Autumn & Thanksgiving

Take the 10-day Thankfulness Challenge! This is a perfect time to commit to cultivating more gratitude as you prepare your heart for Thanksgiving.

The most popular at our house is Apples and Cheese and is expected on every holiday table no matter the time of the year. It's easy and freezes well, so you can make it ahead of time, and your dish will probably be scraped clean!

Even if the family member is trying to say something that they think is encouraging, such as, "You look so much better since you lost weight," it can be extremely hurtful. They think it is a compliment, but it is actually salt in the wound. Whether or not you are personally affected by body size or body weight conversation, don't start conversations surrounding these topics. When you praise weight loss, you could be praising an eating disorder and when you demonize weight gain, you could be demonizing healing.

No matter what you’re doing to celebrate this week, here are a few things you can do to cut out costs, pressure, and stress.

A marriage thrives when both the husband and wife love Christ more than anyone in life, including their spouse. And when they look to The Lord as their provider - rather than demanding their spouse meet all their needs. When you learn to devote your heart to loving the Lord, there will be a natural outpouring of thankfulness and God's love spilling out of your heart and onto those around you - especially your marriage partner.

Family conflicts. Long travel times. Rushing around to try to make things "perfect." The holidays can be a difficult time for many, but they don't have to be devoid of peace. Read through these eight verses and prayers to help you pause, breathe, and lean into the peace of Christ this holiday season.

Thanksgiving is not just a time for some great food and family time. It's also a time to remember our blessings and have fellowship with other believers. These Thanksgiving hymns remind us how to give thanks to our heavenly father during this season.

When your grandchildren visit, you may say, "I am so delighted you are here. You are such a wonderful gift from God." You may adopt a gratitude moment at meals. You may simply choose to hug them every time you see them and call out something you love about them.

Do your kids like to do crafts? Do you have a budding artist in the family? With Thanksgiving coming up, there will be lots of things for you to do. Instead of going out and buying a bunch of decor, why not let your kids make some crafts to decorate your home?

Your primary emotional and relational commitment must be toward building and protecting your marriage, even during family gatherings. The challenge arises when external pressures, such as expectations from parents or siblings, interfere with this unity. Perhaps one set of parents wants you to spend the entire holiday at their house, or your extended family members make passive-aggressive comments about how much time you’re devoting to your spouse versus them.

The best holiday is one in which we are as emotionally healthy as possible. That includes ridding my heart of perfectionism and focusing on the grace and mercy of Jesus.

Friendsgiving offers the opportunity for those who cannot celebrate Thanksgiving with family to participate with close friends and loved ones.

We’ve had our share of great dinner parties and disasters—and everything in between. We’ve left out key ingredients in dishes, forgotten to purchase beverages, and burned the main meat course beyond recognition while our kids have asked embarrassing questions or blurted out inappropriate comments. Hosting Thanksgiving can bring more angst because of family traditions and expectations. Before we get into concrete tips on how to make the day more fun and less stressful, let’s talk about six ways to reduce anxiety about hosting.

Gratitude isn't about hailing the action performed but celebrating the soul behind the deed that needs to know they're seen and treasured.

If your heart feels heavy this Thanksgiving, you're not alone. These powerful verses bring comfort, perspective, and real reasons to give thanks.