"Gratitude is absolutely the way to bring more into your life." - Marci Shimoff, The Secret pg 74
If you don't believe that, then believe what the Lord said in Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more."
That is quite a promise.
"Whatever we think about and thank about we bring about." -Dr. John Demartini, The Secret page 75
Rhonda Byrne talks about how gratitude is a powerful exercise that we should use from the time we get up in the morning and all throughout the day. Say thank-you even as you get out of bed for another day to live and learn. Say thank-you as you go throughout your rote routine, even for all the small things we take for granted like brushing our teeth. Being thankful will powerfully create your day.
"When thou riseth in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God...and ye shall be lifted up at the last day." Alma 37:37
I was impressed with a demonstration at the stake RS conference I attended in Sept. on "Be Happy on Purpose." One of the teachers said she never did like the analogy of the glass "half-full/half-empty." She said either way she looked at it she still felt like she came up short. To illustrate, she had a glass half full of water. She then took this glass and said, if you feel your glass is only half full, then get a smaller glass. And with this, she poured the contents into a smaller glass, pouring until the water spilled out all over the table to which she then exclaimed, "My cup runneth over!" I think I shall never forget that powerful lesson!
The power of gratitude stands above everything else. Use gratitude until it becomes your way of life.
"Many people who order their lives right in all other ways are kept in poverty by their lack of gratitude." -Wallace Walters TS, pg 77
"He commands us to be grateful because He knows being grateful will make us happy--evidence of His love." -Bonnie Parkins, Ensign 5/07
In "The Secret" a story is told about a man who carried a small smooth stone in his pocket so that every time he felt that stone in his pocket it reminded him to think of something to be grateful for. One day he dropped the stone, and a man from another country asked him about the stone. Months later he received an email from the man who said his son was sick and dying and could he send him a gratitude stone. So, he did. He later heard the man's son recovered, and the man had gathered stones and sold them for $10 a stone and raised a lot of money for a charity. This is only paraphrasing the story from memory--but it's a profound thought and worth mentioning because I was pondering on how they used to build altars of stone to pray and give thanks to God, as demonstrated by Nephi in 2 Nephi 2:7 "...he built an altar of stones...and gave thanks unto the Lord our God." Are we as grateful as that in our lives? Maybe a small smooth gratitude stone is what we should all have to remember to give praise and thanks to the God who gives us all things.
"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord..." Psalms 92:1
"O give thanks unto the God of Gods; for His mercy endureth forever." Psalms 136:2
"Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest covenant and showest mercy unto thy servants who walk uprightly before thee with all their hearts." Doctrine & Covenants 109:1
God want us to be thankful for all things. All. That means even our challenges and difficulties--maybe even especially for those. They bring us the closest to Him.
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Giving thanks always for all things unto God..." Ephesians 5:20 Even always.
"Thank the Lord thy God in all things...with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances...and the fullness of the earth is yours." Doctrine and covenants 59:15-16 (paraphrased)
"Gratitude is the food of love--it is the fruit of love...express love and live with grateful hearts. Appreciation and gratitude erase bitterness and disappointment." -Jaroldeen Edwards, Celebrate!
You always hear about making a list of things you are grateful for. They say writing things down visualizes it in your mind and you remember it better. Make a grateful list often.
Being grateful blocks out negative thoughts and emotions. Being grateful makes you feel good. It makes you feel happy!
LOA says if you don't have something in your life that you really want (a good relationship, health, etc.) then think of it as though you already have it and express gratitude for it: "I am so happy and grateful now that________!" They say that will bring it into your life.
And God has promised us blessings for gratitude.
We often come across things that impact our lives....usually something that is occurring in someone else's life. I get weekly emails from Mormon Women and one day an article came along about Jennifer, and her "unexpected life." I was intrigued and clicked on another link about two women she'd met and read their story....which led to this photo...
If you don't read the article, these people often wait in line like this for up to two weeks for the government to bring water. Life-giving water. Why? Because the land is so dry they cannot obtain water in other ways. It must be so hot waiting there in line. They must be so thirsty. I can hardly use water now without thinking of this photo....and these people.
How thankful I am for water.
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