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November 17, 2014: Volume 3, Number 27
In This Issue
30 60 100 IN UKRAINE
Feature: CHOOSING GRATITUDE, PART 2 - HOW TO CHOOSE GRATITUDE
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
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Greetings!
5 airlines - 5 countries - 2 days
After two days' travel, (following a cancelled flight out of Albuquerque) our motto has become: "5 flights on 5 airlines in 2 days!" 

We are GRATEFUL we had a little extra time in the schedule for travel delays on our way to Ukraine.

Sometimes learning to be grateful takes effort! For instance, along the way we got to overnight in Vienna, Austria (thank you Austrian Airlines for the hotel and 2 meals).  And in spite of all the inconveniences our luggage kept up with us! We are getting the chance to practice what we're talking about in this issue of The Cultivator.

In the USA, Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated each November. For the Christ-follower, thanksgiving is an attitude to be celebrated each day ... but one that may not always come easily. In today's edition of The Cultivator, find out How to Choose Gratitude even when it feels unnatural.  It's the second of a 2-part series that helps you prepare for the season of Thanksgiving.
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We hope you will email us to share ways you are cultivating an attitude of gratitude. And always keep growing!
30 60 100 MINISTRIES IN UKRAINE 10/30 - 11/17 
Ukrainians praying in Kiev
30 60 100 MINISTRIES is just returning from Ukraine,  where we presented Spiritually Healthy Leader  workshops to pastors and ministry leaders --  first in a local church in Lviv (westernmost Ukraine) and then later at Ukraine Evangelical Seminary (35 KM west of the capital city - Kiev.) We also shared in small churches and homes along the way.

We look forward to sharing with you about God's movement in Ukraine. But in the meantime, will you join us in praying for this nation and its people?
  • Pray for unity among believers
  • Pray that the Ukraine will remain open to the Gospel
  • Pray for the safety of our ministry partners in Ukraine, specifically Pastors Alexander, Sergey and Peter
  • Pray for leaders who attended the workshops, that the content will minister to their hearts deeply
  • Pray for the new relationships we built
Thank you for your gifts and your prayers as we work to equip Christians in remote areas.
featureFeature: CHOOSING GRATITUDE, PART 2
How to Choose Gratitude 

Second in a two-part series about choosing an attitude of gratitude. 

 

It is no secret: gratitude doesn't come naturally to humans. Giving thanks is learned. It is a habit others teach us or we choose to acquire with study and practice.

If you doubt it, then think back to the times your mother whispered in your ear, "Say thank you," as Aunt Wilma filled your plate with Brussels sprouts or sauerkraut!  

You learned the proper times to show gratitude, even when you didn't feel it. Gratitude became a habit ... some of the time. But not all the time.

No Habit, No Gratitude

Certain circumstances appear to dictate ingratitude over thankfulness: an illness, a job loss, a child's rebellion, or a friend's snub. Or perhaps God doesn't bless you the way you want or the way you've asked. Give thanks? You are not in the habit because you feel like a victim. Instead, your default mode is complaining ... grumbling ... jealousy ... criticism.

Other times God's blessings come and go without notice. You may expect to have prayers answered (since you've prayed them) ... good health (since you've taken care of yourself or have gone to the doctor) ... job security and even a raise (since you've stayed with the company for a while). Blessings become entitlements. Give thanks? You are not in the habit because you think you deserve whatever you have received. Your default mode is indifference ... apathy ... complacency ... self-satisfaction.
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Image: Maria Media

Give Thanks All of the Time? It's Unnatural

Ingratitude is normal and natural. But it's not an option for the Christ-follower. We are to live "unnatural" lives.

God tells us, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). That puts a big, fat nix on ingratitude. God doesn't give you a "No-Thanks-Needed" pass in certain situations. Nor does He say you can be too busy or too good to forget to thank Him.

Instead, He calls us to live a life of unnatural gratitude.

While most of us are not in the habit of choosing gratitude all the time, if you look carefully there is always a reason to give thanks in every circumstance. You have lost your job, but you still have food to eat. Your child has an addiction, giving you the opportunity to grow in humility and ask others for support. You are fighting an illness, but you have lived another day. Your friend has snubbed you, allowing you the chance to reflect grace.

God's blessings are there. Sometimes they are simply easier to see than other times. It is the Christ-follower's privilege to find a reason for gratitude in all things.

Give thanks? Like any other habit, it is one you can choose to acquire. It will take practice. It will feel unnatural. It will force you to go deeper into the heart of God than you ever dreamed.

You can choose the higher privilege of reflecting the character of Christ. Or you can choose a more natural route of ingratitude and indifference - one well-traveled by most.

The choice is up to you.

Read Part 1: Act Grateful to Feel Grateful

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Growth Point
 
 

Gratitude is a habit of the heart.  

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Scripture

 

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).  

 
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Prayer Points

  • "Finding gratitude in all things is a privilege." How do you respond to that?
  • Look back at a time when you did not feel thankful in the moment. Give thanks to God for the blessings you see in those circumstances now.
  • What is one step you can take to cultivate the heart habit of gratitude?
whatpeoplearesaying   What People Are Saying ...

 

30 60 100 with WIM board members
"I really appreciate the way you lead our strategy sessions. You allow us  to speak all our thoughts, not like some who want their opinions heard or made most important. And you use a way that includes teaching so we learn as well as solve our own issues. This is is a gift of God that you bring to us as we plan our next steps. Thank you."

Nelson B., Western Indian Mission Board of Directors

 

leaf iconHear more testimonies from Christians in remote areas served by 30 60 100 MINISTRIES staff here.

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