ve already received.
  

• Rest in the grace that’s right in front of you.
  

• Rest in the love that meets you every single morning.
  

• Rest in thanksgiving.

And as we close out the year, I’ll also be taking a short pause from our weekly devotionals so we can all breathe, reset, and fully embrace this season of rest and celebration. We’ll return refreshed in the new year, ready for all God has ahead.

I pray that this season of “Falling Deeper in Love with Jesus” has refreshed you in the sweetest ways — steadying your heart, renewing your mind, and drawing you closer to the One who’s love sustains.

May your heart be full, your mind be at peace, and your spirit overflow with gratitude for the beautiful season you’re in, even as God prepares you for the ones ahead.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the season I’m in right now. Help me slow down long enough to see Your hand, Your blessings, and Your love already surrounding me. Guard my heart from comparison, rushing, and distraction. Teach me to rest in gratitude and to trust Your perfect timing in every area of my life.

Lord, fill me with a spirit of thanksgiving—one that brings peace, clarity, and an awareness of Your presence each day. May my heart overflow with love toward You and those around me this holiday season.

Help me notice the ways You’ve been faithful, even when life feels uncertain or heavy. Keep my heart steady, my eyes fixed on You, and my spirit open to the ways You are shaping me. Lord, I thank You for all You have done, for the prayers You have answered, and for the ways You continue to move in my life. All my praise belongs to You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scriptures to meditate on this week:

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NIV)
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1, NIV)