Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude




THANKFUL

LIVING 7 Days to a New Attitude

JAMES L. BROOKS

Introduction At the core, the concept of living thankfully is a discipline of mindfulness.

It is easy to allow your mind to ebb and flow with the events of the day. If something good happens, you feel happy, excited or pleased. If something negative happens, you feel angry, sad, or frustrated. The problem is that something positive happening in the world and, at the there is always same time, there is always something negative happening, too. It is inevitable that joy and pain occur just like sunshine and rain.

Thankful living is about taking control of your thoughts and focusing them rather than allowing them to focus randomly based on the day’s events. Thankful living is therefore a spiritual practice designed to keep you in tune with God. Thankful living recognizes God’s presence in your life and his control over your life. When you practice thankfulness, you align your thinking with God’s power, omniscience, and presence. In all things, we are able to give thanks because we recognize that God is in all things and controls all things.

I designed this book to help you develop the practice of thankful living over the next week. Each day, a short devotional reading expounds on God’s word and helps you to realign your thinking with God’s so that his power flows through you consistently. Following the devotion, there is a meditative practice. You are encouraged to memorize the scripture and complete the practice. Over the next week, you will see how easy it is to find peace immediately, in any situation, simply by refocusing your mind on thankfulness.

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Day 1: A Great Start “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Mark 1:35

As a child, I was often awakened by the smell of bacon frying and bread toasting as my mom prepared breakfast. I would jump out of the bed and hurry to get ready so that I could feed my churning stomach. When I would arrive at the table, my mom would say, “Jimmy, make sure you bless your food and pray for your day before you eat.” I did not know then that she was showing me the importance of seeking God before doing anything else. Dallas Willard wrote, “Few people arise in the morning as hungry for God as they are for cornflakes or toast and eggs.”

Jesus even modeled seeking God first. Mark 1:35 (NIV) reads, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” There are benefits in starting your day with the Lord.

Grateful Living. Starting our day off with the Lord puts all things in perspective. The only reason that we have been allowed to see a brand

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 1: A Great Start

new day is because God has granted us the opportunity. Therefore, we cannot help but be grateful for the grace and mercy God has extended toward us.

Sense of Direction.

Pastor Gerald Dew once said, “Following God’s direction is more like following a compass than a road map.” We may not have the exact route that God wants us to go, but starting the day with the Lord will put us in the right direction.

Dependency on God. Starting our day with the Lord shifts us from self-dependency to dependency upon God. We were given this day because of God and we will be sustained this day because of God. Take Action/Practice: For the next seven days, make the first thought you have in the morning and the first thing you say each day a statement of thankfulness. If you have trouble, create a list of at least three things you are grateful for, even if it is something you may usually take for granted, such as life or the ability to read this book. Express your thankfulness to God to start your day.

Thought/Meditation: “Reflect upon your present blessings—of which every man/woman has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men/women have some.” –Charles Dickens CP no. JB001TL1

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Day 2: Attitude Matters "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" – Philippians 2:5  

The world we live in is a harsh one. Daily, we are bombarded with stories and images of negativity. It is easy to develop a bad attitude and become cynical about every aspect of life. Our bad attitude can cause people to shy away and not want to be bothered with us. A negative attitude is like the stench of rotten meat, infiltrating our lives and impacting everyone we meet. Some of the negative attitudes that make us "stinky" include complaining, being selfish, prideful, bitter or unforgiving. Do any ring true with you today?

On the other side, we can be intentional about being grateful for the good things that life has to offer. This changes our attitudes and the aroma of our lives. Instead of people avoiding us, they run to us. Our grateful and cheerful attitude becomes attractive to others and they become intrigued about the source of our gratefulness. We honor God and one another when we embrace an attitude of gratitude.

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 2: Attitude Matters

The Apostle Paul tells us, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). In essence, our attitude provides a litmus test for the true condition of our hearts. This is why David cries out for the Lord   a clean heart (Ps. 51:10). God, our divine cardiologist, can to create in him mold us and shape our attitudes and actions to reflect His character.

Take Action/Practice: Attempt to take note of the attitudes you experience from people this week. Notice how people’s attitudes affect how they treat others and how they are treated. Think about how their attitude makes you feel. Also, note how your attitude of thankfulness makes other people respond to you.

Meditation: "Lord, soften my heart, mold and make adjustments where you see fit. Let my actions reflect your character. In Jesus' name, amen."

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Day 3: Today “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (ESV) Too often we are so focused on what tomorrow will bring that we never take time to live in the now. We consciously and unconsciously allow our thoughts and worries of tomorrow to invade and consume our present.

Consequently, an entire day escapes us and we miss out on how God is moving and what present possibilities are literally right before us.

Pay attention! God is at work today! Stop gazing into the future and absorb his presence today. Give God your full attention today and He will give you exactly what you need to conquer tomorrow. What difference will it make worrying about tomorrow? If you think about it, today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. Jesus says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34 NIV).

Take Action/Practice: Answer the following questions for yourself right now and ask them again each morning and evening for at least the next week. Consider how answering these questions calms your spirit and helps you to focus on the present.

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 3: Today

Take Action/Practice: Answer the following questions for yourself right now and ask them again each morning and evening for at least the next week. Consider how answering these questions calms your spirit and helps you to   focus on the present.

1.

What am I happy about right now?

2.

Whom do I love?

3.

Who loves me?

4.

What am I excited about in my life right now?

Meditation: Lord, I surrender this day to you. Give me the strength to do whatever you want me to do. Give me the courage to say whatever you want me to say. Lead and direct my path this day so that I may honor you.

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Day 4: Praise Break!

"I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1  

What are you thankful for? Have there been times in your life when you felt like you were not going to make it, but God saw you through? We can become overwhelmed by focusing on the problems of life. Nevertheless, we can learn from David who said, "I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1). With that in mind, just for a moment, pause and think about what God has done in your life. Here is a little help - He woke you up this morning! Gave you a job! Put people in your life who care about you! I dare you today to let it be known that God has been good!

One final thing, take a deep breath - in through you nose and out through your mouth. Alright, one more time - in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you just participated in this small breathing exercise, it means you have breath in your body. Psalm 150:6 says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"

God is so Good! Let us this day show and share the love of Christ with all we encounter! Praise Him!

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 4: Praise Break!

Take Action/Practice: Share with someone—either someone close to you or a total stranger—one or more blessings that God has done in your life. Do so as if you are simply telling a story to a reporter. Express gratitude for that blessing and for the privilege of being able to share it with someone else.

Meditation: For one minute breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. Each time you exhale, give a praise to God. Use this time to focus and calm your mind—recognizing God’s presence. He is listening. He is there with you. Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits the praise of his people. Meditate on the presence of God with you as you praise.

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Day 5: The Lord is my Shepherd “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:1 Psalm 23 is undoubtedly one of the most well-known Bible passages. On

any given Sunday, you could walk into a church and hear someone referring to this Psalm of comfort and encouragement. Many of you probably learned this passage as children.

David was the author of this Psalm. If anyone knew anything about shepherding, it was David - he was a shepherd himself. David was in a position where he could get a better understanding of God and His attributes. When David uses the analogy, "The Lord is my Shepherd" - he knows what he is saying.

It was while tending sheep that David was revealed to be the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:11). God had positioned David in a place of promotion. Who would ever think God would use a shepherd boy to lead a nation? David's own father considered him to be the least likely to be chosen as the next king. However, it is the very people that society devalues that God values. Just when man has written you off, God can write you in.

Sheep are fascinating animals. They are timid and nervous by nature; they are easily frightened. Their vision is limited and they are fearful of CP no. JB001TL1

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 5: The Lord Is My Sheppard

shadows. Sheep move in clusters, so if the sheep in front goes astray, they all go astray. Therefore, it is the role of the shepherd to guide and watch over the wayward sheep, so they will stay out of harm’s way.

The Book of Isaiah says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on his servant the sins of us all." We have a right to rejoice! We have a Shepherd who loves us and wants to supply our every need. Max Lucado writes, "If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning... Face it friend. He is crazy about you!"

Take Action/Practice: You can see how David wrote Psalm 23 from his perspective as a shepherd caring for sheep. Rewrite Psalm 23 from the perspective of your position (mother, father, friend, etc.), job or hobby.

Take each verse and see if you can make it personal in your own life by detailing some way in which God works in your life as you work in someone else’s.

Meditation/Thought: Think about the number of ways in which God has cared for you as a shepherd cares for his sheep. Write down as many as you can think of. For instance, he provided your food and shelter or protected you from an enemy.

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Day 6: Mesmerized by His Grace “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about

such things.” Philippians 4:8 Our egotistical attitudes often lead us to take life moments for granted.

We wake up in the morning, eat food, see family, come to work, and go from destination to destination without even acknowledging God. Truth be told, without God’s grace we would not be afforded these opportunities. In most instances, it is our failure to practice theological reflection that causes us to live lives void of gratefulness. When we reflect on God’s promises and provisions in our lives – we cannot help but pause and be mesmerized by His Grace. Take a moment to be mesmerized.

Take Action/Practice: After each petition respond, “Lord, thank you for your Grace.”

For my family…

For waking me up this morning…

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 6: Mesmerized by His Grace

For food on my table…

For a job…

For a sound mind…

For clothes on my back and shoes on my feet…

For last night not being my last night…

For Jesus…

Thought/Meditation: Spend at least five minutes thinking about the statement in the scripture above. What is true? What is just? What is right? What is pure? What is lovely? What is admirable? What is excellent? What is praiseworthy? Once you have identified an answer for each question, let those good things fill your mind. Express thankfulness that you were able to identify answers to those questions.

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Day 7: Enough Already “My grace is all you need.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 In our capitalistic society, it is easy to get down in the dumps about not The car that we have is not fast enough. The house where having enough. we stay is not big enough. The food we are eating is not good enough. The church we attend is not "cool" enough. The hairstyle we have is not hip enough. Enough already! How much is ever enough? The reality is that people, places and things will never satisfy the longings of our souls.

Jesus tells us, "My grace is all you need" (2 Corinthians. 12:9). Yes, God's grace is enough! Grace is what welcomed the prodigal son back home.

Grace is what escorted the dying thief into paradise. Grace is what gave us the ability to get up this morning! Grace is what Jesus shared with us when He proclaimed, "This is my body given for you.”

As long as we have God's grace, we have enough. As we journey, let us be grateful for and celebrate the ultimate grace extended to us through the birth, life, death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Take Action/Practice: Make a list of everything you can think of that you’ve ever wanted badly, then gotten or received, then watched become old, break or go out of style and you eventually threw away.

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Day 7: Enough Already

Think of toys you wanted, fashions you had to have, songs, things you felt you could not live without that eventually, after time, seemed almost silly to focus on for so long. Think about the things in your life now that you   will likely throw away or replace soon. Once you have done that, think about the eternality of God’s grace. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Thought/Meditation: You have now spent seven days in thankful living. How has this journey changed your thinking, calmed your spirit, or focused your mind? In what ways will you continue to use thankful living in your life?

Conclusion I am so glad you decided to read this 7-day devotion.

If you are a fellow believer, I hope this week has been transformative in helping you practice Thankful Living. If you have completed the Take Action/Practice steps of each day, you should have a list of blessings to use whenever you need to recall the goodness of God and help refocus your mind. The continual practice of this spiritual discipline will help strengthen you day-by-day.

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Conclusion

If you have not yet placed your trust in Christ, God desires a relationship with you. If this 7-day devotion has been a help to you, and you desire a closer walk with the Lord, I have provided a simple ABC plan to

becoming a new you in Jesus Christ.

Admit that you need a Savior Believe in your heart that Christ was resurrected Confess that Jesus is Lord “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9NLT).

My heart’s desire is that you will walk with the Lord and experience the fullness of His blessings in your everyday life. If in need of a spiritual coach, I would be delighted to walk alongside you. Please email me at theology23@gmail.com James Brooks

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

Rev. James L. Brooks is committed to listening and responding to the people who have been hurt and marginalized by society. He serves as the Senior Pastor of Harmony Community Church and the Chief Ministry Officer at Lawndale Christian Health Center. He formerly served as the   Coordinator of Youth Ministry at Grace Lutheran Church, a predominantly white congregation in River Forest, Illinois. He was the first African American to be called to serve this historical Lutheran congregation.

Rev. Brooks is a summa cum laude graduate of Concordia University where he majored in Organizational Management. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Northern Theological Seminary where he was the first Dr. John Perkins Scholar graduate. Rev. Brooks completed his youth and theology certification at Princeton Theological Seminary and Clinical Pastoral Education unit at the University of Illinois Medical Center. To add to his wide array of empowering strategies and techniques, Rev. Brooks became a John Maxwell Certified Coach in 2014.

He sits on various boards in the community, such as North Lawndale College Prep High School, UCAN and the Lawndale Christian Legal Clinic. Rev. Brooks believes in serving with excellence in every field of human endeavor.

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Thankful Living - 7 Days to a New Attitude

For his service, Rev. Brooks has humbly received numerous awards and accolades, including being a recipient of Northern Seminary’s distinguished Bryan F. Archibald Award for Excellence in preaching.

Rev. Brooks is grateful to be called to participate in God’s work of proclaiming liberty to the oppressed, giving hope to the hopeless and encouraging the faithful. With thanksgiving, he enthusiastically facilitates workshops in Leadership Development, Spiritual Resiliency, Margins, Boundaries, and Christian Community Development.

Rev. Brooks is happily married to his beautiful wife, Jacqueline, a Registered Nurse specializing in transplant care. They have two brilliant and energetic daughters, Jaylah and Janay, both of whom actively serve in vital ministries of the church.

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A THANKFUL

LIVING 7 Days to a New Attitude

James L. Brooks serves as the head pastor of Harmony Community Church, and as the Chief Ministry Officer of Lawndale Christian Health Center. He strives to help the underserved through ministry and coaching in the areas of Leadership Development, Spiritual Resiliency, Margins, Boundaries, Emotional Intelligence, and Christian Community Development. He provides coaching to hospital staff throughout the country through speaking engagements and workshops.

He is happily married to Jacqueline, and the proud father of daughters, Jaylah and Janay.

He lives with his family in Chicago.

Thankful living is about taking control of your thoughts and focusing them rather than allowing them to focus randomly based on the day’s events. Thankful living is therefore a spiritual practice designed to keep you in tune with God. Thankful living recognizes God’s presence in your life and his control over your life. When you practice thankfulness, you align your thinking with God’s power, omniscience, and presence. In all things, we are able to give thanks because we recognize that God is in all things and controls all things.

JAMES L. BROOKS

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Colab CP no. JB001TL1

2017 Copyright James L. Brooks.

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