“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love is eternal.” —Psalm 136:1
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations.” —Psalm 100:4-5
“Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” —1 Thessalonians 5:18
There are many Scriptures that remind us to have hearts that are thankful. When we keep our minds on Christ—His unending love, faithful provision, abounding grace, infinite wisdom—our hearts can’t help but express praise! The Lord has given us countless reasons to be thankful, and our thanksgiving can extend far beyond one day of the year.
Today, let’s consider a few creative ways to express we are thankful. These ideas encompass ideas for showing both your thankfulness to God and to the people He has placed in your life to lead and serve alongside.
1. Be obedient.
This might seem like an odd place to start, but I really believe that obedience to the Lord is an important way to express that you’re thankful to the Lord. Obedience (or the lack thereof) reveals a lot about our hearts. When we say, “Yes” to God and walk in His plans and purposes for our lives, we show that we trust Him completely and that we want to honor Him. Obedience isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it. Express your thanksgiving to the Lord by being obedient each day to the next step He has placed in front of you.
2. Write a note.
In this digital world we live in, letter writing isn’t as common as it once was. But there’s something so special about opening up an envelope with your name on it and reading the words someone has taken the time to write by hand. Consider writing notes to the women you lead. You don’t have to write to everyone all at once. Maybe set the goal of writing just one note per week. Use this as an opportunity to remind her that you see her, appreciate her, and are praying for her. Paul set this example for us in his letters to the churches. He would often tell them how thankful he was for their faithfulness (Eph. 1:15-16, Phil. 1:3). Take a few minutes to encourage a woman you lead with a note expressing your thankfulness for her.
3. Serve others.
Christ modeled servant leadership for us. Keep your eyes open for ways to serve the women you lead. Perhaps you could set up the classroom for one of the women in your ministry who leads a small group. Cook a meal for a family in your church that is going through a difficult season and needs encouragement. Offer a free evening of babysitting to one of your volunteers so she and her husband can have a date night. There are a lot of ways you can serve the women God has placed in your life. Find small, but significant ways you can say, “Thank you” to them on a regular basis.
Tessa Morrell is the editorial manager at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee. In addition to her role on staff as a writer and editor, she also has the joy of serving as a volunteer Bible study leader of a small group of young adult women each week.
