Cultivating a Thankful Heart All Year Long-Part 3 with Printable

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You may be thinking..Umm Shari you’re a little late on Cultivating a Thankful Heart All Year Long-Part 3 … BUT nope I’m not.  I can’t think of a better time of year to continue this little mini series than Christmastime.   If you are new to this little series..hop on over to Part 1 and Part 2 and get caught up.  They are short and sweet and they even have a couple of awesome printables! 

Contentment is the name of the game today.  There is just no way to Cultivate a Thankful Heart if we are continually discontent.

 

Now you know the list could go on and on about what we might be discontent about..let’s see..

• Money
• Health
• Children ..not enough..too many
• Marriage
• Job
• Home ..which goes back to money
• Our own abilities and skills
• and soooo on…

There is one thing we must face and accept in this life…it’s difficult!

But..

It’s the attitude of our hearts which will determine whether we have a  content life or not.  We must not base our contentment on life circumstances.  Life can be all roses and sunshine one day and the next day storms and weeds. 

We must not base our contentment on ourselves either..our gifts and talents are given from God.  He wants you to rest in them and enjoy them..not strive to be someone we are not. 

God has given us our children..difficult or not.  I can tell you as a Mother of 7..if I had not had the children I have..I would not have ever had the growth that God ordained for me to have.  Umm A LOT of growth!

There is only one way we will ever be content..It is keeping our eyes fixed on the Author and Perfecter of our Faith..Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:2

When things get hard throughout the day..when we find ourselves longing for something else..something more, but life just says “not now” Fix your eyes on Jesus. 

I know that this works…I have had to do this through some of the most difficult times in my life..times I thought I would never get through and yet I found peace.  If there is nothing else to be thankful for…it is our precious Savior who came as a baby to this earth,  only to die that we may live forever and have eternal life. 

God sent the comforter to change our hearts and minds..to help us to be content.  We can only do this through the Holy Spirit and we will not do it perfectly?  Nope..it takes practice just like anything else in life..remember we are practicing cultivating a thankful heart all year long..not just a day.

So to help us with focusing on Jesus rather than circumstances or inward abilities,  I created these Contentment Cards for us.  Cut them up..

• Put them on your kitchen windowsill
• Put some in your purse
• Put some in your bathroom
• Put them on a mirror
• Put them by your makeup stand
• Put them everywhere!
• Memorize them
• Read them with your family at the dinner table
• Put them in your lunch sack for work
• Put them in your Car

Every time you are feeling discontent..look at one..umm or all of the cards and fix your eyes on Jesus..

Pray that the Holy Spirit will do a supernatural work in you.. and smile..always remember to smile..that’s after you cry…because it’s just ok to cry.

I’ll let you in on a little secret…if you are content, your family will be more content also..and maybe they will read the Contentment Cards with you.

Proverbs 30: 7-9 “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Tell me..what are you discontent about?  I would love to pray with you!

Linking up with: Free Printable Friday, Making Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Grace at Home, I’m Lovin It, Friday Faves, Faithful Friday, Thrive at Home, Essential Fridays, Krafty Inspiration, Fabulously Frugal, Family Fun Friday, Heart Filled Fridays, WFMW, Welcome Home Wed, Homemaking Linkup, Walking Redeemed, Wise Woman Linkup, Wholehearted Wed., Little R&R, Made by You, Inspire Me Monday, Modest Mondays, MM&M Monday