In a world where we hear of manifestos* as being a declaration of some horrible deed that someone intends to perpetrate on others and on society, I want to submit to the world my manifesto. My manifesto is a manifesto of gratitude.
I choose to be grateful for the good and not focus on the bad.
I choose to be grateful for what God has bestowed on me.
I choose to grateful for the country I live in even with its flaws and imperfections.
I choose to be grateful that I did not go to bed hungry last night.
I choose to grateful that I had a bed to crawl into last night that it was warm and cozy.
I choose to be grateful that my warm and cozy bed was covered by a roof that did not leak, windows that closed, and a furnace that worked.
I choose to be grateful for much more than the physical comforts and luxuries that surround me.
I choose to be grateful that the car that crashed into my car (after I started this manifesto) did not do more damage than it did, and God helped me through the related challenges.
I choose to be grateful for the health I have; that I can walk, talk, see, smell and hear.
I choose to be grateful for fresh air, green grass, and white snow.
I choose to be grateful for creatures great and small, when they bark, meow, bleat, buzz, chirp and sing.
I choose to be grateful that I have family and friends who love me and who I know will stand by me.
I choose to be grateful that Jesus redeemed me with eternal salvation.
I choose to be grateful that God has entrusted me with the stewardship of resources that ultimately are His and not mine, even if titled in my name.
I choose to be grateful and rejoice that God knows and calls me by my name.
I choose to be grateful that I have such an abundance of blessings that I can’t even list them all here.
Yes, I have had tragedies and losses in my life.
Yes, I have lost track of the number of times that I’ve cried all night.
Yes, I know what it’s like to go from day to day not knowing how the bills would get paid or the family fed.
Yes. I have known the agony of unanswered questions, and the anxieties of the unknowns.
However, through all my life, God has never left my side. He has relentlessly pursued, protected and defended me (even for the times that I will never know about this side of eternity).
He dances with me in the good times and holds me close in my darkest hours.
That’s why I choose to embrace God in the midst of my pain and humanity.
That’s why I choose to pour out a heart overflowing with deepest gratitude and thankfulness that He is with me all the time.
That’s why I choose to shape my heart into one of thankfulness for the greatness of God.
That’s why I choose to seek God with all my soul and keep a contrite spirit before Him.
With all of my heart, I offer up as a sacrifice of worship to my Redeemer all that I am, even though I’m full of brokenness and shortcomings, because that’s all I have to offer.
And then, God embraces and holds closely to Him my sacrifice of worship as a fragrant offering to Him.
That’s my Manifesto of Gratitude.
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*Dictionary definition of “Manifesto”:
A written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer.
Beautiful In Time 