Looking back one last time...

Today we officially cleared out of the house that has been our home for the past two years. In fact, it was exactly two years ago today we drove off in our fully loaded minivan, and began a 2,500 mile trek from Salem, Oregon to Lake Ann, MI (which included a very circuitous route). What a wild journey we’ve been on during this time! The next phase of our journey is shaping up to be another great adventure, as God has given us the next few steps to take. (Thursday’s blog will roll out the details of the next part of our future, be sure to check back at 10:01 EST, 7:01 PST, thursday morning). Today, however, I wanted to reflect on four of the great things that have happened while we’ve been here, reminders of how clearly the Lord worked in our lives to bring us here.

* During our time at LAC, God has given us so many great relationships! Sometimes Traci and I have had to remind ourselves we’ve only been here two years, yet with relationships that are so deep, it seems like it has been many more. Bruce, Lyndsey, Tom, Tammi, Brandon, Rachel, Craig, Kori, Mandi, Dave, Brenda, Terry, Jenn, Taylor, Bryan, Ginger, Terase, Justin, Jaqi, Ramon, Jo, Dan, Brent, Sue, Larry, Deann, Steve and Jan just to name a few! Honestly, this list of dear friends could be the entire blog, and I’m sure I’d still leave a few names out! THANK YOU to all of you for embracing the Castaneda’s into your lives -- we have been so enriched because of it!

* We’ve had a unique view of God’s work from a ministry position that gave us a broader audience with which to connect. We’ve seen the lives of students changed as they’ve embraced the truth of God’s Word. Several couples have thanked us for the work Traci and I have been privileged to do through our marriage seminars. Truly one of our greatest joys has been ministering to those in ministry, a task we joyfully look forward to in the next phase of Overboard Ministries!

* I’ve personally enjoyed broadening my work experience by delving into the world of marketing and promotion. January 1st, two weeks before I was let go, it was exciting to see summer pre-registration numbers at a level they had not been at for over five years! Learning how to market to church leaders and individuals, how to work with a talented intern to build a brand new web site and how to harness the power of social media will, I’m confident, be tools that we will used in the near future. The new work experiences have been great.

* Our children have had the joy of being around some incredibly godly young people. Many of the year-around interns have become close “friends” with my kids, and the summer staff has been awesome about making AJ, BJ and CJ feel loved and blessed to be at LAC. One of the great losses for us in this experience, is the loss of the personal connection that unfolds while living on site during the summer camping season, yet it has been something our family will look back on with great fondness.

There are many more blessings we could count, but I could fill dozens of blog posts trying to name them all. Instead, it’s just good to remember that what has happened over the past two months doesn’t define or negate what God has done the past two years.

It’s hard to believe that our time at Lake Ann Camp is over. We’ve learned so much during the past two years of experiences, we’ve grown so much during these past two months of disappointment, and we’re eager to see what God will do thru this next phase of our lives and ministry. As we move forward, we want to remember the faithfulness of God in the past, and know that He will continue to work in us and thru us, to do His work.

The God who called us Overboard on March 15th, 2013, is the same God calling us Overboard on March 15th, 2015. We are, as always, in the care of His good hands!

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Enjoying a moment.

It’s amazing how much time we spend preparing to enjoy something. For example, this past August my wife and I took the kids to Chicago for a 4-day weekend. Preparation for that rip began in March, and we spent hours looking for things to do in the Windy City, places to stay, restaurants we wanted to eat at and sites we just “had to see.” We spent a lot of time prepping for this family vacation. I remember at one point during the weekend, while we were walking on Navy Pier and looking at thy skyline as the sun went down, that I was truly just enjoying the moment. We were all together, our stomachs were full from a nice dinner, it was pleasantly warm without humidity, the day had been very fun and some great memories had been made -- and as I stared at skyline that was reflecting the sunset, I was a very satisfied man.

I’ve thought about that day on Navy Pier a few times. I wonder how often I don’t enjoy the moment I’m in because I’ve already moved on to the next thing, or I’m so engaged in creating the moment or just trying to survive the moment. You ever been there? So busy, so distracted or so hurt that you don’t give yourself the chance to enjoy the moment you’re in?

A few years ago, Traci and I were in Hawaii and participating in one of our favorite rituals: watching the sun go down on the west coast of Maui. For the first 20 minutes on the beach I was trying hard to capture the “perfect picture” of a Hawaiian sunset, changing angles, changing my focal point and trying several different filters. I tried some shots from up on the bank, from down close on the water and several random ideas to get that perfect pic.

At one point, I looked up from my camera and realized that most of the people on the beach were sitting or standing with their friends or spouse, and they were all just watching the sun go down and enjoying the moment for what it was -- a beautiful sunset on a beautiful beach. Everyone was surprisingly quiet, almost somber, and the color of the sky reflected off the ocean and on their faces. That’s when I turned around and realized my wife was doing the same -- enjoying the moment -- but without her husband.

I promptly put the camera down, sat down next to my wife and soaked in the remainder of the experience with my favorite person on the planet. And while I never quite captured the perfect photo, I did capture a nearly perfect moment with Traci.

A couple times in my life I’ve taken time to journal every day. Last February I started up again, and I’m taking up a lot of space in this journal unpacking the “moments” of each day; taking time to enjoy the beauty that exists all around me. In this journal, I’m really focusing on the joy of relationships and how much God has blessed me with life-changing friendships. There is so much to enjoy, right now, and when I take time to be in the moment, I don’t have any trouble seeing it.

As you and I strive to live the Overboard Life, let’s not be so focused on the journey, that we miss the scenery on the route. There will always be troubles and challenges to face in this life, but woven into the rugged path is unmatched beauty; beauty that is found in the created world as well as the people that God has brought into our lives. When we quit enjoying the moments, I think it’s easy to quit enjoying the life that God has given us.

Take time today to enjoy the moments that you have. Even when the day is hard, take a moment to look around, and I’m confident you’ll find a person standing by you, a sunset that you almost missed or a good report from a teacher that can encourage your heart.

Go ahead and take the plunge, every moment is better on the water!

Be thankful. Be thankful. Be thankful.

This is day four of a seven-part series on Thanksgiving. I’m honored to participate in a blog-hop with 7 friends, over 7 days all about Thanksgiving. You can read the previous blogs by clicking on the links below: Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Over the past month, I’ve been working on memorizing Colossians chapter three. In God’s funny way of putting things together, I was in the middle of verses 15-17 when I read these words...

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

3 times in 3 verses Paul instructs us to be thankful people.

When I was growing up, I remember, more than once, hearing my dad repeat some instruction to me. I would mouth-off by saying, “I know dad!” And he would reply, “Well if you knew, then I wouldn’t have to be telling you again.” In other words, me knowing what he said, and doing it, were two different things. I did know what my dad’s instructions were, but obviously I wasn’t putting them into practice or he wouldn’t be instructing me again!

I think the Bible repeats commands for the same reason. We know we’re supposed to be thankful, but we don’t always put it into practice in the circumstances we face in life. Check out the contexts in which Paul reminds us to be thankful.

First, he says to be thankful people when we work to live at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ. As we work out our differences, as we try to get along and we learn to give the grace we want to receive, we need to do it with thankfulness. We are blessed to be in the Family of God, even though that family is filled with flawed people (like us)! As we learn to live at peace with others, we need to be thankful for the community that God has given us.

Secondly, Paul tells us to be thankful as we join together with others in the corporate worship of God. He says this in two parts: the gathering of believers for instruction, and the gathering of believers for singing. Church attendance shouldn’t be a chore, it should be a weekly experience bathed in thanksgiving! Do you attend church? Do you do so with Thanksgiving? Before you head thru the church doors next week, read Colossians 3:16 and choose to enter with Thanksgiving -- see how it changes your worship experience.

Finally, Paul goes for the biggie. At the end of verse 17 he says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed...give thanks...” In case you thought thankfulness was only a matter of being around other Christians, or a matter of our attitude in church, he reminds us that thankfulness is to permeate ever word and every deed. Thankfulness should be a mark of those choosing to live for God.

Does thankfulness permeate every word and deed of your life? Do your coworkers see you as a thankful person? Do your classmates see you as a thankful student? Does your spouse hear thankfulness in your words? Do your children feel thankfulness flow from your parenting?

Let’s work to be known as thankful people. As my friend Terry pointed out, it will have a profound chemical impact on your health. As Traci as shared, thankfulness is a choice that we can make, even when that choice is hard. As Bev shared, an attitude of gratitude can change the simplest of chores (even dusting) into an enjoyable experience. Thankfulness is truly a game-changer.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Click HERE to learn more about Overboard Ministries (it's your chance to visit our web site that's under construction. Still lots of good info there!) including information about our blog, the books we’ve published and how you can receive regular updates.

What are you thankful for?

By Joe Castaneda We moved to Michigan in March of 2013. There was snow on the ground. There was snow on the ground in April. We actually celebrated our first Michigan Easter by visiting a church, and Celina did an Easter egg hunt with snow boots, heavy coat and gloves. On Mothers Day, May 12, 2013, we had a huge snowfall with big flakes and an inch of accumulation.

The snow was gone in June, July, August and September, but in October of 2013, we had our first snowfall of “winter”. It didn’t last, but we had several days of snow and understood that when people in northern Michigan said, “Make a Halloween costume that can fit over your snow gear”...they weren’t joking. The snow came to stay in November, and that means, as we near April of 2014, that in the 14 months we have been in Michigan, we have had snow on the ground in ten of those months!

I don’t love the cold and snow like some, but I have certainly come to enjoy it. The snow is beautiful while it is falling and our family has learned to have a lot of fun in this Winter Wonderland we now call home. This particular winter has been very snowy and particularly cold, so that even the most diehard winter fans are ready for the warmth of spring and summer to hit.

When we chose to follow God to Michigan, I knew that I was probably going to be the family member that had the biggest adjustments to make. Tati, our 16-year-old, probably dislikes the cold even more, but she and I have both had ample opportunity to be stretched by this experience. My wife has great childhood memories of the snow, and she has brought a fair amount of joy to all of us as we’ve experienced real winter. But the reality is, cold or no cold, snow or snow, my ability to thank God for my circumstances rests entirely in the freedom God has given me through Christ.

Bottom line, every single moment of every single day, my state of thankfulness is does not have to be hampered by the morning’s weather report.

Since we moved, I’ve prayed and worked hard on being thankful for our situation. Today, for example, thinking about another month of cold and snow, I intentionally thought about those things for which I’m thankful. My list? I am thankful for the amazing beauty of the snow, especially in the morning as the sun comes up over our frozen lake and shines in our kitchen window. I’m thankful for my awesome family that has embraced this journey with courage, joy, laughter, faith and commitment to each other. I’m thankful now -- probably more than ever! -- for the warmth of summer and sunshine. I doubt you’ll ever read a post on this blog about the oppressive heat of summer (please feel free to digi-slap me if you do!).

Paul commands in 1 Thessalonians 5 to, “be thankful always.” One translation says it this way: “Be thankful in all circumstances.” If thankfulness is a command, that means it is also a choice. I can choose to be thankful for where I am in God’s plan, or I can play the victim, and whine and complain about the things I can’t change. You can’t live the Overboard Life as a victim -- you must embrace the journey with thankfulness!

What do you need to thank God for, today? Whatever your state or present circumstance, can you list five reasons why you can give thanks to Him?

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

1 year ago today...

By Joe Castaneda

On March 20th, 2013, our family began a new chapter in the journey of our lives. Five days earlier we had packed up our home in Oregon, loaded all of our earthly belongings into 40 square feet of trailer space and headed out toward Michigan. On March 20th we arrived at our snowy new home and began a new work at Lake Ann Camp.

If you didn’t catch my wife’s blog on the anniversary of our move, I encourage you to check out. Looking back over the past year, I wanted to share you five lessons I’ve learned while on this crazy journey God has us on.

1. Attitude is always a choice: There are no perfect circumstances this side of heaven. Every job will have moments that make you wish for other work. Every relationship has days where you wonder why it’s worth fight for. Every day has high and lows. So while you can’t necessarily control the factors that make things good or bad, you can control how you respond to those factors. Moving was exciting, and hard. Five days on the road was full of fun and exhaustion. Changing jobs was mentally engaging and stimulating as well as emotionally draining. Every moment of life leaves you with a choice: joy or victimhood, forward or backward movement, personal growth or blaming others. And these choices are yours to make, because attitude is always a choice.
2. Obedience and joy are linked: Leaving Salem was one of the hardest decisions we have ever made. We left the only church and home our kids had ever known and we left a congregation that we loved (and knew that they loved us, too!). Yet, without a doubt, we knew that this move was orchestrated by God, and obedience to Him is a key link to joy. In Psalm 38:4 David says, “My guilt has overwhelmed me, like a burden to heavy to bear” -- disobedience results in self-inflicted suffering. On the other hand, following God’s direction in your life, choosing to do what’s right, leads to joy. That doesn’t mean that the choice will be easy, but God’s ways are always best.
3. Snow and sand both have problems: Not everyone knows this, but during the time we were looking at Michigan, Traci and I had been investigating a ministry on one of the small islands of Hawaii. We had actually been investigating that ministry for several years and it appeared that God may have been opening a door that direction. I love Hawaii. I love the heat much more than I love the cold and I’m a big fan of sandy beaches over snowy lakes. It would be easy to look over my shoulder at Hawaii and wonder what would have happened had we moved west instead of east. But a ministry in Hawaii has great challenges, too. And while it may not be the same as trudging through 200” of snow in the winter, the challenges are equally daunting! Salem was an awesome ministry for our family to have been a part of, and I knew that in leaving, I wasn't going to a better ministry, I was just going to a different one, full of its own problems and opportunities. Big moves might have bigger opportunities only because there are bigger problems to overcome.
4. Enjoy the people around you: When we left Salem, Traci and I realized just how blessed we had been with so many great friendships and relationships all around us. We tried not to take our friends for granted (although I’m sure we did at times), but as we settled into our new home, we began to miss those friendships even more. That longing for new connections has challenged us to enjoy the people that are around us, now. We could keep looking back and focusing on friendships in the past, but God has given us a whole batch of new friends and relationships. If we sat around talking about how great the past was, we would never move into the future that God has for us. We spent a lot of nights with weepy children as they shared the hurt of lost friendships (and our parent’s heart ached with them!) and then we encouraged them -- while preaching to ourselves -- to embrace the new community of people surrounding them.
5. Say thank you, often: In a blog I wrote right before our departure, I talked about the importance of saying thank you. Those two little words are so powerful, and I don’t want to be in the middle of a departure having to remember all the people I need to thank because I didn’t take the time to thank them in the moment. We have a child who rarely uses those two words. This child is prone to high demands, critical words when their expectations aren’t met, and rarely offers thanks unless there is something to be gained. We’re working hard to cultivate thanksgiving in their heart, and every time I experience frustration with them…I’m reminded of my own lack of thankfulness at times. Say thank you often. Thank your spouse, your children, your parents, the waitress at the restaurant, the attendant at the hotel and even the police officer that gives you a ticket (read this blog here!)

This last year has been amazing, and we anticipate the next year to be even better. Thanks for sharing in the journey with us and remember….

Life is always better on the water (even if it’s frozen water for 6 months!)…so go ahead and take the plunge!

The 30-day Overboard workout

The late Brian Klemmer wrote a book called, “If How-To’s Were Enough, We Would all be Skinny, Rich and Happy.” Knowing how to do something, and actually doing that thing, are two very different beasts.

Think about your first kiss. You knew how to kiss. You knew that two people would do that awkward head tilt, close their eyes, and then press their lips together. All of that was in your brain.

However, the actual first kiss is an entirely different experience than what you know. My wife and I still laugh at our first bungled attempt at a kiss. Although since then, I’m happy to report, we have become quite proficient.

Living the Overboard Life can be the same thing. We know what we should do, but doing it is another issue entirely. Maybe for you the task seems entirely overwhelming, so you just plug along and hope you’ll find yourself overboard, soon.

Working out is like that for me. I know what I need to do, but actually getting out and doing it is the problem. In fact,  it’s not even so much the doing, it’s having a program that I can follow that will help me stay on track. I love doing workout videos and being a part of group classes for this very reason -- it gives me a general plan to follow so that I can get the habit developed. Just going to the gym and “working out” doesn’t cut it for most people. That’s why “30 days to a leaner you” and “the 45 minutes workout for washboard abs” are all big sellers.

If you’re struggling to get overboard in your life, here are five ways you could make the plunge over the next 30 days. By intentionally making each of these activities a daily habit, you’ll soon find yourself stepping out in big ways, following Jesus!

1. Spend time with God, every day: Seems like a no-brainer, right? Yet I know so many God followers who never spend time with God. Sometimes I get so caught up in what I’m doing that I forget to connect with HIm! It’s so easy to do. But if you want to live the Overboard Life, God has to be a regular part of your daily schedule. I recently interviewed a young woman who said, “I connect with God every morning before my feet hit the ground. I finish my day by chatting with Him before my head hits the pillow.” What a great life pattern!
2. Be inspired every day: Let something, or someone, capture your imagination, every day. Yes, every day. There is so much to be captivated by, but we miss it because of our crazy lifestyles. I’ve been working on this a lot in my life lately, in fact, here are my last four days of inspiration:
   • I was captivated by the science behind some running pants (it’s true!)
   • I was struck by the joy of my seven year old daughter over something so small
   • I spent 15 minutes reading about the interesting history of our local train station
   • I played 4-square with 6 kids, and spent a lot of time laughing and having fun
3. Help someone else achieve a goal or dream: Help someone else live Overboard. Each day I try to find a way to help my wife achieve her goals and dreams, even as I’m working on mine. Sometimes it’s as simple as heating up dinner, or taking the kids for a walk while she works. Other times it means sitting and brainstorming with her, or taking time to help her craft an email. I also like to call other people who are living Overboard, encouraging them through prayer or texts or coaching (if they ask for it). Whatever it is, a call, a note, and email, or a service project -- help others reach their goals.
4. Be thankful. Take time every day to thank God, and to thank the people He has put in your life. My least favorite people to hang out with, our ungrateful Christians. After all, we should have the most to be thankful for, and the most for which to give heart felt, genuine and regular gratitude. Spend some time being intentionally thankful, and watch how your Overboard Life improves.
5. Read a good book. Few things work more quickly to challenge your Overboard living, than reading a book. I have four quick recommendations. Read one of these over the next 30 days:
   • “40 days to a Joy-Filled Life”: Ok, you’ll need to squeeze an extra ten days in there, but I think you can make it work. Tommy Newberry’s book is awesome, and worth reading if you want to experience life-changing joy.
   • “Leadership and Self-Deception”: This is an outstanding book that will challenge you to think about how you view leadership, how you lead others, and how you are led. Very complex principles put into simple terms.
   • “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years”: Donald Miller’s book is fantastic, especially as it pertains to expanding your dreams and goals for God.
   • “The Longing”: This is a new one to me, written by author/speaker/blogger/coach/dreamer Joey O’Conner. You can download it for free from his site, www.joeyo.org. The Longing will challenge you to pursue the one longing we all have -- a fulfilling, life-changing relationship with God.

So take this 30 day Overboard workout challenge and see what happens. It’s so easy to get comfortable in the boat, floating around “waiting” for the right opportunity to jump out and follow God. But Jesus is already on the water. He is already calling you and I to trust Him, and to grab the sides of the boat and jump -- to walk on water like Him! But the best life you can live isn’t found in the boat.

Go ahead and take the plunge…life is better on the water!

Change isn't easy...but it doesn't have to be hard!

Living the Overboard Life is so daunting at times. I want it to be easy, even though I know that being pushed to the limit is what helps expand my limits. I know that being emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually stretched will only result in my ultimate good and God’s ultimate glory. But that knowledge alone, doesn’t make the process any more enjoyable. Then I find myself falling into another trap: believing that personal growth has to be hard. It’s not easy, for sure, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard. In fact, even Jesus found joy in the process of buying our redemption (Hebrews 12:3), and I believe God expects us to show the same joy in our own growth. It’s not easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard!

Oscar De La Hoya, the great Mexican boxer, once said this about fighting: “Always keep smiling. Work hard and fight the best. There’s no room for ducking anybody. I always fought the best, and whether I won or lost, I always had a smile on my face. Whether it was a tough fight or an easy fight, I would smile…”

Personal growth isn’t easy, but it can be joyful. There are struggles. Some are overcome easily, some require great effort. Sometimes we lose the immediate battle, though we press on to win the war. But through it all, we can be joyful.

Here are three simple ways I’ve learned to keep my joy when I’m in the middle of a struggle to grow:

1. Share victories, even the small ones, with the people you love. Most people love to complain. We love to talk about how rough our day was, or how bad our lives are. The evening news, our online news sources and our current events news sites have programmed us to start a recall of our day with the worst events, first. Flip the switch -- share your joys and victories first, even the small ones.
2. Memorize joyful Scriptures. I have some power Scriptures that remind me to be joyful, or ones that bring joy to my heart and soul. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7) always puts a smile on my heart. After all, if God will exchange my worries for His care, I’m going to be ok!
3. Spend time intentionally being thankful. The words “Thank you” bring joy to both the giver and receiver of them. When I am thankful for the activities of my day, I receive as much joy as those I’ve thanked. Here are a few “thank you’s” I try to use frequently:
   • Thank you Traci for a great meal tonight.
   • Thank you [insert child’s name] for doing your chores without grumbling
   • Thank you officer for that ticket (yes, I actually thanked a police officer for handing me a ticket) (ok, hopefully I don’t have to use that one “frequently”!
   • Thank you Sandy (my secretary) for managing that mailing for me.
   • Thank you Danny for that timely phone call and advice.

On and on I could go, but the point is this: Every day I have something to be thankful for. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, taking a few moments to express thanks to God and to those people He has placed in my life, my perspective can change quickly.

What tools do you use to keep yourself joyful in the journey? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Happy Thanksgiving (aka: the discipline of thankfulness) (2/7)

I’ve really enjoyed the 30 day gratitude challenge so many people are doing on facebook. I’m curious if there’s a way to measure people’s overall happiness during this month, but if facebook is any indication, people are happier. After all, when you’re committed to being thankful at the end of day, no matter what happens, it forces you to see the good in life. And I think that’s the point of thankfulness -- seeing what is good all around us.  

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 to “be thankful always”. That seems incredibly appropriate as we celebrate Thanksgiving. But of course, “always” means our thankfulness must occur more often than the fourth Thursday or November (or the second Monday of October for our Canadian audience members).

As we focus on the disciplines that make it possible to live the Overboard Life, the discipline of thankfulness is one that must be learned, relearned and mastered. “Thank you” is powerful.

I’m currently working through Tommy Newberry’s latest book, “40 days to a joy-filled life”. I can’t say enough about Tommy and his book, and I encourage you to pick up a copy yourself. One of the key thrusts of Newberry’s book is this: you can choose what you focus on and think about. Each day, with every thought, you have choices to make about what your mind will dwell on. You can see things with a bent towards thankfulness, or you can see things through the lens of disappointment and victimhood. Each day, you get to choose.

When we develop the habit of thankfulness, I think we stop doing these three things:

1. Blaming others for our circumstances.
2. Looking for excuses as to why we aren’t where we want to be.
3. Wanting others to fail while.

And start doing these three things:

1. See our circumstances as part of journey, and find thankfulness even when the path is hard.
2. Choose to focus on the reality of opportunity in trials and tough times, finding thankfulness for opportunity to grow as we move towards the end destination.
3. Celebrate others’ successes, as much as own, finding thankfulness if the journeys of fellow travelers.

I believe the discipline of thankfulness is a game-changer. I believe this so much I’ve intentionally moved much of my life in that direction. Several years ago I actually thought about how unthankful my prayers had been so now almost all of my prayer times begin like this: “Dear God, Thank you for....” By putting thankfulness at the beginning of my prayers, I believe I radically changed my communication with God. As much as I’m speaking to God about things I’m seeking His divine help on, I’m also mindful of the things for which I’m thankful. In fact, sometimes I start my prayers, “Heavenly Father, thank you...” and I actually pause because I wasn’t mentally ready with gratitude. The pause does me wonders, and when I think about and then express my thankfulness, my prayers are transformed.

Here are a few ideas to extend your thankfulness:

1. Evaluate your prayer life like I did, and intentionally add thankfulness to your prayer times.
2. Create a “Wall of Blessings” in your house. Write out the different ways God has blessed you and keep adding to it.
3. Make a point to write five thank you cards every week (or maybe one a day).
4. Wake up each morning and as you put your feet on the floor say, “Today, I am thankful for....” Repeat at night as you crawl into bed.

Do you have some ideas for developing an attitude of gratitude? Share those with us!

Living life out of the comfort of the boat and out on the water where Jesus is building His Kingdom is hard work and requires many different disciplines. One of those disciplines, is the discipline of thankfulness.

So go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.