Giving Thanks in All Circumstances by Leanne Davidson

 

We are pleased to welcome Leanne Davidson as she joins our writing community here on InScribe Writers Online. 

Believers are told to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Share a story of when you found it difficult to give thanks in your writing life. What did God teach you through that experience?

Giving thanks in all circumstances is certainly a timely topic for a month of Thanksgiving! This verse in 1 Thessalonians has been both a challenge and a moment of discovery for me:

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all

circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

         (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, NIV)

My writing life actually began in a way I would never have anticipated. In November of 2022, my youngest son, Mikael, died of an accidental overdose. The heartache and agony of losing your child requires a means of expression. It cannot be held inside our bodies with no channel to  release it. I turned to writing as a way to articulate my grief and put my biblical lament on paper. In response to God's prompting, I began sharing these journal entries in a blog and eventually published books. 

The benefits of this have been twofold. For one, the act of placing complicated feelings on paper is very therapeutic. It provides an external, concrete process to reflect on the convoluted thoughts and feelings of grief and God's response to them. In addition, fulfilling God's purpose by using writing as a means to offer help and comfort to others provides meaning and direction at a time most needed. 

Having said that, I certainly can't say I am thankful for the reason my writing life began! Nor do I think God expects me to be. This is where the verse in 1 Thessalonians has been a challenge and moment of discovery. There is a framed picture at the front of our church with this verse on it. Sunday after Sunday, it has stared me in the face, prompting me to contemplate its full meaning. 

At first glance it's easy to interpret this instruction as being thankful for every situation. In fact that was my first thought, creating furious conflict in my soul. Indignant would be an understatement. God gently led me to understand I was in error and was not reading this verse accurately. We are instructed to give thanks in all circumstances, not for them. Upon realizing this distinction, the door was opened to the partnership between gratitude and grief. 

Although I am not thankful for how my writing began, I am thankful for being provided with this gift of communication. It has been instrumental in my personal grief journey, opening doors of healing and opportunity for service. I have much for which to be thankful as God has provided for every need over the past four years: people to support me, concrete needs, solutions to problems, direction and comfort. 

The relationship between gratitude and grief may seem somewhat paradoxical, but the reality is that they exist simultaneously. Gratitude can walk hand in hand with grief, providing clarity and encouragement on an arduous road. The cultivation of gratitude for God's loving provision is a powerful healing practice. 

Leanne Davidson is an author and blogger based in Kenora, Ontario. She resides with her husband, Tim, and their dogs, Milo and Millie. A 25-year educator and recipient of the OECTA Pearse Shannon Memorial Award, she also holds a certificate in “Death, Dying and Bereavement” from Wilfrid Laurier University. Following the 2022 accidental overdose of her son, Mikael, she became engaged in grief ministry, supporting others navigating similar experiences. Her website, www.amothersgriefjourney.com, provides resources, personal narratives, and access to her publications. She may be contacted at kenoralake4@gmail.com

The Ten Principles by Brenda J Wood

Image by April Price from Pixabay

In 2010, the State of Wyoming adopted "The Code of the West" as their motto. They were made popular in James P. Owen’s book Cowboy Ethics. I list the shortened version along with the cowboy ethics from centuries ago. As writers, we would do well to adopt them for ourselves.

• Live each day with courage.

• Take pride in your work.

• Always finish what you start.

• Do what has to be done.

• Be tough, but fair.

• When you make a promise, keep it.

• Ride for the brand: Show deep loyalty to your group.

• Talk less and say more.

• Remember that some things aren't for sale.

• Know where to draw the line

• Horse thievery was a capital offense.

• Never alter another man's brand.

• Unconditional hospitality.

• Don't ask personal questions.

• Share water rights and grazing lands.

Brenda J Wood has authored more than fifty books. She is a seasoned motivational speaker, who declares the Word of God with wisdom, humour, and common sense.

The Friendless Winter 2026 by Shirley (Maher) Williams

Premier AI Image, woman walking alone in the forest winter loneliness

Today we are delighted to welcome long time InScribe member, Shirley Williams, as our Guest Blogger.

Write a Story where it’s difficult to give thanks in your writing. What did God teach you through this experience?

Sometimes it’s hard to give thanks in our writing, when life is challenging. Here’s my story of this example.

It’s funny how life goes. I don’t know how we can ever expect anything to stay the same in life, because it really doesn’t. I guess we need to learn this lesson as time goes on. We know it with head knowledge, but sometimes until it hits our hearts, it doesn’t become reality.

Within the last two years I have lost four dear friends. One moved away (difficult to connect) and the others passed away in their early 60s. One was a lifelong farm friend (60 years), two were church friends (25 years), and the last one was a work friend (15 years).

The three friends that passed were very unexpected and emotional. My lifelong friend, Judy’s passing was especially tragic because her health came crashing down, while we were preparing for our daughter’s wedding. We could only do so much for her at the time, but thankfully after the wedding I was able to see her the day before she passed. Her health was not the only tragedy in her life, but so was her last 20+ years. Her husband left her destitute with two special needs children, stole her farm, committed adultery and barely/rarely supported them. Her sister and friends supported somewhat, but sadly she never recovered from her loss.

Judy and I were two years apart and grew up nearby, on our Alberta family farms. Our families were good friends. As we grew up, we played, worked, travelled, camped, and enjoyed many movies, events and especially good visits together. We ended up in the same town, and both had children on the autism spectrum. Thankfully, we were able to understand/support one another. We also shared the same family dynamics and similarities/interests. We were referred to as “twins”! We chatted, laughed, cried, and prayed together, and our visits were never long enough. Kindred Spirits, how precious our friendship was!

I wrote a yearly Christmas letter and last year expressed that some of my dear friends had passed away. I was hoping that some friends would have realized my need for extra companionship that year. Sadly, it didn’t really happen.

During that season, the odd friend reached out, and we connected a couple times and a couple others attempted too, but illness, overwhelming responsibilities, and conflicting schedules led to nothing. I was thankful for those who reached out, but sad that connections were so poor in my sad year of mourning.

This was shocking, as I feel that I’ve reached out to many friends over the years during good and hard times and I kind of felt a bit cheated. I also realized that I hadn’t reached out fully with authenticity about my extra need for friendship. (I thought my friends would have caught on, but they didn’t.) At the time, I wasn’t sure what was going on? Was this just part of our senior years, or maybe the sign of our complicated times of poor communication. I just waited to see if someone would contact me, so I waited (usually I’m the contact person). I waited and waited and prayed and waited. Nothing. Finally, after months of waiting and suffering, with God's help I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, rethink things and choose thankfulness/forgiveness (others/myself) and moved on. I joined a Bible study and started reconnecting, and it was good. We continue God's ministries for us (ironically connecting others). Loving and serving (even if not returned) and receiving from others with authenticity (good attitudes/boundaries).

It was hard, until recently, to write about this painful experience with thankfulness during this time of mourning, disappointment, and transition. Thankfully God heals, fills all the voids and helps us process our losses, unmet expectations, and struggles. He guides us with His perspective/will as He “works everything out for good…” (Romans 8:28) and transforms us into His likeness, to do things His way and not ours.

Thank God for getting me through a very sad/trying year. With His help, I choose not to have any more friendless seasons and will always find something to be thankful for, in my experiences for spiritual growth and expressed through my writing. When we ask/obey/trust/wait on Him, He’s always faithful and our true best friend, who never fails. Praise the Lord, through whom ALL blessings flow!

Shirley Williams lives with her husband in Barrhead, Alberta. She loves writing for healing and to encourage others. Some of her projects include co-authoring with her son Joseph (ASD spectrum). You can reach her at: lifebuild12@hotmail.com

Too Burdened To Be Thankful by Mary Folkerts

 

It was Thanksgiving weekend, and my list of things to be thankful for should have been long, given the many ways God had blessed me. But honestly, I wasn't focused on my blessings, and my heart felt heavy. Thanksgiving wasn't my first response to the holiday.

Sunday morning, the pastor said words that gripped my attention: words about thanksgiving and comparison, and how they are incompatible. It got me thinking that when I get stuck in a comparison trap, discontentment brews and festers, overflowing into my life like a stew of rotten tomatoes, but when I have a thankful spirit, peace floods me like an engulfing hug.That afternoon, before we enjoyed a bountiful Thanksgiving meal with friends and family, my husband opened the Bible to a fitting passage to read, but Reegan, our daughter with Down Syndrome, had already beat him to it. She had her folded paper beside her plate, written with the words she wanted to share. She had chosen these words from Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (NIV).

Honestly, there are times I feel she has a special connection to the heart of God, bringing blessing and holy conviction to those around her.

Some might not consider this an appropriate Thanksgiving passage, but the words spoke deeply to my heart. It seemed like a prelude and a benediction for a thankful spirit! You see, it's hard to be grateful when the heart is weary and burdened with all the worries of the world stacked high to the point of toppling. If we refuse to open our clenched fists, grasping instead to our heavy load as though it were mined treasure, comparison, anxiety and discontentment cloud our vision of the blessings right in front of us.

We are anxious because we try to control circumstances that are not ours to control. We quickly compare another's seemingly easy life with our own difficulties, unaware of the other's hardships. If these anxieties and comparisons are the filters through which we view life, we will end up discontented instead of thankful.

But as we come to Jesus daily, speaking our burdens to him and laying them at his feet as they roll from our heavy hearts onto his capable shoulders, we find rest and room for a thankful spirit to bloom where worry once took up too much space. And when thankfulness grows and flourishes, it chokes out anxiety, comparison, and discontentment.

As I write these words, I am reminded that this posture of open hands fits well with our writing journey. We can feel anxiety rise within us when timelines and rejection letters leave us feeling defeated. Comparison makes us feel behind, and thankfulness is hard to see, but as my editor reminds me, "It's all in God's perfect timing!"

Do burdens cloud your vision of God's goodness? Speak them to Jesus, and keep bringing them to him, knowing that he can bring rest and, ultimately, thankfulness to your anxious soul.

Mary Folkerts is mom to four kids and wife to a farmer, living on the southern prairies of Alberta, where the skies are large and the sunsets stunning. She is a member of Proverbs 31 Ministries' COMPEL Writers Training, involved in church ministries and music. Mary’s blog aims to encourage and inspire women and advocate for those with Down Syndrome, as their youngest child introduced them to this extraordinary new world. For more inspiration, check out Joy in the Small Things https://maryfolkerts.com/ or connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maryfolkerts/