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Choosing Joy and Gratitude Part 1
Right in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday here in America, we have lessons on gratitude and joy from across a few different ponds. Annette (AJ) Spurr, from Australia, is an author, freelance writer, wife, mom and on a mission to help us recover our joy and gratitude.
Based on many research sources to support her book, she shares some insights about how we may have lost our joy and ways we can recapture it. "The Simple Joy of Seeing God," her first book, starts by telling us some of the elements that may keep us from living in joy and gratitude. In episode one of this two-part series, we talk about three major factors that subtract joy from our lives. She also offers some practical solutions to remedy the situation.
1. Chronic lack of awe. We no longer have a childlike wonder as we observe, move through and share our world. We've lost the ability to see the daily miracles around us. One way to recapture our awe? Go outside and spend time in nature.
2. Avatar effect. AJ tells us that we live in a comparison culture with no point of reference other than that outside ourselves. That leads to comparing what we have to what others have or appear to have. One of the ways to combat this is to simply remember we are loved by God who is our good father and being grateful for what we do have while finding value in our lives through gratitude.
3. She talks about the secret passwords, “Thank you" for helping us enter into the presence of God. Gratitude does not come easily in many cases but practicing just saying "thank you" daily or even hourly helps to shift our perspective and move us into the presence of God. She says, "We are not just thankful to be in His presence. We are in His presence because we are thankful."
In part two of this two-part series, Annette shares three more gems useful for not only identifying our lack of joy, but also practicing ways to reclaim it.
To catch up with Annette, go to her website at https://seeinggod.com.au, where you will also find a link to her book. It also is available on Amazon.
To reach out to Stephen Ray Watts, the musician performing "The Perfect Gift" on this episode, go to https://dotseroband.com
The website to connect with Laura Padgett is https://lauralpadgett.com
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By Laura Padgett
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Right in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday here in America, we have lessons on gratitude and joy from across a few different ponds. Annette (AJ) Spurr, from Australia, is an author, freelance writer, wife, mom and on a mission to help us recover our joy and gratitude.
Based on many research sources to support her book, she shares some insights about how we may have lost our joy and ways we can recapture it. "The Simple Joy of Seeing God," her first book, starts by telling us some of the elements that may keep us from living in joy and gratitude. In episode one of this two-part series, we talk about three major factors that subtract joy from our lives. She also offers some practical solutions to remedy the situation.
1. Chronic lack of awe. We no longer have a childlike wonder as we observe, move through and share our world. We've lost the ability to see the daily miracles around us. One way to recapture our awe? Go outside and spend time in nature.
2. Avatar effect. AJ tells us that we live in a comparison culture with no point of reference other than that outside ourselves. That leads to comparing what we have to what others have or appear to have. One of the ways to combat this is to simply remember we are loved by God who is our good father and being grateful for what we do have while finding value in our lives through gratitude.
3. She talks about the secret passwords, “Thank you" for helping us enter into the presence of God. Gratitude does not come easily in many cases but practicing just saying "thank you" daily or even hourly helps to shift our perspective and move us into the presence of God. She says, "We are not just thankful to be in His presence. We are in His presence because we are thankful."
In part two of this two-part series, Annette shares three more gems useful for not only identifying our lack of joy, but also practicing ways to reclaim it.
To catch up with Annette, go to her website at https://seeinggod.com.au, where you will also find a link to her book. It also is available on Amazon.
To reach out to Stephen Ray Watts, the musician performing "The Perfect Gift" on this episode, go to https://dotseroband.com
The website to connect with Laura Padgett is https://lauralpadgett.com