Gratitude

I know the secret of joy
And I want to give it to you.
I challenge you to give it to
As many people as you can.

The secret of joy is gratitude.
Thank God for everything.
For the pebble in your shoe.
For rush hour traffic.
For the thirty-ninth rainy day in a row.
For your favorite show pre-empted by breaking news.

The miracle is,
When you thank God for everything,
He will give you more to be grateful for.
He will give you new perspective.
Frustration and disappointment melt away
Making room for immeasurable joy.

Not happiness.
No, happiness is fickle.
Happiness can disappear in an instant.
But joy transforms.
Joy changes your world and your outlook.
Joy makes all things fresh and new and remarkable.

Don’t believe me?
Prove me wrong.
Buy a notebook.
Everyday, write down something to thank God for.
It doesn’t matter if it’s mundane,
Like finding a stamp so you can mail a birthday card.
Before long you’ll be noticing more and more gifts from God to you.
Little tokens of His love.
Little expressions of your uniqueness and your specialness to Him.

I know the secret of joy
And I’m giving it to you.
Give it to as many people as you can.

©ARHuelsenbeck