“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” (William Arthur Ward)

Day 8: Gratitude focus – A single missionary whose life is dedicated to service

Quality or name of God – Father to the Fatherless

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Ideas for demonstrating gratitude to the person of focus today:

»  – Send an email to thank your recipient for his or her impact in your life.

»$ – Write a letter to the single missionary you have chosen to thank. (You can find a mailing address online or through their sending church or mission board.) Include information from “home”—such as the cost of gas, a special event at your church or in your family, etc.

$ – Begin today to start a “Christmas Missionary Fund” in your family. Each person, regardless of age, can contribute to the jar and the total amount can be sent the day after Christmas through the recipient’s sending church or mission board. Teach your children to pray for this missionary each time they are able to contribute something to the fund. It’s a win-win gift!

 » = free      »$ = minimal cost     $ = cost involved

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“Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence! Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” (Psalm 68:4-5, NLT)

For a weekly Bible study I attend (Hello, my WOW/”TMI” friends!), I have been reading numerous portions of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I am awestruck each time I read that Christ, the very Son of God, had compassion on someone. Widows, orphans, singles serving Him with no family or friends around them…for each of these, the “Father to the Fatherless” promises His care! He even sees to it that the fatherless are not without a father…and becomes the Father to them!

In fact, in His amazing love, grace, and mercy, He sees our needs, has compassion on us and promises not to leave us alone as we walk with Him! Perhaps that is why the psalmist reminds us in Psalm 68:4 of what we should stop to do today: “Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!”

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Additional reading (for reading through the Psalms in 30 days):

Psalm 8, 38, 68, 98, 128