Week Two: One Thousand Gifts

"Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation." Psalm 50:23 (NIV)


We had another amazing group study last evening as we journeyed through chapter two of our study on Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts.

Chapter two, A Word To Live and Die By, was a RICH chapter filled with all kinds of nuggets. We believe THIS is the chapter that really sets up the rest of the book. It sort of lays the ground work for what's to come in all of the later chapters.

The mutual feeling among most of us last evening was that THIS, too, was a difficult chapter in it's own right. A deep chapter. A thought-provoking chapter. But I think we were able to do some digging and found some real eye-opening wisdom within the pages of this chapter. We are praying that God will continue to open our hearts and minds to the truth and biblical applications of this book. We are boldly asking Him to change us in the process - to become women who find ourselves passionately in love with the Father!

Ann begins the chapter with 2 stories... one of a nightmare she is startled by wherein she is dying of cancer. It feels so real to her that she describes it like this, "waking to the crack of a nightmare, this violent shock through the veins..." (page 26). This nightmare scares her so that it jolts her into thinking... really thinking about this life and how MUCH she wants to live fully. She's not ready to die. She wrestles with the question on page 27, "Is that the message of nightmares and dreams? To live either FULLY alive... or in empty nothingness?"

And what does it mean to live FULLY? Really?

Is it the accumulating of more things?
Is it the visiting of more places?
Is it the packing of more events into our schedules?

Or could it be...

The deepening of our relationship with God?
The richness of our earthly relationships with others?
The laser-focused view of our eternal home in heaven?

Yes... I think THAT is where the full life is!

Ann continues with her second story of a letter she receives from her father-in-law who's wife had just recently passed away. In his own probable wrestling of life and death, he asks the question of his son and daughter-in-law, "Thinking on the beginning of this year, who does He call to come Home? Is it me, Lord? May I be ready. Or us. Whoever." (page 28)

She then asks herself on page 29, "Whoever. Ready for the end here. Whoever. Ready for the first meeting of Him there. Whoever. Soon. Will I have lived fully - or just empty?"

Living with the end in mind... will we be ready? And regardless of the answer - how do we live fully so we are fully ready to die?

Ann challenges us to begin thinking, then, what is it? If living the fullness of life isn't seeing more, doing more, being more, then what is it? Where is it? Isn't it here? Isn't the fullness of life RIGHT here? In this very moment. On page 31 she says, "Isn't it here? The wonder? Why do I spend so much of my living hours struggling to see it? Do we truly stumble so blind that we must be affronted with blinding magnificence for our blurry soul-sight to recognize grandeur?" She goes on to say, "I don't need more time to breathe so that I may experience more locales, posses more, accomplish more. Because wonder really could be here - for the seeing eyes."

Is it HERE for us to SEE... this fullness of life? And can we really SEE it?

Questions for discussion:

1.) A terrifying nightmare in which Ann dreams she is dying of cancer becomes a catalyst that helps her realize how much she really wants to live. How do you generally respond to your dreams? Do you write them down and ponder them, or do you not pay much attention to them?

2.) Studying the word EUCHARISTEO helped Ann to identify "holy joy" as the "more" she had been seeking (page 32). What do you think might be the key to unlocking your desire for the fuller life right where you are in the midst of your ordinary days?

We spent a lot of time on this word... Eucharisteo. What a beautiful word! And here is what we shared with the group:

Eucharisteo
Root Word = Charis (grace)
Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave THANKS.
He knew it to be a GIFT and gave THANKS.
Greek Word = Chara (joy)
As long as THANKS is possible, then JOY is always possible.

Think of it like a braid, this word Eucharisteo...
Charis. Grace.
Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving.
Chara. Joy.

Grace was provided to us by the Father (sending his son, Jesus).
Thanks is given by us to the Father.
Joy is received.
Through thank offerings is where we find JOY.

Eucharisteo - Thanksgiving - always precedes the miracle!

Eucharisteo - the Greek word with the hard meaning and the harder meaning to live - THIS is the only way to live... EMPTY to FULL!

3.) The author recalls stories from Jesus' life that illustrate the power of Eucharisteo, of thanksgiving: the Last Supper, the raising of Lazarus, the condemnation of Korazin, and Bethsaida (pages 34-37). When considering the context of these stories, we discover that Jesus is within HOURS of his own death, is grieved by the death of a dear friend, and is rejected by entire towns that experienced His miracles.

Why do you think Jesus chooses to offer thanks at such times?

Could it be that He KNEW what His mission was... WHY He had come to this earth... and He was simply leaving an example for us to live by? Jesus knew His own death was imminent. And he chose to give THANKS anyway! On page 36 Ann writes this, "Jesus offers THANKSGIVING for even that which will break Him and crush Him and wound Him and yield a bounty of joy (chara)." The part that brings me to utter tears is this, "And then what does Jesus directly do, in the face of apparent failure, when no one responded to His teaching and things didn't work out at all? He lives out Eucharisteo. In the midst of what seems a mess, in the tripping up and stumbling down of all hopes, Jesus gives THANKS?" I absolutely LOVE that she ends that with a question mark.

Is it really in the THANKS that real JOY can be found?

How does Jesus' use of gratitude in difficult circumstances inform or challenge your view of what it means to give thanks to God?

Ann ends this chapter with her apparent epiphany spilled onto the pages of 38 and 39. In review of the all-familiar story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers in Luke 17, Ann shares with us her discovery of the word sozo. In the story, Jesus heals all 10 lepers and sends them on their way. One leper decides to come back and thank Jesus for His healing. Jesus asks this leper... this one grateful leper, "Where are the other nine whom I also healed?" And then proceeds to tell him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:17-19)

But hadn't Jesus already made him well with the others the first time?

In closer examination of the word Saved used in this context, the Greek translation is sozo, meaning "well" or "whole". But it's literal meaning? It is "to save". So - sozo means salvation? It means true wellness, complete wholeness. To live sozo is, then, to live the full life?

So - could it be, then, that our very saving is associated with our gratitude?

"Thanksgiving is the evidence of our acceptance of whatever He gives. Thanksgiving is our manifestation of our YES to His grace. Thanksgiving is inherent to a true salvation experience; thanksgiving is necessary to live the well, whole fullest life." (page 39)

She ends the chapter on page 41 with this question, which I believe needs to be the questions we ask ourselves...

"Eucharisteo. The way through is hard. But do I really want to be saved?"

Below is the video from week two. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter Two from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Giveaway Winner!

On Monday I shared with all of you about a giveaway I was offering here on the blog.

I am excited today to announce a winner!

And the winner is....

DEB DELINE!

And here was Deb's thankful post this week... "I am thankful for the gift of music and how God speaks, comforts, encourages, heals and revives you through it. If we experience such joy when we hear it now, what must the music of heaven be like? Chords, choruses, harmonies, words in every language all combining in perfection in Praise to the One and Only!"

Oh - I can hardly wait! :)

I just need you to contact me, Deb, so that I can get you your copy of DaySpring's 365-day perpetual calendar, God In The Moment... inspired by Ann Voskamp's book, One thousand Gifts.

Congratulations Deb! It's great to be sharing in this journey to gratitude alongside of you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

A Giveaway!

Hey Friends!!

My last giveaway was so much fun - I've decided to do another one!

I am still so amazed that this one book has had such an impact on my life... but it has! It has radically changed the way I see God's gifts and His graces every single day. In her poetic writing style, author, Ann Voskamp, challenges readers to life FULLY right where they are. A dare to see the beauty through the pain and the ugly of this world.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is, "... life change comes when we receive life with THANKS and ask for nothing to change."

DaySpring Ministries has produced an inspirational 365-day perpetual calendar entitled God in the Moment. It's a small sampling of Ann's book as it offers daily reminders of how to fight for JOY in a world of hurt and suffering.

Ann writes, "Could it really be that joy is as simple as planting a seed of gratitude? And that gratitude is as simple as seeing all as a tender gift? The earth beneath, the rain over head, the stars spinning round in all their brazen glory, God offers it even now: this is for YOU, YOU... gifts!"

Here is an example of one day of inspiration... "Why is remembering and giving thanks the core of the Christ-faith? Because remembering with thanks is what causes us to trust - to really believe."







So... I have ONE of these fantastic calendars to give away to one lucky blog reader! And It could be YOU!





Simply leave a comment here on the blog and tell me ONE THING you are THANKFUL for today! Make sure to leave your name and your email address too (so I know how to get a hold of you if you win!)

The deadline for all entries is Wednesday, September 28, at midnight. A random winner will be selected on Thursday morning and announced via the blog AND Facebook (here and here) on Thursday afternoon, September 29.

Thank you for joining us on our journey for JOY and good luck! :)



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Week One: One Thousand Gifts

"The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human beings, but which He had already chosen for our Glory even before the world was made." 1 Cor. 2:7 (GNT)

Week one of our study on Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, was amazing! I am thrilled and absolutely humbled to be a part of a terrific group of women who are so hungry to learn more about becoming the woman God has called her to be! I know I have said this already more than once, but you are ALL (even those doing the online version of this study with us) a product of MANY months of prayer and I can't wait to see the wonderful things God has in store for us throughout our remaining 10 weeks together. (It's already going by too quickly!)

Chapter one, An Emptier, Fuller Life, was a difficult one. We all agreed that it was very tough to read about the death of Ann's 18-month-old sister who died in a tragic accident while her family members watched on. The start of Ann's life was rough as she struggled to understand how a loving God could possibly allow such travesty to happen. On page 12 she writes, "Where is God REALLY? How can He be good when babies die, and marriages implode, and dreams blow away, dust in the wind? Where is grace bestowed when cancer gnaws and loneliness aches and nameless places in us soundlessly die, break off without reason, erode away." She goes on to ask the question, "how do I fully live when life is full of hurt? How do I wake up to the joy and grace and beauty and all that is the fullest life when I must stay numb to losses and crushed dreams and all that empties me out?"

WOW.

And isn't that it? Isn't that that question we wrestle with when life doesn't turn out the way we had hoped it would? When marriages end bitterly, when cribs lie empty, when cancer rips the life of our loved one from us much sooner than we were ready to let them go?

This is the ugly stuff in the world. This is the stuff created from the sin that first entered the world. When Adam and Eve were ungrateful for the beauty that surrounded them and so they longed for more.

On page 15 Ann says, "Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren't satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other."

We hunger for filling in a world that is starved.

Questions for discussion:

1.) "If I'm ruthlessly honest, I may have said yes to God, yes to Christianity, but really, I have lived the no." (pg 16). What do you think Ann means by this? has this ever been true for you?

Is it easy to say yes when things are going our way only? Is it easy to "sign up" for a life with Christ when we haven't yet lived the ugly this world offers?

How do we FIGHT for JOY?

Everyone has a story. We all have stories that are painful and difficult. But how do we honor God in the midst of pain and struggle. How often do we want to change the story - when we're not even the author?

There is a difference between JOY and HAPPINESS. Isn't there? Happiness is a 'feeling', where JOY is an act of the will. It is possible - wildly possible - to find JOY in the midst of pain. Because JOY is a choice.

2.) Ann describes how the death of her sister, "tears a hold in the canvas of the world" (pg 16) and later writes, "I wonder... if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop... might actually become places to see. To see through to God" (pg 22). Is this a metaphor you find intriguing, comforting, or disturbing? How do you understand it in light of your own experience of loss?

The "tears" in the canvas of our life. Are these holes that allow light in from the love of God? Are they places and opportunities to "see" through to God.

3.) The author's narrative is right with vivid phrasing and evocative imagery. What lines or descriptions stand out for you? Why do you find them to be powerful?"

And so - the questions we wrestle with is... "How do we choose to allow the holes to become seeing-through-to-God places? To more-God places? How do I give up resentment for gratitude, gnawing anger for spilling joy? Self-focus for God-communion?" (pg 22).

"To fully life - to live full of grace and joy and all that is beauty eternal. It IS possible" (pg 23).

Will you join us on the fight for joy?

Below is the video from week one. Ann is the one in the middle. (Remember to scroll to the bottom of the blog to pause the music from my playlist in order to hear this video.)

One Thousand Gifts: Chapter One from Bloom (in)courage on Vimeo.

Tell us what YOU think!! We're so happy you've joined us on this journey... this journey to JOY!

Next week's homework: Read chapter 2 and memorize Psalm 50:23 (NIV).

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

From Ann Voskamp

During our first meeting last week of our book study on Ann Voskamp's, One Thousand Gifts, I shared the following with our group of women. I am blessed by her words and I hope you are too. This is just a small example of her poetic and graceful writing style. Oh how I long to learn how to live the full, rich life of thankfulness.

Praying for you, Women of Thanks! Thank you for joining us on this journey of gratitude!

She isn't 24 hours old yet.
Still that heaven scent upon her skin.
When I pull her close I whisper right into her ear.
Whisper in her the meaning of life.
The one thing she needs to know before she's as old as I am and has messed up as much as I have...
moments.
I'd tell her this...
moments - this is all we have.
Microscopic, fleeting moments.
Her eye lashes flutter in dreams and I wonder...
how many moments of my life have my eyes been wide open but I've been rushing, racing, sleeping right through?
How many of the popsicle days and the running and twirling and spinning days.
How many of the moments of melting ice cream and crazy laughter and dangling bare feet and the setting sun igniting the moment of NOW.
Someone wake me up to the beating of wings and splashing of water... the setting of fog at twilight... the way the leaves and the childhood slip away in the woods, torched with the last of summer.
I want to tell her this...
You have GOT to figure out a way to stay FULLY awake!
Time's blurring by and everyone's slipping past and how do we wake to the moments?
How do we stop living life as an emergency... something to be sped wildly through... LIFE IS NOT AN EMERGENCY!
How do we start believing that life can be carried only in the hands of the unhurried?
A bubble held in awe... how do we stop wolfing life down - cuz life is our only dessert - too brief, too sweet, too delectable to hurry.
To live like a boy I once knew... pause between bites.
To wiggle his one tooth loose and whisper, "I love you mom."
And all this... all this... all these moments... all these are for YOU!
Isn't that the voice we have to learn to hear?
The voice that is telling the whole world that the earth under you and the rain over you and all the stars spinning all around you - this is for you... for you... FOR you!
Your true love smile and the nap and the patch of light, the whirl of bike spokes and the wild rose on the sill and that one great puff for flickering candles of a birthday cake... these are all for you.
What if we really figured it out? That gratitude for the seemingly small and insignificant - this is the seed that plants the giant miracle in the midst of it all - so COUNT the ways He loves... a 1,000 more.... never stop... so that when you wake in the morning you can't help unfold your hands to the heavens.
And though you grieve and though you wonder... though the world is ugly... it IS beautiful! And though time moves on - it's moments are holy.
And though the planet spins a blur - you can slow and you can wake and you can trust and you can pay attention to the moments with this offering of thanks.
Because THIS is how you spend your one life well... receiving each moment for what it really is - holy. Ordinary. Amazing Grace. A gift.

Scripture Memory: September 15

I am a couple days late... BUT... better late than never! ;)

I woke up this morning to the sweet smell of fall. Cool temps... sunny skies... a light dew on the grass. And I was so thankful. Thankful for another day. Thankful for the Michigan seasons. Thankful that we have an amazing God who loves us more than we could ever know!

Here is my September 15th Scripture memory verse:

1 Cor. 10:31 (NLT)
"Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God."

That means everything. All for the glory of God.

Everything.

That means when you're driving your car.
And when you're disciplining your children
And when you're serving at your church.
And when you're cleaning your house.

Everything. All for His glory. We all have the opportunity to do our best for Him. Because He loves us all so much!



What is YOUR verse for September 15? I'd love to hear from you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

All Is Grace

As we prepare our hearts and minds for our upcoming study on Ann Voskamp's amazing book on gratitude and grace, One Thousand Gifts, I'd like to share something with you. This song, written and performed by Shaun Groves, was inspired by her writings and I am in LOVE with it!

All Is Grace!

I hope you enjoy it as much as me!
(Note: you will need to scroll to the bottom of this page to pause my playlist in order to listen to this video).



Finding JOY in the JOurneY,

A Journey To Joy

Hello Sweet Friends!!

I have never been very good at keeping secrets! Ever. And so it's no surprise that I am simply BUSTING at the SEAMS to share this with all of you!

After MUCH prayer and processing I, along with my great friend Shirley, have decided to answer the call of God and begin a ministry we have named Women of Thanks... a journey to joy. And we'd LOVE for you to join us on this journey!

One Thousand Gifts written by Ann Voskamp, has been a life-changing book for me. As I neared the end of chapter nine, I just KNEW I had to share this with other women who deeply longed for the contentment, joy and peace found only in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

One Thousand Gifts beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control and abandon yourself to the God who overflows your cup. If you are looking to make some radical changes in your lifestyle and long to slow down and catch God in the moment... surrendering to a life filled with more joy than you know what to do with... THIS book study is for you!

Starting Thursday, September 15, we will begin our journey. In our 12 weeks together, we will explore what it means to LIVE FULLY... right where we are. We will learn what it means to live an emptier, but fuller life, to find beauty in the ugly and how to find fulfillment in whatever life is giving NOW. Because, as Ann so eloquently says in her book, "Life change comes when we receive life with thanks and ask for nothing to change."

This is a challenge for women who are serious about making some changes to the way they think about, talk about and live out gratitude. A dare to live FULLY right where they are.

I'd like you to know that we have been PRAYING for you from day one. We have been praying that God would stir in you a desire to join us in the conversation.

Are you in?

Who: Women from all stages of life

What: Women of Thanks... a journey to joy
Book Study on One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Why: To see women grow in Christ, to see women find their worth and value, to deepen their relationship with God and find some time for themselves... away from the distractions of this busy, hectic world.

We will meet every Thursday beginning September 15 and concluding with a Gratitude Celebration on December 1. We will meet from 6-7:30 p.m. in Meeting Room B, located in the basement of the Tecumseh District Library (215 Ottawa St.).

You will need to purchase your copy of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp before our first evening together. Discussion Guides will be provided for you.

You can find Ann's book at Sounds of Light in Adrian or online at many locations including Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com and Dayspring.com.

I encourage you to check out the One Thousand Gifts blog at: http://onethousandgifts.com/

as well as Ann's personal blog at: http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Please RSVP via facebook email to me by Sunday, September 11, or comment here on the blog. If you will be bringing a friend or family member with you, please include her name as well.

We are EXCITED about this opportunity to grow with you and are praying daily for God to bless our time together!!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Phil 4:11-12
"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

Scripture Memory: September 1

I absolutely LOVE the start to the fall season. Football. Sweaters. Cooler weather. Leaves falling. I LOVE everything about it!

I hope that you are enjoying this first day of September!

Here is my September 1st Scripture memory verse:

1 Thes 5:17-18 (NLT
"Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

Joyful. It doesn't mean the same as happy. You can have a bad day and still be filled with JOY. Why? Because YOU belong to Christ Jesus! And there's GOODNESS and THANKFULNESS found in that! :)

What is YOUR verse for September 1? I'd love to hear from you!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com

Karrie

I never met her. I don't even know her last name. What I do know is that she was 9 years young, she was deeply loved and her life, although too short, was not in vain.

Her name was Karrie.

Our small group began praying for Karrie several months ago.

We prayed for healing. That wouldn't come.
We prayed for answers. That we'd never receive.
We prayed for peace and comfort. That would be difficult to accept.

But most of all, we prayed for God to be ultimately glorified through her. And for that, He proved Himself faithful.

On Tuesday, August 30, at around 7:30 a.m., sweet Karrie flew into the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a bright and sunny morning. And as I read the news I fell to the ground and I wept.

Wept for a little girl I never had the privilege of knowing personally.
Wept for a mother's baby girl whose tears she would never get to wipe away again.
Wept for a father's daughter whose arm he could never walk down the aisle.

I wept.

And then I remembered Jesus wept too. (John 11:35). And he weeps with us now. He knows our pain and He feels our suffering.

And He loves.
And He cares.
And He aches.
And He blesses.

He gives. And He takes away.

And our assignment isn't to understand.
Our assignment is to trust. And obey.

And praise Him anyway.

And so I choose these things.

Not because I understand.
Not because I have the answers.
Not because it makes any sense at all.

But because I believe in a God who is GREATER than any circumstance!
Because through our suffering there is hope.
Because there is power in the resurrection of Jesus.

I choose hope.

I didn't know Karrie. But I look forward to meeting her on the streets of gold one day.

Until that time... I will trust. I will hope. And I will ask God to use my life to glorify Him.

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



www.wendybender.blogspot.com