#Ann Voskamp

[novelmonger]

Fortnight of Books, Day 1

Overall - best book read in 2024?

This is always such an impossible question to answer. I think I might just have to go with One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp, purely because of the way it's changed and improved the way I look at the world. It's a book about gratitude - not just for the nice, happy things, but also for the hard things. Since reading this book and beginning a list of one thousand gifts of my own (as of this writing, I'm at 377), I find myself much more often focusing on joy and gratitude, actively looking for things to thank God for, rather than either complaining about things or ignoring them. I've even begun thanking God for things like back pain or aspects of my physical appearance I don't like, and even though that doesn't change anything in me physically, it does wonders for my perspective. So for that reason, even though sometimes I took issue with the way she wrote, I'd call this the best book I read this year.

Best series you discovered in 2024?

.....did I discover any series this year? I don't feel like I did. I mean, maybe Swallows and Amazons, but I've only read the first one, and I actually don't feel any inclination to read the rest, if I'm being honest ^^' So I'm not sure if that counts....

Best reread of the year?

That would have to be Dracula! I participated in Dracula Daily this year, which was lots of fun. It really enhanced the tension of the story, getting chunks of story and then waiting in suspense for weeks sometimes, only getting dribbles here and there while waiting to see if the characters we like will escape the clutches of an evil monster. I've read Dracula before, and so I remembered at least the broad strokes of the story, but it was a really fun way to revisit the story. I don't think it's something I'd do every year or anything like that, but I'm glad I did it this year.

[rainintheevening]

--Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

[tristansherwin]

SON OF MAN | AM I DANGEROUS? (MK. 14:27-52)

SON OF MAN | AM I DANGEROUS? (MK. 14:27-52) 'It reminds me of those scenes in the Frankenstein movies, or Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, when the villagers gather together with their pitchforks... We can't be trusted to decide who the monsters are.'

Here’s my longer sermon notes from this morning’s Metro Christian Centre service (dated 24th November 2024), continuing our series flicking through some of the epic scenes of Mark’s gospel. You can also catch up with this via MCC’s YouTube channel (just give us time to get the video uploaded). ‘I am the thorn in your crown | But You love me anyway | I am the sweat from Your brow | But You love…

[joybreathingdragon]

1000 Gifts 2024, November 11

Today I am grateful for long conversations with good friends who have offer different perspectives because sometimes those new perspectives can be the place where hope lives, and goodness, can that change everything.

I also had a great afternoon with my brother. We talked about books, movies, and life changes. We haven't always gotten along. In fact, for a long time he hated me. Now we talk, laugh, and share cool things we are learning. It is an absolute gift for which I am inexpressibly grateful.

How about you? How was your Monday?

[gmendel72]

Even If . . .

“Even if today didn’t go as planned, Lordand if it’s not at all what we hoped,and if “we’re* not yet quite what we hoped,and if life’s not unfolding to our Plan Aand if it’s not even close to Plan Band if the diagnosis is not greatand if the forecast is not goodand if not… and if not… and if not…You still are. You still are Good & You still are God.And we will be the people who will still…The…

[martyschoenleber]

Great Quotes to Start Your Week

Sunday is not the end but the beginning of the week. So, here’s some encouragement to start your week well. God’s best to all of you this week as you fight the good fight of faith. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.” #BicycleBeast “Great peace have they who love Your law;        nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165 “The birth of Jesus the Christ…

[lookingjoligood]

What Is Behind the Façade?

I few years ago I came across a quote by Ann Voskamp that truly made me pause and reflect: “Façade only end up suffocating us all, it’s only telling the truth that lets you breathe.” This quote reminds me of a verse from the Bible, John 8:32, which states, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This post is one of the ones I mentioned I began writing years ago, and it…

[its-all-down-hill]

[aparticularbandit]

For today.

[rheseoneseon]

“A good relationship is like a game of chess; the Queen should always protect her King.”

- Ann Voskamp

Credit goes to @valartrion2, go check out their other arts!

[novelmonger]

How do you count on life when the hopes don't add up? ... The hopes don't have to add up. The blessings do.

- Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

[rainintheevening]

Put in the tags the book (or books) your reading right now.

[zemagltd]

Everyday Poetry - "Sometimes you don’t know when you’re taking the first step through a door until you’re already inside." Ann Voskamp

[fear-not-beloved]

The more indifferent we are to prayer, the less God’s power makes any difference in our lives. And the less we let prayers cause us to actually change and live differently, the more we actually profane the name of God. Prayer isn’t the merely least we can do, prayer is the most we can do, but unless our prayers beg God to break open the eyes of our hearts, to break us away from our own self-protection to protect the least of these, unless our hearts break with what breaks His, which is always the slaying of the most vulnerable in all kinds of ways, unless our prayers beg God to somehow change and transform us — then our prayers are but parody. If our prayers don’t cause us to do actually live differently — then we aren’t actually praying, we’re playing.

Ann Voskamp

[joybreathingdragon]

1000 Gifts 2024, November 10

Today is the Marine Corps birthday. When I graduated high school, my plan was to enter the military, specifically the Marines. However, a sports injury ended those plans. Still, I have great admiration for them, and I am blessed to have several friends who served join the Corps, and I am grateful for every single one of them.

Ooo-RAH!

[gmendel72]

Social Rules to Live By

This post is a bit outside my wheelhouse, so to speak. What follows is some good advice that I wish I had learned earlier (or maybe paid better attention to when someone else was trying to teach me). Some of these may be more applicable than others, but I hope they will all be useful at some point in your life: Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call,…