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Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy
How easy it is to feel and be grateful when circumstances are good. But the real test of genuine faith is our heart's response when life is difficult. Today we are facing uncertainty individually and as a nation, and the question before us is whether we will trust, with thankful hearts, the sovereign God who rules over all or succumb to fear and self-pity. Nancy's book on gratitude is a guide worth following in stressful times, for she shows us that giving thanks in all things is the key to a peaceful, joy-filled heart in every circumstance of life.
-Barbara Rainey, cofounder of FamilyLife.
Given what Christ has done for us, our lives should overflow with gratitude. Sadly, too often they don't. Choosing Gratitude speaks powerfully to one of our most important issues as individuals, families, and churches. Nancy Leigh DeMoss is biblical, honest, challenging, and practical. I enthusiastically recommend this book. - Randy Alcorn, bestselling author of If God is Good.
-Barbara Rainey, cofounder of FamilyLife.
Given what Christ has done for us, our lives should overflow with gratitude. Sadly, too often they don't. Choosing Gratitude speaks powerfully to one of our most important issues as individuals, families, and churches. Nancy Leigh DeMoss is biblical, honest, challenging, and practical. I enthusiastically recommend this book. - Randy Alcorn, bestselling author of If God is Good.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2009
546 people are currently reading
2874 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
October 25, 2009
"Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abundant as the grace that flows into your life?"
This question, posed on the back cover, is the perfect way to sum up this book. Nancy Leigh Demoss shares why our life should be full of gratitude and how we can have that kind of depth in our life. We can trade in our whine for worship! When we accept the grace of God in our life we can be full of gratitude for what He has given us...even if it appears to be "bad" in our eyes.
I enjoyed the many real life examples of people who have traded in the blues for a heart of gratitude and the incredible perspective they have on life in the midst of some very overwhelming circumstances. Also, Nancy does not leave you hanging as you attempt to apply all that you have learned, she gives a hands-on Bible study to work through at the end of the book. (Or in this case, a printable PDF on the last CD.) It can easily be used without the book and makes for a great follow up on what you have read rather than just putting the book back on your shelf and moving on to the next one.
While I would recommend this book in print or audio, I have to say that I really enjoyed the audio version as I worked around the house and surrounded myself in good teaching. Christian Taylor has a beautiful voice that is easy and enjoyable to listen to.
This question, posed on the back cover, is the perfect way to sum up this book. Nancy Leigh Demoss shares why our life should be full of gratitude and how we can have that kind of depth in our life. We can trade in our whine for worship! When we accept the grace of God in our life we can be full of gratitude for what He has given us...even if it appears to be "bad" in our eyes.
I enjoyed the many real life examples of people who have traded in the blues for a heart of gratitude and the incredible perspective they have on life in the midst of some very overwhelming circumstances. Also, Nancy does not leave you hanging as you attempt to apply all that you have learned, she gives a hands-on Bible study to work through at the end of the book. (Or in this case, a printable PDF on the last CD.) It can easily be used without the book and makes for a great follow up on what you have read rather than just putting the book back on your shelf and moving on to the next one.
While I would recommend this book in print or audio, I have to say that I really enjoyed the audio version as I worked around the house and surrounded myself in good teaching. Christian Taylor has a beautiful voice that is easy and enjoyable to listen to.
May 31, 2018
Warm, light, sweet. I was helped by it. Thankfulness is an essential piece of how to handle suffering
May 14, 2012
Reading Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy was quite an eye-opening experience for me! And, an emotional one. I cried...A LOT. I've made it no secret that I'm most likely THE most emotional person you could ever meet. I think this book may have set a record for just HOW much it made me cry, though.
It was hard for me to realize just how UNGRATEFUL I really am!
Not long after he arrived back home, Paul was visiting with a church leader from India who had come to the States to study. In the midst of their conversation, he asked the man what he thought of Americans, to which his guest responded-in polite, Asian style-
"Do you want me to be honest?"
"Yes, I do," Paul answered.
But who could really be ready for this:
"You have no idea how much you have," the man said, "and yet you always complain."
(page 58)
That's tough words to chew on when you really let it sink in.
"During this particular ministry trip, their host took them to visit a leper colony on the island of Tobago. And while there, they held a worship service in the campus chapel. As you can imagine, the sight of emaciated lepers filing into their seats on the bare pews bore deeply in to the minds and memories of each visitor to this unaccustomed scene.
But no memory left its mark like this one:
When the pastor announced, "We have time for one more hymn.
Does anyone have a favorite?" he noticed a lone patient seated awkwardly on the back row, facing away from the front. At this final call for hymn requests, with great effort, the woman slowly turned her body in the pastor's direction.
"Body" would perhaps be a generous description of what remained of hers. No nose. No lips. Just bare teeth, askew within a chalky skull. She raised her bony nub of an arm(no hand) to see if she might be called on to appeal for her favorite song to be sung. Her teeth moved to the croaky rhythm of her voice as she said,
"Could we sing 'Count Your Many Blessing'?"
(pages 90-91)
The book touches on many different forms of gratefulness/ungratefulness.
When we take simple blessings for granted as if they were owed to us, or conversely, when we start to think that our house, our car, our wardrobe, or our general station in life us beneath what we deserve, ingratitude finds all the oxygen it needs to thrive.
(page 55)
I don't share all of the same beliefs as the author. As long as you realize that I don't agree with everything she says, I HIGHLY recommend this book! We pretty well agree on the main topic of the book, gratitude. I can't imagine there's a person out there that wouldn't benefit from it. There's also a 30-day devotional in the back of the book.
*Thanks to Moody for my review copy of Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy in exchange for my honest opinion!
It was hard for me to realize just how UNGRATEFUL I really am!
Not long after he arrived back home, Paul was visiting with a church leader from India who had come to the States to study. In the midst of their conversation, he asked the man what he thought of Americans, to which his guest responded-in polite, Asian style-
"Do you want me to be honest?"
"Yes, I do," Paul answered.
But who could really be ready for this:
"You have no idea how much you have," the man said, "and yet you always complain."
(page 58)
That's tough words to chew on when you really let it sink in.
"During this particular ministry trip, their host took them to visit a leper colony on the island of Tobago. And while there, they held a worship service in the campus chapel. As you can imagine, the sight of emaciated lepers filing into their seats on the bare pews bore deeply in to the minds and memories of each visitor to this unaccustomed scene.
But no memory left its mark like this one:
When the pastor announced, "We have time for one more hymn.
Does anyone have a favorite?" he noticed a lone patient seated awkwardly on the back row, facing away from the front. At this final call for hymn requests, with great effort, the woman slowly turned her body in the pastor's direction.
"Body" would perhaps be a generous description of what remained of hers. No nose. No lips. Just bare teeth, askew within a chalky skull. She raised her bony nub of an arm(no hand) to see if she might be called on to appeal for her favorite song to be sung. Her teeth moved to the croaky rhythm of her voice as she said,
"Could we sing 'Count Your Many Blessing'?"
(pages 90-91)
The book touches on many different forms of gratefulness/ungratefulness.
When we take simple blessings for granted as if they were owed to us, or conversely, when we start to think that our house, our car, our wardrobe, or our general station in life us beneath what we deserve, ingratitude finds all the oxygen it needs to thrive.
(page 55)
I don't share all of the same beliefs as the author. As long as you realize that I don't agree with everything she says, I HIGHLY recommend this book! We pretty well agree on the main topic of the book, gratitude. I can't imagine there's a person out there that wouldn't benefit from it. There's also a 30-day devotional in the back of the book.
*Thanks to Moody for my review copy of Choosing Gratitude: Your Journey to Joy in exchange for my honest opinion!
December 14, 2022
“Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abounding as the grace that has flowed into your life?”
A solid book on gratitude, especially for this time of year.
Side Notes
• The formatting was visually clunky, way too many pull quotes & mixing fonts/italics/bolding etc.
• Some great quotes, challenges, and encouragements about gratitude and your daily life.
• Good length (about 160 pages without the devotional challenge).
• Overall, encouraging and challenged me to really take gratitude seriously as part of my daily life.
A solid book on gratitude, especially for this time of year.
Side Notes
• The formatting was visually clunky, way too many pull quotes & mixing fonts/italics/bolding etc.
• Some great quotes, challenges, and encouragements about gratitude and your daily life.
• Good length (about 160 pages without the devotional challenge).
• Overall, encouraging and challenged me to really take gratitude seriously as part of my daily life.
October 14, 2022
Edit: I’ve found this book good to review about once a year to remind me how I’ve fallen back into the bad habits of ingratitude.
This book. I listened to the audio book while walking and it was SO good! Exactly what I needed right now. In everyday hum-drum of life, it is easy to get caught up in all of the negativity of things around us. However, Nancy takes a step back and causes us to evaluate: are we truly grateful like we SHOULD be as Christians? Why are our days so hard--is it because of ingratitude? Is it possible that ungratefulness is the root of so many of our hard days? Seriously. Just read this book. The verses Nancy uses are not King James (which I prefer), but it is jam-packed with Scripture and Scriptural reasons why to be thankful no matter what our circumstances are.
This book. I listened to the audio book while walking and it was SO good! Exactly what I needed right now. In everyday hum-drum of life, it is easy to get caught up in all of the negativity of things around us. However, Nancy takes a step back and causes us to evaluate: are we truly grateful like we SHOULD be as Christians? Why are our days so hard--is it because of ingratitude? Is it possible that ungratefulness is the root of so many of our hard days? Seriously. Just read this book. The verses Nancy uses are not King James (which I prefer), but it is jam-packed with Scripture and Scriptural reasons why to be thankful no matter what our circumstances are.
June 29, 2024
Nancy Leigh DeMoss is such a wonderful writer. She speaks from her heart and is inspired and led by God. I received this book in a book exchange, and I am so glad I did. There are so many, many points I want to remember…
“A lack of gratitude manifests itself in fretting, complaining, and resenting” (17).
“Cultivating a thankful heart is a safeguard against becoming bitter, prickly, and sour. A grateful child of God can’t help but be a joyful, peaceful, radiant person” (17).
“Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abounding as the grace that has flowed into your life” (35)?
I don’t talk negatively about my husband, but I like this idea from page 50 as a way to grow thankfulness within marriage.
“1. For the next thirty days, purpose not to say anything negative about your husband—not to him, and not to anyone else about him.
2. Every day for the next thirty days, express at least one thing you admire or appreciate about your husband. Say it to him and to someone else about him.”
“When we take simple blessings for granted as if they were owed to us, or conversely, when we start to think that our house, our car, our wardrobe, or our general station in life is beneath what we deserve, ingratitude finds all the oxygen it needs to thrive” (55).
“The higher our standard of living, the more discontented we become” (55).
“Ingratitude steals it all—healthy relationships, humility, contentment, enjoyment, and the sweet walk with Christ that provides our only access to abundant life” (56).
“Grateful people are loving people who seem to bless others, while ungrateful people are bent on gratifying themselves. They tend to focus on ‘my needs,’ ‘my hurts,’ ‘my feelings,’ ‘my desires,’ ‘how I have been treated, neglected, failed, or wounded.’ An unthankful person is full of himself, seldom pausing to consider the needs and feelings of others” (84).
There are some eye-opening statistics on page 85, but THIS…wow! “The average Westerner is more prosperous than 99.4 percent of everyone who’s ever lived on earth” (85). I mean, that’s something to be thankful for, right?!
“Gratitude is often the only difference between pervasive sadness and pure satisfaction” (87).
“Grateful people are easily contented, while the ungrateful easily become prisoners to bitterness” (88).
“Grateful people are characterized by grateful words, while ungrateful people are given to griping, complaining, murmuring, whining” (90).
“Do you spend more time counting and recounting your blessings or your problems” (91)?
“Think about the overall makeup of your prayers. Are they out of balance in favor of asking and seeking? Are they top-heavy with complaints about your current condition or circumstances?…We must not forget His benefits while dealing with our problems. Even before His answer is in sight, thank Him—for being there, for listening, for working all things according to His will” (103).
Give thanks for the little things, everyday, mundane items like laundry detergent and garbage bags (113).
“Every blessing you can think of, write it down. See how long the list might go” (148).
“Being a thankful person is a choice. If I fail to choose gratitude, by default, I choose ingratitude” (165).
“If tomorrow’s supply depended on today’s thanksgiving, how much would I have tomorrow” (177)?
“May our giving of thanks be as obvious and expressive as our sharing of needs” (180)!
“I think of…people I know—the ones I love spending time with, who bless and enrich my life…It’s not that they have the fewest problems…They’re simply the ones who are ‘loudest’ about giving thanks, who are not always reciting a long list of problems, complaints, and criticisms but who choose to be grateful” (180).
“Humble people are wrapped up in Christ. A humble person thinks much of God and others, and little, if at all, of himself. He recognizes that anything he has is better than he deserves. He does not feel anyone owes him anything. He does not feel entitled to have more, or for life to be easy, or for everyone to love him and treat him well. He is grateful for the least little kindness that is extended to him, knowing it is more than he deserves” (183-184).
“Real happiness—that unshakable sense of peace, contentment, and well-being—comes as we remind ourselves of the blessings we have in Christ, and then respond with thankfulness” (196).
“Grumbling is the opposite of thankfulness. Like gratitude, it starts in the heart and expresses itself in our words. It grows out of the sin of discontent—not being satisfied with what God has provided.
Philippians 2:14-15 says we are to ‘do all things without grumbling,’ and that when we are obedient in this matter, our lives shine the light of Christ into our dark world” (198).
“People matter to God. And they should matter to us” (201).
“We can’t say we love God if we don’t manifest His love to our family members or if we allow bitterness to fester in our hearts toward them” (203).
“If one of the blessings of gratitude is that it makes us generally happier people, it follows that gratitude makes those who love with us happier too” (205).
“The Word is teaching us to focus less on our climb up or down the economic ladder, and more on being grateful for where we are—not only because to do otherwise would be sinful and proud, but also because we don’t know what the Lord may be saving us from by not giving us everything we might want” (206).
Page 214 provides 8 questions for consideration. The first three really hit home!!!!
1. Do I often complain about my circumstances, feeling like I deserve better?
2. Do others hear me voice more complaints and negative moments than words of gratitude about the typical events of daily life?
3. Would others describe me as a thankful person?
Just so many ideas I wanted to keep and refer back to! If you made it this far, I hope something stuck out to you, too! ❤️
“A lack of gratitude manifests itself in fretting, complaining, and resenting” (17).
“Cultivating a thankful heart is a safeguard against becoming bitter, prickly, and sour. A grateful child of God can’t help but be a joyful, peaceful, radiant person” (17).
“Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abounding as the grace that has flowed into your life” (35)?
I don’t talk negatively about my husband, but I like this idea from page 50 as a way to grow thankfulness within marriage.
“1. For the next thirty days, purpose not to say anything negative about your husband—not to him, and not to anyone else about him.
2. Every day for the next thirty days, express at least one thing you admire or appreciate about your husband. Say it to him and to someone else about him.”
“When we take simple blessings for granted as if they were owed to us, or conversely, when we start to think that our house, our car, our wardrobe, or our general station in life is beneath what we deserve, ingratitude finds all the oxygen it needs to thrive” (55).
“The higher our standard of living, the more discontented we become” (55).
“Ingratitude steals it all—healthy relationships, humility, contentment, enjoyment, and the sweet walk with Christ that provides our only access to abundant life” (56).
“Grateful people are loving people who seem to bless others, while ungrateful people are bent on gratifying themselves. They tend to focus on ‘my needs,’ ‘my hurts,’ ‘my feelings,’ ‘my desires,’ ‘how I have been treated, neglected, failed, or wounded.’ An unthankful person is full of himself, seldom pausing to consider the needs and feelings of others” (84).
There are some eye-opening statistics on page 85, but THIS…wow! “The average Westerner is more prosperous than 99.4 percent of everyone who’s ever lived on earth” (85). I mean, that’s something to be thankful for, right?!
“Gratitude is often the only difference between pervasive sadness and pure satisfaction” (87).
“Grateful people are easily contented, while the ungrateful easily become prisoners to bitterness” (88).
“Grateful people are characterized by grateful words, while ungrateful people are given to griping, complaining, murmuring, whining” (90).
“Do you spend more time counting and recounting your blessings or your problems” (91)?
“Think about the overall makeup of your prayers. Are they out of balance in favor of asking and seeking? Are they top-heavy with complaints about your current condition or circumstances?…We must not forget His benefits while dealing with our problems. Even before His answer is in sight, thank Him—for being there, for listening, for working all things according to His will” (103).
Give thanks for the little things, everyday, mundane items like laundry detergent and garbage bags (113).
“Every blessing you can think of, write it down. See how long the list might go” (148).
“Being a thankful person is a choice. If I fail to choose gratitude, by default, I choose ingratitude” (165).
“If tomorrow’s supply depended on today’s thanksgiving, how much would I have tomorrow” (177)?
“May our giving of thanks be as obvious and expressive as our sharing of needs” (180)!
“I think of…people I know—the ones I love spending time with, who bless and enrich my life…It’s not that they have the fewest problems…They’re simply the ones who are ‘loudest’ about giving thanks, who are not always reciting a long list of problems, complaints, and criticisms but who choose to be grateful” (180).
“Humble people are wrapped up in Christ. A humble person thinks much of God and others, and little, if at all, of himself. He recognizes that anything he has is better than he deserves. He does not feel anyone owes him anything. He does not feel entitled to have more, or for life to be easy, or for everyone to love him and treat him well. He is grateful for the least little kindness that is extended to him, knowing it is more than he deserves” (183-184).
“Real happiness—that unshakable sense of peace, contentment, and well-being—comes as we remind ourselves of the blessings we have in Christ, and then respond with thankfulness” (196).
“Grumbling is the opposite of thankfulness. Like gratitude, it starts in the heart and expresses itself in our words. It grows out of the sin of discontent—not being satisfied with what God has provided.
Philippians 2:14-15 says we are to ‘do all things without grumbling,’ and that when we are obedient in this matter, our lives shine the light of Christ into our dark world” (198).
“People matter to God. And they should matter to us” (201).
“We can’t say we love God if we don’t manifest His love to our family members or if we allow bitterness to fester in our hearts toward them” (203).
“If one of the blessings of gratitude is that it makes us generally happier people, it follows that gratitude makes those who love with us happier too” (205).
“The Word is teaching us to focus less on our climb up or down the economic ladder, and more on being grateful for where we are—not only because to do otherwise would be sinful and proud, but also because we don’t know what the Lord may be saving us from by not giving us everything we might want” (206).
Page 214 provides 8 questions for consideration. The first three really hit home!!!!
1. Do I often complain about my circumstances, feeling like I deserve better?
2. Do others hear me voice more complaints and negative moments than words of gratitude about the typical events of daily life?
3. Would others describe me as a thankful person?
Just so many ideas I wanted to keep and refer back to! If you made it this far, I hope something stuck out to you, too! ❤️
June 27, 2011
Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abundant as the grace that flows into your life? This question is on the back of this book, and it so rightfully sums up this book. Nancy DeMoss looks at what it means to be a grateful person and why it matters much deeper than we usually think about gratefulness.
Choosing Gratitude takes being grateful and thankful to a whole new level. As with all of Nancy Demoss’s books, this one gets right to the heart of the subject in the very beginning. There is so much chunked in this book I needed to read it slow, and go over the pages more than once to get the impact of what Nancy was teaching. One of the many precious topics to me was reading when and where we can be thankful. And as she points out it is anytime, morning and evening, three times a day, in the middle of the night and continually. And at the end of the section she writes: “So gratitude should be an every moment, every hour, every day, lifetime commitment. Will we ever run out of things to be thankful for? Not a chance……………. Wow, that gives me something to think about.
And as a bonus with this book, you get a 30 day devotion in the back of the book that you can read anytime during the year.
I love Nancy Leigh Demoss’s books and teachings. And this book was just as awesome as her others that I have read. To me, she can say more in one chapter than many can say in an entire book. Her love for the Lord and commitment to following Him is very evident in her writings and teachings. I have been blessed to hear her teach in person, and her live teachings are covered in the love of God and His Word just as her books are.
This is a book that I recommend for all ladies for personal reading and studying or Bible Study groups. Just remember to have your notebooks and pens ready to take notes as you read and study, and enjoying what Nancy has to teach you!
I want to thank Moody Publishers for providing this book for me to read and review. The opinions in this review are mine only.
Choosing Gratitude takes being grateful and thankful to a whole new level. As with all of Nancy Demoss’s books, this one gets right to the heart of the subject in the very beginning. There is so much chunked in this book I needed to read it slow, and go over the pages more than once to get the impact of what Nancy was teaching. One of the many precious topics to me was reading when and where we can be thankful. And as she points out it is anytime, morning and evening, three times a day, in the middle of the night and continually. And at the end of the section she writes: “So gratitude should be an every moment, every hour, every day, lifetime commitment. Will we ever run out of things to be thankful for? Not a chance……………. Wow, that gives me something to think about.
And as a bonus with this book, you get a 30 day devotion in the back of the book that you can read anytime during the year.
I love Nancy Leigh Demoss’s books and teachings. And this book was just as awesome as her others that I have read. To me, she can say more in one chapter than many can say in an entire book. Her love for the Lord and commitment to following Him is very evident in her writings and teachings. I have been blessed to hear her teach in person, and her live teachings are covered in the love of God and His Word just as her books are.
This is a book that I recommend for all ladies for personal reading and studying or Bible Study groups. Just remember to have your notebooks and pens ready to take notes as you read and study, and enjoying what Nancy has to teach you!
I want to thank Moody Publishers for providing this book for me to read and review. The opinions in this review are mine only.
January 20, 2012
I won't say that this book changed my life, but it certainly changed my attitude in the midst of a tough situation at work.
December 1, 2021
True to her "no holds barred" approach to tackling Scripture, Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgomuth wrestles with gratitude, worship, bitterness, whining, entitlement, and more. As usual, she doesn't "proof text" her way into a conclusion. Instead, she immerses us into the Word and leaves us with no doubt of what the Lord expects of His people.
Gratitude.
Gratitude to Him for never-ending mercies. For each other and all His people do for us. And even gratitude for the little things... dust in a sunbeam, the thistledown of dandelion seeds.
I went through the entire book, day by day, and what I discovered was a deep well of gratitude that is never-ending if only you will dip your bucket down into it.
Gratitude.
Gratitude to Him for never-ending mercies. For each other and all His people do for us. And even gratitude for the little things... dust in a sunbeam, the thistledown of dandelion seeds.
I went through the entire book, day by day, and what I discovered was a deep well of gratitude that is never-ending if only you will dip your bucket down into it.
August 19, 2022
Be grateful in all things!
December 27, 2022
Excellent book in gratitude. With practical applications and 30days of devotions to get your started on your journey with gratitude.
December 29, 2023
This was pretty good, this author had some valid points in this book and made me think about " how often am I thanking God for what He's done?" As well as the idea of having a heart full of gratitude.😊
June 14, 2019
What a great book on gratitude. Definitely opened my eyes to many areas of my life where I was needing to be grateful and instead was complaining. Would make a great group Bible study, I think!
March 4, 2019
Whoa, if you need a kick in the bootie to get over yourself, pick this one up 😊. It is heavy on application and illustrative stories but makes for an easy read.
September 4, 2014
Is the gratitude that flows out of your life as abundant as the grace that flows into your life?
You may think of yourself as a pretty grateful person, I know I did. I am one of the most thankful people for all the blessings the Lord heaps upon me! But what about the hard times? What about the lessons and trials of life which are sent by God?
As I force myself to realize, being grateful for God's work in your life a year after, is not true gratitude. Imagine how different your life would be if you maintained an attitude of thanksgiving?
As the author emphasizes, ''gratitude is a lifestyle.''
''The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices.''
''True gratitude is not an incidental ingredient. Nor is it a stand-alone product, something that never actually intersects with life, safely denying reality out on its own little happy island somewhere'' (pg.23)
Without living with a true heart of thankfulness...
''Gradually, subtly, we become desensitized as layers of entitlement and resentment wrap themselves around our hearts until thankfulness is all but gone from our lives and lips.''
Oh, how I agree! I have felt this too often in my life. This holds true even day by day. As soon as we let go and retreat into our natural way of feeling sorry for ourselves, it becomes like a trap.
The author tells the story of a church leader from India, when asked honest opinion of Americans. He responded carefully ''You have no idea how much you have, and yet you always complain.''
Isn't that (sadly) the case?
What are we going to do about it?
''Where does gratitude rank on your list of Christian virtues?''
Nancy explains that faith without gratitude results in a heartless practice of religion. Christian love without gratitude culminates in disappointment and disillusionment. Sacrificial giving of self without gratitude will drain you of joy.
I can't describe what a blessing this book was to me. Nancy gently but firmly encourages the reader to examine his or her heart and to work on changing personal attitudes.
It's not simply a matter of applying a Pollyanna-like attitude to life. It's about how you view God's hand in your life. And about how you view yourself in comparison to God's perfection and holiness! We should be overwhelmed by all that He has given us! I quote loosely from the movie Courageous: ''The question is- are you going to be thankful for the nine years you had Emily, or resentful for the years you didn't have?'
Nine chapters of wisdom. Plus a thirty-day devotional. I recommend this book with all my heart!
You may think of yourself as a pretty grateful person, I know I did. I am one of the most thankful people for all the blessings the Lord heaps upon me! But what about the hard times? What about the lessons and trials of life which are sent by God?
As I force myself to realize, being grateful for God's work in your life a year after, is not true gratitude. Imagine how different your life would be if you maintained an attitude of thanksgiving?
As the author emphasizes, ''gratitude is a lifestyle.''
''The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices.''
''True gratitude is not an incidental ingredient. Nor is it a stand-alone product, something that never actually intersects with life, safely denying reality out on its own little happy island somewhere'' (pg.23)
Without living with a true heart of thankfulness...
''Gradually, subtly, we become desensitized as layers of entitlement and resentment wrap themselves around our hearts until thankfulness is all but gone from our lives and lips.''
Oh, how I agree! I have felt this too often in my life. This holds true even day by day. As soon as we let go and retreat into our natural way of feeling sorry for ourselves, it becomes like a trap.
The author tells the story of a church leader from India, when asked honest opinion of Americans. He responded carefully ''You have no idea how much you have, and yet you always complain.''
Isn't that (sadly) the case?
What are we going to do about it?
''Where does gratitude rank on your list of Christian virtues?''
Nancy explains that faith without gratitude results in a heartless practice of religion. Christian love without gratitude culminates in disappointment and disillusionment. Sacrificial giving of self without gratitude will drain you of joy.
I can't describe what a blessing this book was to me. Nancy gently but firmly encourages the reader to examine his or her heart and to work on changing personal attitudes.
It's not simply a matter of applying a Pollyanna-like attitude to life. It's about how you view God's hand in your life. And about how you view yourself in comparison to God's perfection and holiness! We should be overwhelmed by all that He has given us! I quote loosely from the movie Courageous: ''The question is- are you going to be thankful for the nine years you had Emily, or resentful for the years you didn't have?'
Nine chapters of wisdom. Plus a thirty-day devotional. I recommend this book with all my heart!
November 11, 2018
What a treasure of a find this little volume turned out to be. It is hands down the most biblical, most gospel-rich treatment of gratitude I have read. There are gems of biblical insight and practical applications to be plucked from every chapter. I will be forever in the debt of Nancy DeMoss, and the best way I know to repay it is to recommend Choosing Gratitude to you.
First, don't skip the introduction. In it, the author argues for the importance of gratitude, for making it a "top-tier" virtue to be intentionally cultivated in our lives. Consider this necessary reading. Second, plan to read some portions a second time. This book is rich in insightful principles that build upon one another. Finally, unless you are a gratitude master, expect to be convicted, encouraged, and changed - just don't expect the change to occur overnight. I suspect I will spend the remaining years of my life watching for the blessings I take for granted, and working to transform thankful feelings into grateful actions.
If it were in my power, I would put a copy of this book into the hands of everyone I know. It is that good.
First, don't skip the introduction. In it, the author argues for the importance of gratitude, for making it a "top-tier" virtue to be intentionally cultivated in our lives. Consider this necessary reading. Second, plan to read some portions a second time. This book is rich in insightful principles that build upon one another. Finally, unless you are a gratitude master, expect to be convicted, encouraged, and changed - just don't expect the change to occur overnight. I suspect I will spend the remaining years of my life watching for the blessings I take for granted, and working to transform thankful feelings into grateful actions.
If it were in my power, I would put a copy of this book into the hands of everyone I know. It is that good.
February 23, 2017
With personable writing and rich biblical understanding, Nancy Leigh DeMoss presents a powerful case for gratitude as one of the most overlooked and yet essential virtues of the Christian life. Both conviction and inspiration flowed from the pages of this life-changing book into my heart. I've re-read the chapter "Of Whiners and Worshipers" three times already, and love the way Nancy paints a contrast between a grateful and ungrateful person with six antithetical portraits. She posits that grateful people are humble, God-centered and others-conscious, full-hearted, easily contented, characterized by thankful words, and life-giving springs, while ungrateful people are proud, self-centered and self-conscious, empty-hearted, subject to bitterness and discontent, characterized by murmuring and complaining, and demoralizing.
Her statement in the introduction has been affirmed in my life as I'm learning and experiencing the transforming power of "choosing gratitude" in any and every circumstance:
"If you find discouragement, depression, fear, or anxiety among your frequent companions, you may tend to attribute them to difficult or painful circumstances that surround you. But I want to suggest that as challenging as your situation or your season of life may be, your frame of mind likely has less to do with your distressing circumstances than with your need to develop a thankful heart."
Her statement in the introduction has been affirmed in my life as I'm learning and experiencing the transforming power of "choosing gratitude" in any and every circumstance:
"If you find discouragement, depression, fear, or anxiety among your frequent companions, you may tend to attribute them to difficult or painful circumstances that surround you. But I want to suggest that as challenging as your situation or your season of life may be, your frame of mind likely has less to do with your distressing circumstances than with your need to develop a thankful heart."
May 18, 2010
Honestly, I wasn’t very excited to read Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, but I agreed to review it for Moody Publishers. Wow! Was I surprised! This book held so much more than I was expecting. Author DeMoss states that gratitude is not merely a second-tier virtue in the Christian life--it is vital. At first I was doubtful, but by the end of the book, I agreed. This “Christian gratitude” recognizes what we’ve received first and foremost from God including the blessings we receive from others. Although sometimes these blessings come disguised as problems and difficulties. This gratitude also acknowledges God as the Giver of every good gift. And finally, this gratitude expresses appreciation to Him and others for those gifts.
Several new thoughts ideas spoke to me. For example, how choosing gratitude rescues from me from runaway emotions. That gratitude has a transforming power to it. And how a grateful child of God can’t help but be a joyful, peaceful, radiant person. That’s the person I want to be.
The book concludes with a thirty day challenge. It’s a devotional guide attempting to move from theory into practice.
I highly recommend this book. It put a whole new perspective on life for me and has made me more intentional on how I live my life.
Several new thoughts ideas spoke to me. For example, how choosing gratitude rescues from me from runaway emotions. That gratitude has a transforming power to it. And how a grateful child of God can’t help but be a joyful, peaceful, radiant person. That’s the person I want to be.
The book concludes with a thirty day challenge. It’s a devotional guide attempting to move from theory into practice.
I highly recommend this book. It put a whole new perspective on life for me and has made me more intentional on how I live my life.
May 26, 2012
I had not thought of myself as an ungrateful person, but reading this book showed me that I am not nearly as grateful as I should be. Nancy is open about her own struggles being grateful and so she encourages us to be more grateful as someone by our side and not as someone cracking a whip over us. It is convicting, in an encouraging kind of way. She makes you want to be more grateful because you see how much joy and blessing it brings to yourself and others. In the book she also shares some inspiring stories from the lives of others. It is easy to read and reads quickly.
Some favorite quotes:
"The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices. It is a godly habit and pattern that over time becomes a new muscle in our spiritual makeup."
"Ungrateful people are much like a container that has a hole in it, leaking out every blessing that's been poured in, always needing something else, something new to consume for satisfaction fuel."
"We are often quick to share our concerns with others, but all too reticent to share our expressions of gratitude."
"Life is full of occasions that can be transformed from mere parties and pleasantries into deliberate moments of united gratitude."
And there is much more where these came from!
Some favorite quotes:
"The grateful heart that springs forth in joy is not acquired in a moment; it is the fruit of a thousand choices. It is a godly habit and pattern that over time becomes a new muscle in our spiritual makeup."
"Ungrateful people are much like a container that has a hole in it, leaking out every blessing that's been poured in, always needing something else, something new to consume for satisfaction fuel."
"We are often quick to share our concerns with others, but all too reticent to share our expressions of gratitude."
"Life is full of occasions that can be transformed from mere parties and pleasantries into deliberate moments of united gratitude."
And there is much more where these came from!
February 28, 2015
This book was given to me at the beginning of 2014. That was a difficult year and I did NOT want to "choose gratitude" at the time. However by the time summer came I was ready to read it and absorb it and gain such wisdom from it!
July 30, 2016
This book was extremely good. It was so helpful to not just read about a certain topic and how it should change your life, but this book had a 30 day devotional at the end which helped put 'gratitude in action'.
Read
August 4, 2011Loved it. Helps to put things in perspective.
July 26, 2012
We all do need to read this book and be reminded of this all the time. We all do have so much to be thankful for. Great book to read and needed to read again.
March 18, 2012
A great reminder that gratitude is a choice. I love the author's mantra of "whine or worship." A very easy phrase to keep in my occupied brain.
September 20, 2024
This book was a gift from the Lord. I cannot recommend it enough! The Lord truly used this book to change my heart as it turned my eyes each and every day to the Lord and His sheer goodness. I’ve spent 30 days taking note of the Lord’s goodness in physical provision, spiritual blessings given through Jesus Christ, friendships, hardships, and the Lord’s intentionality in it all. I see more than ever before the goodness of God in each and every day, and that is not because suddenly He’s started doing good things, but rather my eyes have finally been open to the good He was doing all along. My heart is filled with joy that I get to see the goodness of Him! Please read this book, do the devotional. You will not be the same. You will be “radiant over the goodness of the Lord” (Jer. 31:12).
I pray that I will only ever continue to grow in seeing the goodness of the Lord each and every day.
1 Thess. 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“Some grumble at why God put thorns on roses, while others wisely notice — with awe and gratitude — that God has put roses among thorns.”
“The choice before you and me today is: Do we give glory to God for the part of our life that’s going the way we want? Or do we worship Him, trust Him, and give Him thanks just because He is God — regardless of the dark, painful, incomprehensible places we encounter on our journey.”
“Anything that makes me need God is (ultimately, in the truest sense) a blessing.”
“Resolve not to let your joy level be determined by the presence or absence of storms, but by the presence of God.”
I pray that I will only ever continue to grow in seeing the goodness of the Lord each and every day.
1 Thess. 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“Some grumble at why God put thorns on roses, while others wisely notice — with awe and gratitude — that God has put roses among thorns.”
“The choice before you and me today is: Do we give glory to God for the part of our life that’s going the way we want? Or do we worship Him, trust Him, and give Him thanks just because He is God — regardless of the dark, painful, incomprehensible places we encounter on our journey.”
“Anything that makes me need God is (ultimately, in the truest sense) a blessing.”
“Resolve not to let your joy level be determined by the presence or absence of storms, but by the presence of God.”
March 28, 2018
Favorite quotes:
Let us daily praise God for common mercies-common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. - Charles Spurgeon
Some grumble why God put thorns on roses, while others wisely notice with awe and gratitude that God has put roses among thorns.
If we trick ourselves into believing that everyday household items come from the grocery rather than a gracious God, we walk right past countless reasons for worship without even knowing it.
It's not hard to thank God after He answers our prayers and we've seen the desired outcome. The test of faith and surrender to the will of God is the ability to express thanks before we know how He will respond.
Let us daily praise God for common mercies-common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. - Charles Spurgeon
Some grumble why God put thorns on roses, while others wisely notice with awe and gratitude that God has put roses among thorns.
If we trick ourselves into believing that everyday household items come from the grocery rather than a gracious God, we walk right past countless reasons for worship without even knowing it.
It's not hard to thank God after He answers our prayers and we've seen the desired outcome. The test of faith and surrender to the will of God is the ability to express thanks before we know how He will respond.
March 9, 2021
This book is beautiful (and not just because there are flowers on the front and on it's pages).
Very engaging, challenging, heart-felt, and inspiring.
It is rare (as in almost never) that a book of this genre engages me to the degree that this one did.
The message was clear throughout and I never got the feeling that we were getting sidetracked. Also rare.
Just - very gripping. Nancy DeMoss writes as though she teaching or advising a friend. Her love for her reader's and passion in helping them along in their journey to joy is obvious and appreciated.
Very engaging, challenging, heart-felt, and inspiring.
It is rare (as in almost never) that a book of this genre engages me to the degree that this one did.
The message was clear throughout and I never got the feeling that we were getting sidetracked. Also rare.
Just - very gripping. Nancy DeMoss writes as though she teaching or advising a friend. Her love for her reader's and passion in helping them along in their journey to joy is obvious and appreciated.
November 6, 2018
I did the audio version and although there is a link for the "homework" this is a book that is better read than listened to. DeMoss gives sound advice on how to live with a grateful heart, very authentic & relatable, and she does not gloss over the hardships that can lead to ingratitude. Her work is always thoroughly researched and she is very gifted in explaining the scripture verses from the Bible. This is a study that can be done alone or in a small group setting.
February 21, 2020
There’s so much to be said about this book, but I think the most important thing to say is “read it“! For women of all ages experiencing every walk of life, this book is a fantastic reminder of and guide into the deeper elements of gratitude.
A few Favorite quotes:
“No matter how unreliable those around us may be, no matter how unstable our own footing, or how often or far we may fall, God will always be there, ever true, ever trust worthy.” Pg 116
“ Beyond the tiny piece of horizon you can see from this momentary time and place – God’s glory and grace will be seen even more brightly, as a result of your willingness to say with the Psalmist: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth“ pg 140
“ I believe that a humble, grateful woman who walks in community with other believers will become increasingly gracious, warm, large hearted, and yes, beautiful inside and out.“ pg 155
A few Favorite quotes:
“No matter how unreliable those around us may be, no matter how unstable our own footing, or how often or far we may fall, God will always be there, ever true, ever trust worthy.” Pg 116
“ Beyond the tiny piece of horizon you can see from this momentary time and place – God’s glory and grace will be seen even more brightly, as a result of your willingness to say with the Psalmist: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth“ pg 140
“ I believe that a humble, grateful woman who walks in community with other believers will become increasingly gracious, warm, large hearted, and yes, beautiful inside and out.“ pg 155
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