Jane and I welcome you back to Week Three of  Simple Thanks! Thanksgiving breathes life into our dark, hard places. Thanksgiving also dares us to live fully in the moment. Let the habit of thanksgiving permeate your heart and mind as God continues to shower His grace upon you. Give Him your ashes of bitterness and ingratitude and in return accept one thousand gifts of beauty and grace. Life is a gift–rejoice and give thanks!

Here is our introduction video to Week 3:

Community Call

Here is our Community Call for All Is Grace to listen to AFTER you finish the weekly homework:  All Is Grace

Weekly Homework

Below you will find homework for each level of study. Feel free to change between Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3  as your schedule allows! Remember, there is no pressure to complete every activity. These are just options for your growth. They can be accessed at any time, even after the study ends.

Level 1, Study: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 3, watch  SESSION 3: All is Grace.
• Continue to add to your One Thousand Gifts journal.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Feel free to do any of the other activities from Levels 2 and 3 as your time allows.

Level 2, Community: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 3, watch  SESSION 3: All is Grace.
• Continue to add to your One Thousand Gifts journal.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Answer the question on the Speak Your Mind comment section at the bottom of this post.
• Join the Community Call, Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. EST on Talk Shoe (Information on TalkShoe is in your weekly email.)
• Listen to the Podcast for information on walking in the grace of God:

 Level 3, Opportunity: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 3, watch  SESSION 3: All is Grace.
• Continue to add to your One Thousand Gifts journal.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Answer the question on the Speak Your Mind comment section at the bottom of this post, join the Community Call on Wednesday night on TalkShoe, and listen to the Podcast at the link provided up above.
• Don’t forget to check out our private Facebook page. Leave your comments about this week’s study,post your prayer requests, or share any insights/questions you may have. Only members of our Bible study group will see these posts.
• In the evening, do devotions 11-15 in the One Thousand Gifts Devotional journal.
• Read chapters 6-7 in One Thousand Gifts trade book by Ann Voskamp.
• Take advantage of the Extra Simple resources by clicking on the links below:

Give Thanks

Count Your Blessings

“Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

As we count the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us, please enjoy this beautiful music by Paul Cardall:

Questions of the Week (Please respond in the Speak Your Mind section at the very bottom of this page).

How has God turned the ugly to beautiful in your life?

Jane and I welcome you to Week Two of  Simple Thanks! We pray that you are learning to establish a new habit of thanksgiving in your heart. Continue to look for God’s blessing in the simple and to offer Him praise in the hard. God is calling you to live fully in the moment. Life is a gift–rejoice and give thanks.

Introductory Video for Week 2

Here is Week 2 Community Call if you missed the live session:

Weekly Homework

We pray that you are able to keep up with your weekly homework. If you have fallen a little behind, don’t worry. Just continue on with Week Two. Feel free to change from Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3  as your schedule allows! Remember, there is no pressure to complete every activity. These are just options for your growth. They can be accessed at any time, even after the study ends.

Level 1, Study: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 2, watch  SESSION 2:Grace in the Moment.
• Take time to notice and thank God for His simple gifts in all things.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Add to your 1000 Gifts List.
• Feel free to do any of the other activities from Levels 2 and 3 as your time allows.

Level 2, Community: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 2, watch  SESSION 2:Grace in the Moment.
• Take time to notice and thank God for His simple gifts in all things.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Add your 1000 Gifts List.
• Answer the question on the Speak Your Mind comment section at the bottom of this post.
• Join the Community Call, Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. EST on Talk Shoe (Information on TalkShoe is in your weekly email.)
• Listen to the Podcast for information on walking in the grace of God:

Worthy of the Lord:

 Level 3, Opportunity: Weekly Goals 

•  For Week 2, watch  SESSION 2:Grace in the Moment.
• Take time to notice and thank God for His simple gifts in all things.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Answer the question on the Speak Your Mind comment section at the bottom of this post, join the Community Call on Wednesday night on TalkShoe, and listen to the Podcast at the link provided up above.
• Don’t forget to check out our private Facebook page. Leave your comments about this week’s study, post your prayer requests, or share any insights/questions you may have. Only members of our Bible study group will see these posts.
• Continue your 1000 Gifts List.
• In the evening, do devotions 6-10 in the One Thousand Gifts Devotional journal.
• Read chapters 4-5 in One Thousand Gifts trade book by Ann Voskamp.
• Take advantage of the Extra Simple resources by clicking on the links below:

  Grace and Peace

      Bitterness to Forgiveness

Image courtesy of domdeen / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Please enjoy the following simple song. While you are listening please take time to thank God for all His simple gifts.

Questions of the Week (Please respond in the Speak Your Mind section at the very bottom of this page).

How does giving thanks help you to focus on the present?

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“In all things, give thanks.“God commands us to give thanks in all things. It’s easy to give thanks for the blessings, for the beautiful things, for the lovely things. But what about the hard things … the blessings in disguise … can we give thanks for the hard things? To cultivate the habit of thanksgiving in your heart, please click on the link: Scripture Prescriptions: Thankfulness

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Jane and I welcome you to Week One of Simple Thanks! We are very excited to be with you during this journey into the simple thankfulness. In the weeks leading up to this study, we have been praying for you. Thank you for answering God’s  call; it is not an accident that you have joined this study. God is calling us to live fully in the moment. Life is a gift–rejoice and give thanks.

Here is our TalkShoe Webinar from week 1 if you missed the live call-in:

Weekly Homework

Each week we will add your assignments to a password-protected post. Look for the password every Tuesday evening in your email. Below you will find homework for each level of study. Feel free to change from Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3  as your schedule allows! Remember, there is no pressure to complete every activity. These are just options for your growth. They can be accessed at any time, even after the study ends.

Level 1, Study: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 1, watch  SESSION 1:Attitude of Gratitude, Ann’s video.
• Take time to notice and thank God for His simple gifts.
• Complete the study guide  and Between Sessions homework PDFs.
• Start your 1000 Gifts List in a separate journal.
• Feel free to do any of the other activities from Levels 2 and 3 as your time allows.

Level 2, Community: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 1 watch  SESSION 1:Attitude of Gratitude.
• Take time to notice and thank God for His simple gifts.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Start your 1000 Gifts List in a separate journal.
• Answer the question on the Speak Your Mind comment section at the bottom of this post.
• Join the Community Call, Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. EST on Talk Shoe (Information on TalkShoe is in your weekly email.)
• Read Thankfulness, the Way of Jesus from the Soul Shepherding website.

 Level 3, Opportunity: Weekly Goals 

• For Week 1, watch  SESSION 1:Attitude of Gratitude.
• Take time to notice and thank God for His simple gifts.
• Complete the study guide  and between sessions homework PDFs.
• Answer the question on the Speak Your Mind comment section at the bottom of this post, join the Community Call on Wednesday night on TalkShoe, and listen to the Podcast at the link provided up above.
• Don’t forget to check out our private Facebook page. Leave your comments about this week’s study, post your prayer requests, or share any insights/questions you may have. Only members of our Bible study group will see these posts.
• Start your 1000 Gifts List in a separate journal.
• In the evening, do devotions 1-5 in the one thousand gifts devotional journal.
• Read chapters 1-3 in One Thousand Gifts trade book by Ann Voskamp.
• Take advantage of the Extra Simple resources by clicking on the links below:

  From Grumbling to Gratitude

Please take a few moments to worship and express your gratitude to God through music for His many blessing and gifts.

Questions of the Week (Please respond in the Speak Your Mind section at the very bottom of this page).

What simple gift are you most thankful for this week?

Imagine doing your Bible study with your small group without ever having to leave the comfort of  your home, dorm room — or back deck. If this sounds like your kind of study, we would love for you to join our online Bible study. Just in time for Thanksgiving, this  five-week online Bible study starts on Wednesday, November 6. We will be using Ann Voskamp’s heartfelt, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.

This Bible study will:

• dare you to live fully right where you are
• challenge you to count your blessings no matter your circumstances
• help you to develop a habit of thanksgiving and praise
• encourage you to experience the constant presence of God in everyday life

Order Your Materials

In order to participate in the study you must 1) order the DVDs (the first link below) OR the instant video downloads (second link) and 2) sign up through the registration link at the bottom of this post (registration is only $5). We will email you a weekly PDF containing your viewer guides and between sessions homework.

To deepen your study experience,  you may also order the following optional resources:

• One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are trade book ( the third or fourth link).
• One Thousand Gifts  Devotional Journal (fifth link).

We’ve included  links to the CBD online bookstore if your prefer to purchase your materials that way. CBD has the best price for the videos, MP3, trade book, and optional devotional book. Or you can purchase through your local bookstore.

ORDER LINKS for Christian Book Distributors:

Choose between the DVD, which will be shipped to you, or the instant download videos. Do not purchase both. (The five-session bundle is the instant video downloads)

One Thousand Gifts: A DVD Study: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You AreBy Ann Voskamp / ZondervanWhat does the Christ-life look like when your days are gritty, long, and even dark? Based on Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, she reveals the discovery that will open your eyes to ordinary, amazing grace regardless of your circumstances. This five-session, video-based study will help you learn, practice, and begin to live out the secrets of a joyful heart. Approx. 111 total minutes. Study guide sold separately.

One Thousand Gifts: All Five Sessions Bundle [Video Download]By Ann Voskamp / Zondervan

If you wish to order the trade book, please choose one of the following:

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You AreBy Ann Voskamp / ZondervanDiscover a way of seeing that opens your eyes to everyday amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of experiencing the constant presence of God that will bring you deep and lasting joy. There is purity in simplicity and a breathtaking beauty that can be found even in life’s slightest details. Ann Voskamp welcomes you in to explore her grace-bathed life of farming, parenting and writing and encourages you to draw nearer to Him and experience your own life in a deeper way, no matter where you are. Renew your appreciation for the beauty that permeates all creation with the wisdom-soaked pages of this Christian Living treasure.

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are – eBookBy Ann Voskamp / Zondervan

Finally, if you wish to participate in daily journaling, please order the following (I highly recommend the devotional!):

One Thousand Gifts Devotional JournalBy Ann Voskamp / ZondervanRenew your appreciation for the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us in life’s simplest details. Encouraging you to ruminate even deeper on the concepts explored in her best-selling book One Thousand Gifts, Voskamp offers 100 wisdom-soaked devotions, complete with Scripture verses, prayers, reflection questions, and space to record your own insights. 208 pages, hardcover from Zondervan.

A Bible Study for All Levels of Maturity

Challenge your faith by choosing one of three levels of involvement.

• Level 1:  Study. Simply order the DVDs and complete the work in the weekly PDF email.
  
• Level 2: Community. Order the DVDs and complete the work in the weekly PDF email, and participate in weekly community conversations (blog/Facebook) and post what you’re learning.
• Level 3: Opportunity. Order the DVDs, the trade book and the devotional journal.  Each week complete the work in the weekly PDF email and five days in the One Thousand Gifts Devotional Journal, participate in the weekly Community Calls on Talkshoe and read the correlating chapters of the One Thousand Gifts trade book. Please tailor the work to fit your weekly schedule. There is no pressure to complete everything!

In addition, each Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Jane and Mary will host an optional call on Talk Shoe that will include a teaching time on that week’s lesson. But remember, you are free to do your work at any time during the week that fits your schedule.

REGISTRATION Sign Up for Giving Thanks Online Bible Study
The cost to participate in the online Bible study (same price for every level) is only $5 (in addition to your book fee that you purchase). If you’d like to join us in this fall’s study of Simple Thanks, please click on the button below. You will both pay and register through this one button. Once you have signed up, you will be emailed a link to confirm your registration. You must click on that link to be put on the list for the Bible study. Each week, for the duration of the study,  you will receive an email that contains the weekly Bible study page password, Community Call information, viewer PDFs and Between Sessions work. Look for your email every Tuesday night.

Thanks so much for your participation. Feel free to invite your friends! Please click on the link below to register and pay. You will be given the option to pay either with Pay Pal or with your credit card. If you don’t have a PayPal account, simply click the option that says “Check Out.” Clicking on that will then open another screen and one of your options will say: “Don’t have a PayPal account?” Click on this option, which will bring up a screen that will let you either pay with a regular credit card or open a PayPal account.Questions or problems with registration? Click on this contact button to email Jane. God bless you and thank you!

Click Below: Simple Thanks Online Bible Study Registration

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:13

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday, because it causes me to stop and reflect on the many blessings God has given me. Even in the years that were difficult, I could always find something to be thankful for.

This year, we’re again offering a Thanksgiving contest. I’d simply like you to reflect on the above verse and then share with us in the comment section below what one of your gifts is that God has given you this year that you are thankful for. It can be a few words or a longer story, but I’d like you to share why the gift is meaningful to you. The contest is open to both adults and children, and we’re offering two separate prizes. You have until the end of the month to post your comment. Be sure to check back the first week of December. I will announce the winner and leave instructions on how to have the winner send me his or her contact information so that I can mail the prize.

For the adults, we are offering a hand-knitted prayer shawl that I (Jane) made. For the children, we will be awarding another prize, yet to be determined.

So, let’s encourage each other and lift up our prayers of thanks to Jesus this Thanksgiving.

Blessings to you all!