Safe and Sound

Hi, friend!

You may have received an email from “me” Tuesday morning saying my family and I were mugged in Manila, Philippines, and that I needed your money wired.  Please know I am safe and sound. My personal email was unfortunately compromised.

No worries, though. My email and www.danyajordan.com passwords were quickly changed, and I encourage you to change your email password.   Thank you for your calls, emails, and texts checking on me and even offering to send money. It is so humbling to know you as a true friend would respond that quickly to my urgent need. You are cherished.

Isn’t it ironic that my account was hacked mere hours after my Pure Inspiration blog on healing marriages was disseminated? “[He] intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” –Genesis 50:20 NIV

As my pastor’s email stated, “Even hackers need Jesus.” And one friend asked me to bring a souvenir back from Manila. If and when the Lord sends me one day to Manila, I’ll remember you.  🙂

Thank you for your friendship, laughter, and prayers. 🙂 To God be the Glory!

Love in Christ,

Danya ><>

An Attitude of Gratitude

As the summer winds down and the school year starts up, my mind and heart are grateful.

Ann Voskamp, in her book One Thousand Gifts, challenges us to write 1000 things for which we are grateful. This list could contain the beautiful sunrise, morning dew, birds chirping, sun shining through the window across the hardwood floors, dear friends who open their beautiful home, fun co-workers. What are you grateful for today, this summer? May each day our hearts, my heart, have an attitude of gratitude.

“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” –Philemon 4-7 NIV.

Reflect:

–For what, for whom, are you grateful?

–Consider making a list of 1000 gifts today.

Renew:

–“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” –Philippians 3:11b

–“Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.”  –Victor Hugo.

 

Giving Thanks, Breaking, Giving Away

Have you ever just read a verse you’ve read before, and was finally hit by its profound truth? On this Thanksgiving week, one such verse hit me. A simple verse, really.

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying “Take and eat; this is my body.'” –Matthew 26:26.

From the first Lord’s Supper to today’s Lord’s Supper, the same sentiment is expressed in each sacrament. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it away.

Two points jump out at me.  1) Jesus took and gave thanks. 2) Jesus broke it and gave it away.

Point one: May we give thanks for everything we are given, for every person, every circumstance in our life. May we have an attitude of gratitude. It’s hard to grumble when you’re grateful. So often I/we complain over what we don’t have instead of thanking God for the many blessings we do have. I am so guilty of this. Forgive me.

Point two: Jesus broke the bread before He gave it away. Although Jesus could, He does not use anything or anyone unless the item or person is broken. The bread was/is broken, not whole. The wine came/comes from smushed, fermented grapes. Even His own body had to be broken on the cross to save all of us from our sins. He broke Himself in order to give Himself away. May it be so of us.

Jesus does not use us unless we are broken and available to Him. The only people in the Bible Jesus couldn’t stand were those people who acted like they had it all together—the Pharisees.  We are the most whole in Christ when we admit to our brokenness.

Thanks and Brokenness. Jesus both focused on gratitude and brokenness in life and in the sacrament of communion.

Side note. I love stained glass. Do you know why I love beautiful stained glass so much? Stained glass is simply broken shards of glass arranged in a pattern. It is only when Light shines through the brokenness that we can see the beautiful image and purpose. That’s us. That’s you. That’s me.

As we prepare to celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving, may we use Jesus’ example to take and give thanks.  May we then give ourselves away as broken and beautiful vessels. Happy Thanks-LIVING, friend.

Reflect:

  • How will you transform Thanksgiving into Thanks-Living?
  • For what, for whom are you thankful?

Renew:

  • “Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth.” –Psalm 98:7-9.
  • “Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” –Psalm 100:4.

Recharge:  

  • Please start a Gratitude Journal this week and  list at least three blessings daily. It could be a warm house, your health, laughter, cozy coats and boots. Keep going. You can do it.
  • Please let me know of some of your many blessings.

Resources: