Elisabet Kirkland

By Brenda Dickerson

One spiritual discipline that has been meaningful in my life is the practice of expressing gratitude—to God, family, friends, colleagues, even strangers. Cicero, a Roman orator and philosopher who died in 43 BC, is credited with saying:

“There is no quality I would rather have, and be thought to have, than gratitude. For it is not only the greatest virtue, but it is the mother of all the rest.”

Blessings and challenges 

I’m very blessed to have grown up in a loving Christian family. My parents had family worship time every day with my two older brothers and me. We went to Adventist church school all the way through.

I’ve always believed God exists and that He loves me. I’ve always believed the Bible is true. I’ve always prayed. I’ve been on prayer teams and done prayer walking, experienced anointing services. I’ve helped set up prayer room experiences for camp meeting. It’s a huge part of my spiritual life.

But about eight years ago my prayers took a dramatic shift.  I used to have a lengthy list of specific things I prayed for each day of the week. But one book changed that.

“One Thousand Gifts”

This book by Ann Voskamp taught me about a new level of thankfulness. It’s not just for November. The eucharist is for every single day of my life. It helped me realize, in fact, that giving thanks and honor to God is the reason for my existence.

And it’s not because God needs to hear my thanks and praise and adoration of Him. It’s because I need to give it. When I’m consciously thanking God and expressing praise and intentionally slowing down and looking for His beauty and grace all around me …I cannot —at the same time—be complaining about things, or criticizing others, or feeling envious of others, or finding fault with how God is directing life here on this planet. It’s one or the other. And God knows I will be much happier if I’m giving thanks.

And God also knows that He is the only one worthy of that level of praise, and He is the only one we can safely adore and worship. Humans will always worship someone or something. Here are three points that I’ve learned to deeply appreciate:

#1   Since God is the only one we can worship without being destroyed by them, He is actually being gracious in instructing us to worship Him and thank Him.

 In her book Ministry of Healing, Ellen G. White says:

“When you open your eyes in the morning, thank God that He has kept you through the night. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven.”(p. 253)

“It is for our own benefit to keep every gift of God fresh in our memory. By this means faith is strengthened to claim and to receive more and more. There is greater encouragement for us in the least blessing we ourselves receive from God than in all the accounts we can read of the faith and experiences of others.  (p. 100)

#2   Having a thankful heart keeps my priorities straight. It takes away anxious thoughts and gives me peace.

Plenty of studies show the physical benefits of practicing gratitude:

• Causes the brain to release feel-good chemical dopamine and serotonin.
• The result is reduced stress, reduced depression and reduced anxiety.
• People who practice expressing gratitude also report feeling happier and more optimistic.
• They report fewer physical symptoms and they exercise more often.

#3   Praise and thanksgiving keep me in the presence of God, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forever more. The book The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenney, still fascinates me because he shares personal experiences of being in the presence of God, experiencing worship and praise and thanksgiving on a very deep level. He talks about the crucial importance of seeking God’s face, His presence, above God’s hand—meaning His material blessings.

Heb. 12:28 says, Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and this let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.

I’m learning how good it is to view prayer as a time to receive from the Lord and as a time to “yield a sweet savour unto God.”

How I’ve grown 

My weekly prayer journals that I started many many years ago still contain a few occasional requests of God … but now it’s at least 90% thanks and praise.

I do also have a few personally written prayers that came to me very quickly and just flowed out as I was sitting in silence before God. I treasure those and revisit them often, along with favorite scripture verses.

One verse I have wrestled with over the years is I Thess 5: 16-18: pray continually … give thanks in all circumstances.

Of course, we know we can’t live life continually on our knees in active prayer, but I’ve come to see having an attitude of gratitude as a way of being constantly in prayer. Gratitude always turns what we have into “enough.” It helps us Be still and know that I am [He is] God (Ps 46:10).

Being still before God always gives me something to be grateful for.

“Giving thanks in all circumstances” often reminds me of a story I read about Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy in a Nazi concentration camp during WWII. Betsy insisted they thank God for the bed bugs in their filthy and overcrowded barracks. Corrie resisted, but her sister said they must give thanks IN all circumstances, not FOR all circumstances. So, they made a habit of thanking God in that wretched place.

Were they thankful to be imprisoned? No. Did God expect them to be thankful to be imprisoned? I don’t think so. God allows things in life that are not His express will. He allows people to make poor choices and take sinful paths. But this is an example of being able to find something in every situation for which to give thanks. Saying that God is in control means that eventually everything is going to work out according to His plan.

Later, of course, they learned that the bed bugs had kept the night guards from forcing themselves into the women’s beds in their particular barracks, since they were known to be infected.

Another book that has really impacted me is “Hearing God’s Voice” by Richard and Henry Blackaby. I’ve read that one twice, a couple of years apart, because it’s so deep in some areas and I’m still not sure I’ve gotten to the bottom of it. I’m still learning to differentiate between the voices (thoughts) in my head.

There’s More

#1 I have a pretty active brain that can be all over the place and I’m constantly asking a lot of questions and also asking, “Is this thought from God?” Or is my brain just making up stories? Since we don’t really understand the complexity of the human brain it’s hard, because we know God wants to communicate with us. And we know the Holy Spirit is living within us as Jesus promised in John 14:17: The Holy Spirit will live with you and be in you.

#2   Jesus says, “My sheep know my voice and follow me.” So, the challenging process of quieting my mind to hear—and know—the voice of Jesus is ongoing for me. I know there’s more …

I read the words of scripture every morning. I memorize them. In that way I’m choosing to fill my mind every day with Jesus’ words. But I know there’s still more. I read stories in the Bible of great prophets who hear God’s voice and prayer giants like George Muller, and I’m always inspired to quiet my mind, continue seeking God’s face, and listening for His voice. There’s more …

#3   There’s more because everything starts with the mind. Our thoughts create our attitudes. And I believe that our attitudes and perceptions are in fact more important than what’s actually happening in our lives. How we frame things is our reality.

Disaster or opportunity?

During the Covid shutdown and isolation this became really clear to me. Many people were panicking and having high levels of anxiety about the future, while other people were calm … not stressed out, focusing on the promises of God and trusting Him for the future. Similar situation for everyone, but it was an example of how some people framed it as disastrous while others framed it in terms of opportunities.

Covid helped me focus more on the deepest dimensions of discipleship in my life—scripture daily in my mind, praying without ceasing, and choosing to give thanks and celebrate.

“Arrange your thoughts toward the light.” —Carmen Jacob

Yet even in the dark times there is always something to celebrate. God made sure of that by giving us a weekly Sabbath. Celebrating Sabbath is a whole other spiritual discipline that’s worth exploring on its own.

What I want more of

In a recent Vibrant Life magazine, I learned about “glimmers.” Have you heard of glimmers? The term was introduced by Deb Dana, a clinical social worker. Glimmers are micro experiences and sensations that soothe our soul and create feelings of safety and calmness. They are reactions to sight, sound, sense, taste, smell, or memory.

Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. We have to deal with triggers, but we also need glimmers to thrive.

The Bible invites us to look for glimmers (Phil 4:8). True, the Bible includes more songs of lament than praise. It tells us to “grieve when you need to. But also seek out the glimmers of joy and hope.”

Glimmers increase resiliency to life and help us anchor ourselves in our present existence. Some examples of glimmers are feelings of awe or reverence, enjoying good food, inspiring music, hugs, warm sunshine, beautiful views, laughter. Expressing gratitude for the glimmers in life enables us to live graciously and generously.

Glimmers are also about moments of beauty or tranquility. God continuously creates rampant beauty. The changing seasons beg us to notice the beauty and the consistency and be reminded that God is always faithful to His promises. He is the Creator of everything good, and He has power to restore sections of beauty on the earth.

So, I believe that if He cares enough to create beauty still—in spite of how His creation has been marred by sin—He will continue to create beauty of character in me.

What do I want more of? I want to see more of His beauty … and I trust Him to lead me deeper in His way and His time. I thank Him that it’s a prayer He will always answer “Yes” because I know it’s what He wants too—for everyone who takes His name.

A final prayer

This prayer was written in the 17^th century by an author named George Herbert:

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more—a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be
Thy praise.
Amen

* This post is condensed from a presentation I gave during a spiritual retreat in February 2024.

—Brenda Dickerson is associate director of Communication for the Mid-America Union and editor of OUTLOOK magazine. Republished with permission by OUTLOOK magazine from the November 3, 2025, blog post. Photo supplied.

Samantha Nelson – Farmington, New Mexico … Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, chef Teresa Morlan held a three-night cooking school at the Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Farmington, New Mexico, on how to create delicious vegan holiday meals—from entrees like Sham Ham to desserts like pumpkin pie and parfaits.

“We were very happy with the turnout, as 60 people had registered in advance and 45 actually turned out—many from the local community who had never visited our facility before. Sadly, Pastor Steve and I had to miss the first two nights due to a funeral service for his father. Otherwise, the count would have been higher,” shares Samantha Nelson, coordinator of the event.

The testimonies received speak for themselves:

“I was shocked at how good the quality of the food was,” remarked participant Wes Branch. “I had never had vegan food before and was pleasantly surprised. I really liked it!”

Participant Alondra Delgado commented, “Good ideas for holiday cooking and vegan options. Inspirational testimonies that uplift the Spirit.”

“I have really enjoyed Teresa and Derek! I loved the sweet treats!” shared church member Robbie Wilcox, and participant Joshua Roy said, “I love good quality food!”

“My mom took the cooking class and absolutely loved it,” remarked Michele Wayne. “She brought home really good food and ideas.” Participant Sharon Wayne commented, “Excellent way to learn about vegan cooking.”

“I thought it was a wonderful way of learning how to cook differently and healthier and to fellowship and make new friends,” shared Aztec Seventh-day Adventist Church member Taylor Henning.

Morlan did a great job of presenting the importance of choosing the best and healthiest possible food and ingredient options and interspersed the cooking demonstrations with spiritual life lessons. Her husband Derek worked beside her in prepping, cleaning, and serving.

No one left hungry and those who won the drawings for leftovers each night were very happy. It was a great success with one attendee even saying she hoped we would plan to have Morlan back each year.

—Samantha Nelson writes from the Piñon Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church where her husband is lead pastor. Photos supplied.

Samantha Nelson – Farmington, New Mexico … The Piñon Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Farmington, New Mexico, celebrated its 125th anniversary, November 22.

It all started when Steve Nelson, pastor for the Farmington District, and his wife Samantha were reorganizing the pastor’s office after their recent transfer from Wyoming. As they put up new pictures, Samantha noticed that one painting was of the old church and was dated November 1900. Realizing that this year was the 125^th anniversary, the idea of a celebration was brought to the board and approved.

It took a team of volunteers, including Jennifer Halphen, Brenna Kincaid, Wanda O’Nan, Ana Foley, and many others, to pull off the celebration—gathering historical information to be shared with the congregation, planning special music, a fellowship meal, decorating the sanctuary and fellowship hall, etc.—but all their hard work paid off! Everyone was blessed by the celebration of God’s faithfulness in keeping the church operating for so many years.

Shirley Stewart has held her membership at the church for 75 years, the longest of anyone. “It’s such a good church. It’s always been a good church because we won’t allow it to be anything else,” she says.

Cora and Tony Goldtooth were also present, and Cora shared that she started attending the church school here in 1957.

Church youth Ryker Watson shared special music while his grandmother and church member, DeAnn Weber, as well as members Bruce and Karen Bowen, shared some of the church history. The choir gave a moving performance, and the pastor shared an encouraging message about “Going Home.”

Afterward everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and an opportunity to take a photo in front of the decorations.

—Samantha Nelson writes from the Piñon Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church where her husband is lead pastor. Photos supplied.

Will Reed – Greeley, Colorado … Greeley Adventist Christian School (ACS) in Greeley, Colorado, held a special school chapel service in honor of two long-time volunteers who will be moving from the area, November 20.

Students, staff, and church members came together to celebrate Doyle and Susie Dick, a retired couple and members of the Greeley Seventh-day Adventist Church, who spent several years at the school offering their service to the school’s needs.

Mr. and Mrs. D, as they were known to the students, worked in several areas over the years, starting in the spring of 2015. Doyle, a retired teacher, taught upper-grade math for several years while managing most of the school’s technology, including teacher computers, student laptops, printers, and internet equipment.

Susie worked primarily in the library, sorting and cataloging books, helping students find books to check out, and reading to the lower-grades students. The D’s were willing to be of service in needed areas, often volunteering at school fundraising events or being available as substitute teachers.

Will Reed, upper-grades teacher and principal at ACS, expressed gratefulness during the chapel service that the D’s consistently supported the school and blessed it with their efforts: “Doyle and Susie, we are not trying to idolize you today but rather to show our great appreciation for the sacrifice of time and resources that you both gave to ACS and to thank God for sending people like you here to make the school a better place,” he said.

The Dicks were also celebrated during the service by Amber Fellers, a former Rocky Mountain Conference teacher, Michael Shannon, pastor of the Greeley Church, and two current ACS students. Tony Gowler, ACS school board chair, presented the D’s with a plaque commemorating their time at ACS. He referred to them as “two selfless servants of God. They make the rest of us want to be better.”

As the service concluded, Doyle and Susie shared their appreciation to the school community for allowing them to play a part in the functioning of the school which gave them an opportunity to watch the students grow up and have an impact on them. Being at the school “meant just as much to us,” they said.

—Will Reed is principal and fifth through eighth grades teacher at Adventist Christian School. Photos by Will Reed.

Cindy Roldan – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Eleven Upper School students from Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, spent their day partnering with Denver Sur Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church to support their annual Thanksgiving breakfast and food bank operations, November 19. Students helped prepare and serve meals to community members and worked alongside volunteers to organize and distribute food to local families in need.

This service outing reflects MHA’s new Upper School service model—shifting from a single annual Service Day to ongoing, smaller-group service opportunities throughout the year. By mixing students from grades nine through twelve, the program aims to build stronger relationships and a consistent spirit of service within the school community.

MHA also contributed items for the event’s raffle, supporting the organization’s efforts to uplift and encourage families during the holiday season. Roger, MHA junior student, shared why these experiences matter: “It’s important for us to have empathy and put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. That is why my parents encourage me to participate in these events.”

MHA school chaplain RD Gallant reflected on the impact of the day, noting how diverse the human experience can be and how meaningful it is for MHA students to join organizations already doing significant work in the Denver area, such as Denver Sur Church.

Though the students returned tired from the full morning of service, each one expressed feeling blessed by the experience and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. They also walked away with a deeper appreciation for the dedication of leaders like Margarita Meza, who works tirelessly to keep the food bank running for the community.

—Cindy Roldan is Mile High Academy’s director of Student Services. Photos supplied.