Welcome to November—a time to give thanks! November 2013 marks a month I will never
forget; it was a time of much sadness and desperation. It was one of those valleys that you look back on and think, “Did that really happen?”. As Jay and I were beginning to navigate our fourth
heavy year as caretakers facing the grief of losing his dad and the harsh reality of caring for his
mom, a mentor offered me a surprising piece of wisdom. After listening to me recount my day,
with hope in her eyes she gently said, “Erin, when things get hard and I know they are hard,
sometimes the best way forward is by giving thanks.” In that moment, most likely out of a sense
of desperation to focus on something besides caretaking, I internalized her counsel. This took the
form of writing “thankfulness cards”. Every day in that month, we wrote down something that
we were thankful for, and while our circumstances did not change our perspectives shifted. There
were days when the only word that would come to mind was “sun” which is pathetic especially
given the reality that I live in the “Sunshine State” of Florida, but I wrote it down and the Lord
knew my heart. Just as He knows your heart and your circumstances right now.

This month, no matter what your context is and no matter what your circumstances are, gratitude
has the power to shift your perspective. It has the power to bring hope. Today, looking at 11 jars
filled with thankfulness cards, my heart is full; therefore, I expectantly look forward to this
month to experience anew what God will do in this process. I would encourage you to take time
each day and write down one thing you are thankful for. Let’s further explore by asking:

How does Gratitude relate to Identity?
How does Gratitude relate to Purpose?
How does Gratitude relate to Direction?

Thriving Together,
~Erin