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The Grumbler's Guide to Giving Thanks: Reclaiming the Gifts of a Lost Spiritual Discipline
Trade Grumbling for Gratitude—Experience God like Never Before The apostle Paul instructed the Philippians to be anxious in nothing and thankful in everything. And when he said everything—he meant everything. We can all agree that this is easier said than done. Disappointments and discontent may cause you to slip into dissatisfaction, and grumbling becomes a state of mind—gratitude seems impossible to find. However, what if this is the precise reason you lack the joy of a God-filled life? Instead of a reaction to when things are going well, what if gratitude is actually necessary to knowing the hope of our gracious God? This is exactly what Pastor Dustin Crowe identifies in The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks . Dustin examines the biblical foundations of thankfulness and traces how it can reshape every-day Christian living. When we express gratitude in all things, we not only praise our Creator, we also get to know Him better. With The Grumbler’s Guide , you’ll learn how to practice thanksgiving in both simple and extraordinary ways, even when you’re tempted to dwell on the negative. You’ll find your outlook on life realigned to see the hand of God in everything, strengthening your trust in Him. And in doing so, you’ll find greater, more joy-filled reasons to continue expressing thanks to our good and generous God.
176 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2020
87 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Dustin Crowe
6 books9 followersDustin is the Discipleship Pastor at Stones Crossing Church in Greenwood, IN (just outside of Indianapolis). He's married to Melissa and has two young kids. He has written for magazines like Christianity Today and websites such as The Gospel Coalition, 9Marks, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and For the Church. You can find more resources from him at indycrowe.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 23, 2025
4.5
Perfect book to read before Thanksgiving, but gratitude and giving thanks is for all year round. You will be blessed by this little book!
Perfect book to read before Thanksgiving, but gratitude and giving thanks is for all year round. You will be blessed by this little book!
October 24, 2023
This book came right when needed. I had been feeling like I was dragging my feet and not seeing joy in my everyday. The day I began reading this book I had sent an Eeyore gif to my husband of how I was feeling. In the first paragraph of the introduction, Crowe mentions his personality being like Eeyore. I couldn’t help but laugh and feel seen. Reading this book helped remind me to 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 looking to God’s character and live in thankfulness. Like other good habits, it takes being intentional and daily practice. When we give thanks we can find God’s rest and joy! I also enjoyed the gratitude quiz at the beginning and the challenge at the end of the book.
February 22, 2024
4.5⭐️. This is a small book that packs a powerful punch. Giving thanks to God might seem like a common sense idea for a Christian, but Dustin Crowe walks through the reasons we should give thanks according to the Bible, why doing so should be God-centered rather than gift-centered, and how to be thankful through trials.
I really enjoyed Dustin’s writing style, which was both theologically sound and easy to follow. He provided Scripture to support his ideas while also incorporating plenty of real-life examples.
I really enjoyed Dustin’s writing style, which was both theologically sound and easy to follow. He provided Scripture to support his ideas while also incorporating plenty of real-life examples.
January 31, 2022
Excellent little book.
November 6, 2024
What a great book on gratitude! This is an easy read that I can see myself revisiting.
January 8, 2021
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
We should be giving thanks more than one day a year. As a Canadian, my Thanksgiving is in October and since the book has American authors, it mentions Thanksgiving as November. However the purpose of the book is to show that we should be giving thanks more than one day a year. It also is about giving thanks the right way.
Gratitude Quiz
The book starts with a Gratitude Quiz so you can see how you are doing. Questions are such things as: “When things don’t go your way, do you typically respond (A) in gratitude or (B) in grumbling? and Would you say you tell God thanks (A) daily or (B) less than daily? and When you see things others have that you don’t, do you (A) rest in what God has given you or (B) struggle with jealousy?
Thankfulness
The basis behind the book is teaching 4 parts to thankfulness.
Thankful
Thankful to God
Thankfulness to God expressed
Thankfulness to God leading to joy in God
At the end of each chapter is a Putting it into Practice part with some simple steps you can do to make a difference in how you are grateful.
You’ll have to read the book to get the full explanation but these four steps made me think about thankfulness in a new way. It’s not enough to just be thankful in my head or to just be thankful in general.
The best part I think was this:
“Groaning and gratitude can coexist. We don’t have to choose between tears and thanks. In hard things, we can ask God for help and tell Him thanks. We can lament what’s broken or painful while giving thanks for good things, even if that’s God’s presence, provision, or plan. Since thanksgiving is God-centered rather than gift-centered, we can give thanks in all seasons and circumstances.”
The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks pg 148
We should be giving thanks more than one day a year. As a Canadian, my Thanksgiving is in October and since the book has American authors, it mentions Thanksgiving as November. However the purpose of the book is to show that we should be giving thanks more than one day a year. It also is about giving thanks the right way.
Gratitude Quiz
The book starts with a Gratitude Quiz so you can see how you are doing. Questions are such things as: “When things don’t go your way, do you typically respond (A) in gratitude or (B) in grumbling? and Would you say you tell God thanks (A) daily or (B) less than daily? and When you see things others have that you don’t, do you (A) rest in what God has given you or (B) struggle with jealousy?
Thankfulness
The basis behind the book is teaching 4 parts to thankfulness.
Thankful
Thankful to God
Thankfulness to God expressed
Thankfulness to God leading to joy in God
At the end of each chapter is a Putting it into Practice part with some simple steps you can do to make a difference in how you are grateful.
You’ll have to read the book to get the full explanation but these four steps made me think about thankfulness in a new way. It’s not enough to just be thankful in my head or to just be thankful in general.
The best part I think was this:
“Groaning and gratitude can coexist. We don’t have to choose between tears and thanks. In hard things, we can ask God for help and tell Him thanks. We can lament what’s broken or painful while giving thanks for good things, even if that’s God’s presence, provision, or plan. Since thanksgiving is God-centered rather than gift-centered, we can give thanks in all seasons and circumstances.”
The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks pg 148
December 24, 2020
I am a pessimist. I freely admit it. It’s difficult to not be a pessimist (in my opinion) in this day and age. Thanksgiving doesn’t come naturally for me. (Obligatory note that Thanksgiving was instituted only to project unity amid civil war and celebrates a cultural mythology that downplays European genocide of the indigenous peoples…) So, well, you see my problem. The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks is supposed to be a pathway out, complete from guy-who’s-been-there Dustin Crowe.
The book starts with a biblical foundation of thanksgiving: Identifying reasons to give thanks, recognizing God as giver, expressing thanksgiving to him, and better knowing him through it all. Then, it moves to a theology of thanksgiving by discussing the OT sacrificial system and how God intends for our very lives to be given as a thanks offering.
The middle section of the books moves to practical ways to show thanks. Crowe shows us how to spot reasons to be thankful—both big and small. Remove our busyness. Remove our distraction. Find what God is giving us even amid seasons of stress and loss. He then encourages us to express our thankfulness: in word, in deed, in song, and in action. Crowe suggests that we not just say thanks, but be thankful. Thankfulness as an internal orientation moves outward and affects everything we are and do.
The last part of the book focuses on seasons of struggle. Living a thankful lifestyle does not mean we have to downplay or ignore traumas and tragedies. He writes about the number of times that the OT Israelites were told to remember their past so that they would be thankful about their present. Their national holidays were a symbolic reliving of a traumatic past to thank God for his deliverance. Crowe closes with an exhortation for us to be thankful in all things, even our trials.
The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks is short, well-written, and encouraging. I wonder, though, if it is rooted too much in a theology of celebration and doesn’t acknowledge enough that lament and thanksgiving can go hand-in-hand. While the book acknowledges that trials and traumas will come, it only offers an answer of “trust God anyway,” which is a theologically correct answer that is often of little comfort.
With a more robust discussion of how lament and thankfulness work together—and not against—one another, Crowe could have really elevated the book’s substance. As is, the content remains mostly superficial. It’s a quick hit of caffeine, a veneer that covers brokenness, but never digs down deep enough to have a serious, substantive discussion of finding joy amid sorrow. Maybe that wasn’t the book’s purpose, but as a self-proclaimed pessimist—someone who believes the world can be a better place and that the enemy of great is good—I needed to see how we could marry thankfulness with lament, and that’s not something Crowe adequately addresses.
The book starts with a biblical foundation of thanksgiving: Identifying reasons to give thanks, recognizing God as giver, expressing thanksgiving to him, and better knowing him through it all. Then, it moves to a theology of thanksgiving by discussing the OT sacrificial system and how God intends for our very lives to be given as a thanks offering.
The middle section of the books moves to practical ways to show thanks. Crowe shows us how to spot reasons to be thankful—both big and small. Remove our busyness. Remove our distraction. Find what God is giving us even amid seasons of stress and loss. He then encourages us to express our thankfulness: in word, in deed, in song, and in action. Crowe suggests that we not just say thanks, but be thankful. Thankfulness as an internal orientation moves outward and affects everything we are and do.
The last part of the book focuses on seasons of struggle. Living a thankful lifestyle does not mean we have to downplay or ignore traumas and tragedies. He writes about the number of times that the OT Israelites were told to remember their past so that they would be thankful about their present. Their national holidays were a symbolic reliving of a traumatic past to thank God for his deliverance. Crowe closes with an exhortation for us to be thankful in all things, even our trials.
The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks is short, well-written, and encouraging. I wonder, though, if it is rooted too much in a theology of celebration and doesn’t acknowledge enough that lament and thanksgiving can go hand-in-hand. While the book acknowledges that trials and traumas will come, it only offers an answer of “trust God anyway,” which is a theologically correct answer that is often of little comfort.
With a more robust discussion of how lament and thankfulness work together—and not against—one another, Crowe could have really elevated the book’s substance. As is, the content remains mostly superficial. It’s a quick hit of caffeine, a veneer that covers brokenness, but never digs down deep enough to have a serious, substantive discussion of finding joy amid sorrow. Maybe that wasn’t the book’s purpose, but as a self-proclaimed pessimist—someone who believes the world can be a better place and that the enemy of great is good—I needed to see how we could marry thankfulness with lament, and that’s not something Crowe adequately addresses.
October 26, 2024
The book was overall okay. I am grateful for the book, and to Crowe for writing it. However, it did not provide anything extraordinarily profound like you would find in something that Lewis wrote. It does not have the lasting factor. The book will be forgotten in twenty years. It seems that the best of the book was quotations from other people like Spurgeon, which makes me wonder if I should just his work instead.
I did enjoy the book. It was a little silly at times, which is fine, but it felt a little too light-hearted. I found myself at times thinking things like, “Why are we talking about your abundant fondness for maple syrup?” I’m hoping that the next Equip Group book is something deeper and older, and maybe even longer. I think a lot more people in the church would benefit from reading the greats like Lewis, Calvin, Edwards, or even people who aren’t that “great” historically, but have great insights to provide like Gavin Ortlund, John Piper, or Carl Trueman.
Regardless, I did learn about thanksgiving and appreciate the work that Crowe put into writing this. Even if it’s not the most important book of the year, it didn’t have no impact, and I hope that everyone who reads is able to take some beautiful truths out of it.
I did enjoy the book. It was a little silly at times, which is fine, but it felt a little too light-hearted. I found myself at times thinking things like, “Why are we talking about your abundant fondness for maple syrup?” I’m hoping that the next Equip Group book is something deeper and older, and maybe even longer. I think a lot more people in the church would benefit from reading the greats like Lewis, Calvin, Edwards, or even people who aren’t that “great” historically, but have great insights to provide like Gavin Ortlund, John Piper, or Carl Trueman.
Regardless, I did learn about thanksgiving and appreciate the work that Crowe put into writing this. Even if it’s not the most important book of the year, it didn’t have no impact, and I hope that everyone who reads is able to take some beautiful truths out of it.
December 11, 2024
Overall good. It's better than I was expecting.
Didn't think I needed a book about grumbling, but I definitely did! Crowe gives a good biblical case for "giv[ing] thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thesselonians 5:16). He also shows how to do it, why it's hard, and how to grow in it (all with a biblical foundation). He adds good quotes from a wide variety of people, which were quite enjoyable as well.
So, if you want to stop grumbling and you want to give thanks, I would recommend this book.
Good quotes that can give you a brief glimpse into the tone and style of the book:
"Each trying circumstance opens the door for hope. As God bursts onto the scene to prove His name and promises." (133)
"Giving thanks starts with something but expands to Someone." (121)
"God wants me to be more Christlike than he wants my comfort." (117)
"Thanksgiving is a conduit of communion with God. God's attributes and actions open windows to see who He is. Through giving thanks to God, we get more of God in return. These small investments of thanksgiving pay huge dividends." (116)
Didn't think I needed a book about grumbling, but I definitely did! Crowe gives a good biblical case for "giv[ing] thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thesselonians 5:16). He also shows how to do it, why it's hard, and how to grow in it (all with a biblical foundation). He adds good quotes from a wide variety of people, which were quite enjoyable as well.
So, if you want to stop grumbling and you want to give thanks, I would recommend this book.
Good quotes that can give you a brief glimpse into the tone and style of the book:
"Each trying circumstance opens the door for hope. As God bursts onto the scene to prove His name and promises." (133)
"Giving thanks starts with something but expands to Someone." (121)
"God wants me to be more Christlike than he wants my comfort." (117)
"Thanksgiving is a conduit of communion with God. God's attributes and actions open windows to see who He is. Through giving thanks to God, we get more of God in return. These small investments of thanksgiving pay huge dividends." (116)
November 21, 2023
Gratitude is an important topic, one necessary in understanding God's character and acknowledging His blessings. It's a topic that I've not seen represented much in Christian non-fiction. I could have done without most of the personal stories from the author, as it became very converstaional and took away from the meat of the book for me. However, I always appreciate when authors capitalize God's pronouns.
I look forward to rereading this at some point and completing the Gratitude Challenge included in the appendix.
I look forward to rereading this at some point and completing the Gratitude Challenge included in the appendix.
March 23, 2021
Looking forward to doing the 30 day gratitude challenge at the end of the book. At first I felt like it was saying the same thing 15 different ways but I finally started to understand the concepts he was sharing. Glad I read it and I may read it a second time.
August 8, 2023
Especially if gratitude is an untouched area in your life, this book is a great resource. I imagine most Christians would find reading this beneficial and actionable.
January 13, 2023
An excellent guide to growing in giving thanks. It is biblical, motivational, and applicational. You will not only be motivated to give thanks but challenged to follow biblical principles to begin actually doing it on a dally basis in the good, the bad, and the ugly. Great for preaching, teaching, discipline, group study, and family worship.
November 20, 2022
A most excellent resource on thankfulness and thanksgiving! I’ll definitely be revisiting this one each year.
October 7, 2020
My honest,unpaid compensation review. This book is a POWERHOUSE of information,strength and TRUTH for the Body. Got the book and sat down and couldn't put it down til read completely. Mr. Crowe really shows our incomplete spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving to the Almighty God. I had felt for some time that what we do as True Believers is amiss. We throw thanks out of our mouth loosely without looking more deeply at what God is and has done around us. This small book is GREAT @ showing this fact. It really helps you take a inward look at your heart and motives and how we look at our Almighty God. I know I am working on my Thanksgiving focus more and truly looking for opportunities in my path and life to do so. Thank you for writing this wonderful book and listening to the heart of God as you put pen to paper or pecked at the key board.I honestly give this small book,a great spiritual nugget,five big stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Well done! When you can get a copy,I recommend you do so and use constantly as reminder where to put our focus. "Trade a grumbling attitude for Gratitude" worth stamping on the wall of your heart and wall of your house.
February 17, 2021
Dustin Crowe, in this appropriately named book, gives the readers practical exercises to help put the difficult discipline of gratitude into practice. He shows the reader how gratitude is more than just naming blessings and more than a “quick nod of the cap for the good stuff in our life” (27). Crowe shows the reader that true gratitude is not just thanking God FOR something, but being thankful TO the Giver of all things. Crowe walks through biblical gratitude as he shifts the readers perspective from mainly material goods to the majesty of God. Now, this isn’t simply a checklist of do ‘this’ and try ‘that’ in order to have a disposition of gratitude, though he does provide helpful things to practice. No, Crowe dives deep to the heart of biblical gratitude. Grumbling, complaining, and anger take the back seat when we start recognizing the myriad of ordinary blessings around us.
“And while thanksgiving isn’t a magic wand to wave at surging emotions or daunting trials, through it we find joy and rest by shifting our eyes onto God” (62).
This book is very organized. It has a very methodically flowing tone and he is exceedingly clear about each chapter’s sub-thesis. This could be a huge help to you, or it could be a nuisance if you don’t like organization in writing. Obviously I recommend this book. It’s probably the book you know you need to read but you don’t want to. So challenge yourself. Go read it.
“And while thanksgiving isn’t a magic wand to wave at surging emotions or daunting trials, through it we find joy and rest by shifting our eyes onto God” (62).
This book is very organized. It has a very methodically flowing tone and he is exceedingly clear about each chapter’s sub-thesis. This could be a huge help to you, or it could be a nuisance if you don’t like organization in writing. Obviously I recommend this book. It’s probably the book you know you need to read but you don’t want to. So challenge yourself. Go read it.
October 13, 2020
A worthy read. Dustin Crowe presents a fresh approach to a topic that is so often reduced to journals, inspirational quotes and social media hashtags. How much did I love a book not filled with heartrending stories, an object lesson and a verse? So. So. Much.
We see that when we practice gratitude first as an action rather than an emotion it leads us to a Someone and not a something. The feeling follows faith, and this is the path to knowing God more intimately, seeing what He is doing rather than what we think He's not.
I really appreciated the concise yet complete way the author presented his point, made his application and directed his reader in practical ways. An easy read with solid scriptural interpretation and doable calls to action make this a read anyone could benefit from.
There is a helpful 30 day reading plan with a simple guide to discover more of the Giver of the things we're grateful for that will help you grow from a grumbler to a giver of thanks.
Thanks to Moody Publishers for a copy to review!
We see that when we practice gratitude first as an action rather than an emotion it leads us to a Someone and not a something. The feeling follows faith, and this is the path to knowing God more intimately, seeing what He is doing rather than what we think He's not.
I really appreciated the concise yet complete way the author presented his point, made his application and directed his reader in practical ways. An easy read with solid scriptural interpretation and doable calls to action make this a read anyone could benefit from.
There is a helpful 30 day reading plan with a simple guide to discover more of the Giver of the things we're grateful for that will help you grow from a grumbler to a giver of thanks.
Thanks to Moody Publishers for a copy to review!
August 1, 2022
“Joy flows to us when we wade in the river of Thanksgiving.”
Some books are like a glass of cool lemonade on a hot Summer day. They’re life-giving. They’re refreshing. They put a smile on your face. The Grumblers Guide to Giving Thanks was this kind of book. Written by a “grumbling, pessimistic, need to smile more, glass-half-empty kind of guy,” this book explores four aspects of biblical thanksgiving, builds out its theology, and lists its benefits in our daily life.
As Crowe explains in the book, we are people who are around each other, but not present with one another. Similarly, we are in Gods world but not awake to it. Our busyness and distraction blind us to the reality of Gods faithfulness all around us. Not only are we ungrateful, we are unaware of Gods day to day involvement in the inner workings of our lives. Teaching ourselves to recognize and remember Gods providence leads us to thanksgiving, an act of obedience and worship.
I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a grumbler, but this book challenged me to stop, see, and thank God for everything he’s doing in my life.
Some books are like a glass of cool lemonade on a hot Summer day. They’re life-giving. They’re refreshing. They put a smile on your face. The Grumblers Guide to Giving Thanks was this kind of book. Written by a “grumbling, pessimistic, need to smile more, glass-half-empty kind of guy,” this book explores four aspects of biblical thanksgiving, builds out its theology, and lists its benefits in our daily life.
As Crowe explains in the book, we are people who are around each other, but not present with one another. Similarly, we are in Gods world but not awake to it. Our busyness and distraction blind us to the reality of Gods faithfulness all around us. Not only are we ungrateful, we are unaware of Gods day to day involvement in the inner workings of our lives. Teaching ourselves to recognize and remember Gods providence leads us to thanksgiving, an act of obedience and worship.
I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a grumbler, but this book challenged me to stop, see, and thank God for everything he’s doing in my life.
April 29, 2025
Based on the title alone, I wouldn't have picked this one up... after all I don't feel like I'm a grumbler! But this book ended up on my radar and I'm so glad! In this book, @indycrowe explains how and why “gratitude is pivotal to experiencing the beauty, goodness, and hope of God.” Crowe dives deep into the heart of biblical gratitude and it's one that has changed the way I express gratitude to God.
Things I loved about this one:
• Discussion of why our gratitude should flow to the gift-giver and not simply for the gift itself. This has been helpful for myself as well in conversation with my kids about gratitude!
• Clearly written, scripture based
• Practical exercises, including a 30-day gratitude challenge
Highly recommend this one for everyone interested in diving depper into biblical gratitude!
Things I loved about this one:
• Discussion of why our gratitude should flow to the gift-giver and not simply for the gift itself. This has been helpful for myself as well in conversation with my kids about gratitude!
• Clearly written, scripture based
• Practical exercises, including a 30-day gratitude challenge
Highly recommend this one for everyone interested in diving depper into biblical gratitude!
December 17, 2020
This was a great quick read. Admittedly I read a lot and read quickly but this book took me just one afternoon to read. Thanksgiving season has come and gone but this book points out that thanksgiving is gratitude from the heart. The author is a self-confessed pessimist and he invites us to join him on the journey to move from grumpiness to gratitude. If you find it difficult to be thankful (raises hand) then consider this book, the author doesn’t write from a point of perfection, which I appreciate it. At the end of the book is Crowe’s “Gratitude Challenge,” maybe I’ll give it a go and try it out. This book was great for 2020, or really any year pointing us back to Christ as the source of our joy.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
January 12, 2021
I really enjoyed Dustin's writing style. He pushed past the "shoulds" for being more grateful and being surprised by our own ingratitude and showed me that gratitude isn't something that comes naturally; it's a habit/ discipline that must be practiced. I also tend to think of myself as a fairly content and grateful person, but as I read this book I realized that my gratitude is tied to things going well- the gifts, rather than thanking the giver. I want to take that extra step to thank God, rather than just feel good feelings about God's gifts.
November 8, 2020
This book is so timely for 2020 - or any year, really - but especially this year. I am so grateful that Dustin Crowe has written this book to point us to Christ as the source of our joy. It is rich with the truth of the gospel and lined with scripture references throughout.
“What we have in the person and work of Jesus fills our life with grace and floods us with gratitude.” (Page 89)
“What we have in the person and work of Jesus fills our life with grace and floods us with gratitude.” (Page 89)
February 13, 2021
Loved it!! Full review here: http://encounterswiththedavisfamily.b...
June 19, 2021
“In the Bible thanksgiving plays a prominent and powerful role, but we’ve demoted it to a seasonal add-on.”
Lately my attitude has not been of the highest standards when it comes to the thanksgiving department. As I was scrolling through different books to read I stumbled across this book in hopes of it uplifting my funky attitude—in hopes of reclaiming my thankful heart, which I lost somewhere between hopelessness and dispair. To my delight it gave me a true assessments and remedies for my issues.
In the Book of Philippians the Apostle Paul instructs them…’Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV) In this everything we have a sustaining peace that is not understood by men. But we must notice that he said everything and that’s exactly what he meant—a totality of all things ascribed to one’s life. And we all agree, this is more easier said than done. When we find ourselves in certain situations and circumstances. When we don’t think God hears our pleas or prayers—that malady can cause us to slip into a state of discontentment where grumbling and complaining become a mindset and gratitude becomes a UFO.
We have to re-program ourselves to react just the opposite when trouble comes which is in complete antithesis to our fleshly nature. Perhaps this is the source of our lack in experiencing the joy of a God-filled life. Herein lies the element of which Crowe expounds, driving home that gratitude is a necessary component in knowing and experiencing the hope of our gracious God. In his Introduction he states, “It would seem, however, that surrendering to the limits of your circumstances is not the same as surrendering to God. Resignation is not the same as gratitude, and choking desire does no lead to thanksgiving.” To Crowe, Thanksgiving is not just a one day holiday, but should be a way of life for all believers.
After the Foreword, he begins this book with a fifteen point Gratitude Quiz so you can see, firsthand, where you are on the gratitude scale. You might just be surprised! The quiz asks questions like: 1. Do you more often (A) remember God’s blessings in your life or (B) forget them? 2. When things don’t ho your way, do you typically respond (A) in gratitude or (B) by grumbling?
At the end of this quiz, according to the stats, you fit in three categories…You will have to get the book to see which one.
What I found interesting was the fact that Crowe considered himself to be a recovering pessimist, which, by the way, is the partial title of his Introduction. Very seldom do you read Christian books where the author admits his/her shortcomings or flaws, which I find both admirable and relatable as a reader.
The writer then proceeds into nine chapters concerning thanksgiving. At the end of each chapter he has a refresher called “Putting It Into Practice” which teaches you to not just be a reader, but also a doer.
Those nine chapters are:
Gratitudes Blueprint
A Theology of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving: An Anchor through the Storm
Recognize, Reflect. Receive
Look Around and Look Up
Thankfulness Expressed
Enjoy the Gift and Embrace the Giver
Remembering: Looking Back to Look Forward
Gritty Gratitude: Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
We must trace our paths from remembering to thanking to trusting.
These 164 pages are power packed, well written and a very good read. I’m tossed between two chapters—Chapter 1 where Crowe quotes Tim Keller. “It’s one thing to be grateful. It’s another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do.” (pg. 29) Then in Chapter 8 we learn that thanksgiving plays an intrical part in worship and true worship is grounded in gratitude. Reminding us that “Christians must draw from the well of their memories and histories to find refreshment in God’s faithfulness…Present fears and future anxieties are calmed by past faithfulness—not our faithfulness but God’s faithfulness. Remembering generates thanksgiving.” (pg. 127) We must trace our paths from remembering to thanking to trusting.
At the books end there is a 30 Day Gratitude Challenge getting you into the practicing principle of thanksgiving.
If you find yourself to be more of a grumbler than a praiser then you need to get this book—it will open your eyes to the scriptural applications of thanksgiving and give you a deeper and refreshing understanding.
We give The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
© Rhema International. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission, from this blog’s author and/or owner, is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.
Lately my attitude has not been of the highest standards when it comes to the thanksgiving department. As I was scrolling through different books to read I stumbled across this book in hopes of it uplifting my funky attitude—in hopes of reclaiming my thankful heart, which I lost somewhere between hopelessness and dispair. To my delight it gave me a true assessments and remedies for my issues.
In the Book of Philippians the Apostle Paul instructs them…’Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV) In this everything we have a sustaining peace that is not understood by men. But we must notice that he said everything and that’s exactly what he meant—a totality of all things ascribed to one’s life. And we all agree, this is more easier said than done. When we find ourselves in certain situations and circumstances. When we don’t think God hears our pleas or prayers—that malady can cause us to slip into a state of discontentment where grumbling and complaining become a mindset and gratitude becomes a UFO.
We have to re-program ourselves to react just the opposite when trouble comes which is in complete antithesis to our fleshly nature. Perhaps this is the source of our lack in experiencing the joy of a God-filled life. Herein lies the element of which Crowe expounds, driving home that gratitude is a necessary component in knowing and experiencing the hope of our gracious God. In his Introduction he states, “It would seem, however, that surrendering to the limits of your circumstances is not the same as surrendering to God. Resignation is not the same as gratitude, and choking desire does no lead to thanksgiving.” To Crowe, Thanksgiving is not just a one day holiday, but should be a way of life for all believers.
After the Foreword, he begins this book with a fifteen point Gratitude Quiz so you can see, firsthand, where you are on the gratitude scale. You might just be surprised! The quiz asks questions like: 1. Do you more often (A) remember God’s blessings in your life or (B) forget them? 2. When things don’t ho your way, do you typically respond (A) in gratitude or (B) by grumbling?
At the end of this quiz, according to the stats, you fit in three categories…You will have to get the book to see which one.
What I found interesting was the fact that Crowe considered himself to be a recovering pessimist, which, by the way, is the partial title of his Introduction. Very seldom do you read Christian books where the author admits his/her shortcomings or flaws, which I find both admirable and relatable as a reader.
The writer then proceeds into nine chapters concerning thanksgiving. At the end of each chapter he has a refresher called “Putting It Into Practice” which teaches you to not just be a reader, but also a doer.
Those nine chapters are:
Gratitudes Blueprint
A Theology of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving: An Anchor through the Storm
Recognize, Reflect. Receive
Look Around and Look Up
Thankfulness Expressed
Enjoy the Gift and Embrace the Giver
Remembering: Looking Back to Look Forward
Gritty Gratitude: Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
We must trace our paths from remembering to thanking to trusting.
These 164 pages are power packed, well written and a very good read. I’m tossed between two chapters—Chapter 1 where Crowe quotes Tim Keller. “It’s one thing to be grateful. It’s another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do.” (pg. 29) Then in Chapter 8 we learn that thanksgiving plays an intrical part in worship and true worship is grounded in gratitude. Reminding us that “Christians must draw from the well of their memories and histories to find refreshment in God’s faithfulness…Present fears and future anxieties are calmed by past faithfulness—not our faithfulness but God’s faithfulness. Remembering generates thanksgiving.” (pg. 127) We must trace our paths from remembering to thanking to trusting.
At the books end there is a 30 Day Gratitude Challenge getting you into the practicing principle of thanksgiving.
If you find yourself to be more of a grumbler than a praiser then you need to get this book—it will open your eyes to the scriptural applications of thanksgiving and give you a deeper and refreshing understanding.
We give The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
© Rhema International. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission, from this blog’s author and/or owner, is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rhema International.
October 12, 2020
Thanksgiving season is nearly here. For many, it is a time of busy activities surrounding shopping, gifts, family reunions, and lots of food! Such things no matter how good miss the point: Thanksgiving is gratitude from the heart. The underlying assumption of true gratitude is to know that we have all received much more than we actually gave. For instance, we owe it to our parents who brought us up. We were young and helpless as babies, and our parents fed us, nourished us, and nurtured us. Of course, there are exceptions, but generally speaking, parental love for their children is pretty universal. In spite of idiosyncrasies and other associated dysfunctional relationships, we are in fact recipients of much giving and loving. For Christians, nothing beats the love of God in Christ Jesus, who not only gave, He gave His life for us at the Cross. We all need to be reminded regularly that thanksgiving is at the heart of society, especially the Christian Life. As a former pessimist, Author Crowe had four key motivations in writing this book. 1) He needs it personally; 2) He notices a lack of books on "giving biblically"; 3) his desire to know God more fully; 4) To grow spiritually. We need an alternative to all the complaining, griping, and sarcasm in our society. So, Crowe's objective is simply to do his part to help the grumbler in us become grateful instead.
He guides us through what it means to be grateful in God. Just having this spirit of thanksgiving would change our perspective of life. It is not merely experienced inside but also expressed outside. Thanksgiving is also a journey to be closer to God. When receiving a gift, we are thankful not only for the gift but for the giver. If we have cultivated our hearts to be consistently thankful to God for all He has done for us, thanking others would be most natural. I like the way he talks about the relationship between the gift and the giver. The gift not only reminds us of the giver, but tells us more about the giver. Crowe takes time to show us what the Bible says about thanksgiving. He shows us the multiple references to gratitude in both the Old and New Testaments. There are also themes that flow throughout the Scriptures showing us that gratitude is an act of worship and spirituality. Perhaps, one of the biggest challenges is to deal with difficult times in our lives. How then do we give thanks? Instead of giving in to needless anxieties that are not helpful, gratitude gives us the strength to deal with the challenges with a renewed vitality. Crowe also shows us that gratitude is a habit to be developed. It builds our spiritual muscles. Very often, our busyness and our propensity to be distracted makes us grumblers. Living thankfully means to recognize the gifts before us; to reflect on the significance; and the receive it with grace. Crowe ends with a gratitude challenge to help us discover our inner need for gratitude.
My Thoughts
==============
Being thankful should not be reserved just for a day or week in a year. It should be all the time. In 1 Thess 5:18, we are exhorted to always be thankful. This is a powerful prescription for growing spiritually. Whoever wants to practice the Word of God, give thanks. Who wants to grow spiritually? Give thanks.Not only is it nourishing to the soul, it is worship to God. An important point in the book is about this, that when we learn to give thanks to God, we grow our joy in God. Once this becomes a habit, we will not reserve our thanksgiving merely to mealtimes or other special occasions, but to do so all the time. Slowly, our perspective on life, in general, would change for the better.
The author is a self-confessed pessimist and he invites us to join him on the journey to move from grumpiness to gratitude. The title of the book should grab the grumbler in anyone of us, that we need to learn how to be truly grateful. As our world grapples with many challenges, we allow the negative things to surround us so much that it is easy to lose sight of the positives. As we practice giving thanks, we will increase our vision of hope to see light at the end of every tunnel. I appreciate this simple reminder from Crowe that Thanksgiving is like "an anchor through the storm." Life is not easy and grumbling will definitely not make it much better. It might even worsen the situation. Take a different approach, just like the counter-cultural principles taught by Jesus in the beatitudes.
If you find it hard to be thankful, consider picking up this book for ideas and suggestions. Take comfort that the author himself had also struggled the same. Take the gratitude challenge. Test yourself.
Dustin Crowe is pastor of discipleship at College Park Church Fishers just outside Minneapolis, Indiana.
Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
He guides us through what it means to be grateful in God. Just having this spirit of thanksgiving would change our perspective of life. It is not merely experienced inside but also expressed outside. Thanksgiving is also a journey to be closer to God. When receiving a gift, we are thankful not only for the gift but for the giver. If we have cultivated our hearts to be consistently thankful to God for all He has done for us, thanking others would be most natural. I like the way he talks about the relationship between the gift and the giver. The gift not only reminds us of the giver, but tells us more about the giver. Crowe takes time to show us what the Bible says about thanksgiving. He shows us the multiple references to gratitude in both the Old and New Testaments. There are also themes that flow throughout the Scriptures showing us that gratitude is an act of worship and spirituality. Perhaps, one of the biggest challenges is to deal with difficult times in our lives. How then do we give thanks? Instead of giving in to needless anxieties that are not helpful, gratitude gives us the strength to deal with the challenges with a renewed vitality. Crowe also shows us that gratitude is a habit to be developed. It builds our spiritual muscles. Very often, our busyness and our propensity to be distracted makes us grumblers. Living thankfully means to recognize the gifts before us; to reflect on the significance; and the receive it with grace. Crowe ends with a gratitude challenge to help us discover our inner need for gratitude.
My Thoughts
==============
Being thankful should not be reserved just for a day or week in a year. It should be all the time. In 1 Thess 5:18, we are exhorted to always be thankful. This is a powerful prescription for growing spiritually. Whoever wants to practice the Word of God, give thanks. Who wants to grow spiritually? Give thanks.Not only is it nourishing to the soul, it is worship to God. An important point in the book is about this, that when we learn to give thanks to God, we grow our joy in God. Once this becomes a habit, we will not reserve our thanksgiving merely to mealtimes or other special occasions, but to do so all the time. Slowly, our perspective on life, in general, would change for the better.
The author is a self-confessed pessimist and he invites us to join him on the journey to move from grumpiness to gratitude. The title of the book should grab the grumbler in anyone of us, that we need to learn how to be truly grateful. As our world grapples with many challenges, we allow the negative things to surround us so much that it is easy to lose sight of the positives. As we practice giving thanks, we will increase our vision of hope to see light at the end of every tunnel. I appreciate this simple reminder from Crowe that Thanksgiving is like "an anchor through the storm." Life is not easy and grumbling will definitely not make it much better. It might even worsen the situation. Take a different approach, just like the counter-cultural principles taught by Jesus in the beatitudes.
If you find it hard to be thankful, consider picking up this book for ideas and suggestions. Take comfort that the author himself had also struggled the same. Take the gratitude challenge. Test yourself.
Dustin Crowe is pastor of discipleship at College Park Church Fishers just outside Minneapolis, Indiana.
Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
October 13, 2020
Of all the holidays that our nation pays tribute to, Thanksgiving might be the one we have the strangest relationship with. Perhaps we owe it to being in a Christ-haunted culture, where the art of “giving thanks” seems lost. Many simply have no one to present their gratitude to. But even Christians struggle here. Many Thanksgivings feel like walking a minefield with certain family members and conversation topics. We are alarmingly content with recognizing how much we take for granted. Our consumerist mentality reveals itself not only in the anticipation of Black Friday, but even in our spirituality — our prayers are focused on what we need and want, and not our gifts and Giver.
But what we find in the Bible is a much different story. From Adam’s “At last!” to the twenty-four elders’ “Hallelujah!” we find an ongoing thread of gratitude characterizing how creatures relate to their Creator. Over and over again in Scripture, we see a pattern of giving thanks as (to borrow C.S. Lewis’ phrase) the “appointed consummation” of man’s enjoyment of God. If our chief end of man is this enjoyment, then gratitude really is that critical.
Author Dustin Crowe addresses this important topic in his latest book, The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks: Reclaiming the Gifts of a Lost Spiritual Discipline. He names the four features of biblical thanksgiving as 1) feeling thankful, 2) attributing that thankfulness to God, 3) actively giving thanks to God, and 4) finding joy in God.
The Grumbler’s Guide succeeds in a few key ways. First, it is not browbeating in tone. It is convicting, to be sure! But many books on spiritual growth and disciplines can come across as bullying and badgering. Yet Crowe writes with a genuine, grace-filled pen that aims to heal, not harm. The introduction begins this way: “I want to be honest up front. I’m not writing as an expert.” (17) Talk about a book I can resonate with! The Grumbler’s Guide succeeds in that it draws you into a desire to recover a spirit of gratitude, one step at a time. It makes a habit of gratitude feel within reach.
In one of my favorite chapters, “Recognize. Reflect. Receive.” Crowe argues that if we are going to learn the habit of biblical thanksgiving, it won’t happen overnight. You have to learn to “walk before you run. Enjoy the little moments. Savor small gifts. Hold on to anything God teaches you or does for you.” (77) A simple cup of coffee can help us savor our Creator. Gratitude helps us combat distracted, busy-bodied detachment from Him.
Another aspect of The Grumbler’s Guide that makes the content accessible to readers is the “Putting It into Practice” section that ends each chapter. Crowe rightly spends a lot of time giving us the foundation and the theology for biblical thanksgiving, but never leaves it only in the clouds. He brings each chapter down to earth and helps us with some practical ways to apply what we’re reading.
At the end of the book is Crowe’s “Gratitude Challenge,” a 30-day primer including Bible readings, prayer, and writing down our gratitude. This last part is especially important. As I’ve written elsewhere, biblical authors consistently make the act of thanksgiving primarily something we say. As someone who struggles to keep a regular journal, I am motivated and confident that implementing a “gratitude journal” will stick for me after reading this book. This has given me the encouragement I’ve needed to get it started and maintain it.
While Crowe sees a biblical approach to giving thanks as “a lost spiritual discipline,” he is convinced it is within our reach of recovering. Indeed, it seems that gratitude of the most counter-culture and Word-centered practices we can engage in. Why wouldn’t we strive to learn more about its benefits and value for our spirituality? We’re all aware we could grow in gratitude. The Grumbler’s Guide is an excellent place to help us get started.
But what we find in the Bible is a much different story. From Adam’s “At last!” to the twenty-four elders’ “Hallelujah!” we find an ongoing thread of gratitude characterizing how creatures relate to their Creator. Over and over again in Scripture, we see a pattern of giving thanks as (to borrow C.S. Lewis’ phrase) the “appointed consummation” of man’s enjoyment of God. If our chief end of man is this enjoyment, then gratitude really is that critical.
Author Dustin Crowe addresses this important topic in his latest book, The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks: Reclaiming the Gifts of a Lost Spiritual Discipline. He names the four features of biblical thanksgiving as 1) feeling thankful, 2) attributing that thankfulness to God, 3) actively giving thanks to God, and 4) finding joy in God.
The Grumbler’s Guide succeeds in a few key ways. First, it is not browbeating in tone. It is convicting, to be sure! But many books on spiritual growth and disciplines can come across as bullying and badgering. Yet Crowe writes with a genuine, grace-filled pen that aims to heal, not harm. The introduction begins this way: “I want to be honest up front. I’m not writing as an expert.” (17) Talk about a book I can resonate with! The Grumbler’s Guide succeeds in that it draws you into a desire to recover a spirit of gratitude, one step at a time. It makes a habit of gratitude feel within reach.
In one of my favorite chapters, “Recognize. Reflect. Receive.” Crowe argues that if we are going to learn the habit of biblical thanksgiving, it won’t happen overnight. You have to learn to “walk before you run. Enjoy the little moments. Savor small gifts. Hold on to anything God teaches you or does for you.” (77) A simple cup of coffee can help us savor our Creator. Gratitude helps us combat distracted, busy-bodied detachment from Him.
Another aspect of The Grumbler’s Guide that makes the content accessible to readers is the “Putting It into Practice” section that ends each chapter. Crowe rightly spends a lot of time giving us the foundation and the theology for biblical thanksgiving, but never leaves it only in the clouds. He brings each chapter down to earth and helps us with some practical ways to apply what we’re reading.
At the end of the book is Crowe’s “Gratitude Challenge,” a 30-day primer including Bible readings, prayer, and writing down our gratitude. This last part is especially important. As I’ve written elsewhere, biblical authors consistently make the act of thanksgiving primarily something we say. As someone who struggles to keep a regular journal, I am motivated and confident that implementing a “gratitude journal” will stick for me after reading this book. This has given me the encouragement I’ve needed to get it started and maintain it.
While Crowe sees a biblical approach to giving thanks as “a lost spiritual discipline,” he is convinced it is within our reach of recovering. Indeed, it seems that gratitude of the most counter-culture and Word-centered practices we can engage in. Why wouldn’t we strive to learn more about its benefits and value for our spirituality? We’re all aware we could grow in gratitude. The Grumbler’s Guide is an excellent place to help us get started.
February 28, 2023
The Bible instructs us to do all things without grumbling, but for many of us, this is not our natural inclination. Instead, because of our sinful nature, we are bent towards a disposition of ingratitude expressed as anger, complaining, and grumbling. I for one, will take any tips in changing this.
Enter this short read that is packed full of Biblical wisdom for those who want to cultivate gratitude. @indycrowe writes clearly and with conviction, detailing the discipline of thanksgiving with practical exercises in each chapter. He emphasizes that thanksgiving is more than an identification of blessings and is instead a posture that connects us to God, the giver of all good things. Thanksgiving is a “necessary, daily, central practice to maintain worship…” (pg 62) that leads to “knowing God more fully, which leads to trusting in God more, worshipping God more, and loving God more” (pg 18).
Throughout the book, Crowe reiterates the importance of building the habit of thanksgiving. “Our act of worship shouldn’t be a one-and-done offering but something we continually do. Because everything we are and have is found in Christ, our whole life is lived with gratitude. It includes giving thanks, singing praise, generosity, prayers of gratitude, and retelling God’s faithfulness, but these small practices build a larger posture of gratitude. The small choices and cultivating the right habits add up.” (pg 47)
The inference can be made that there are no neutral moments with expressing gratitude. “We either offer our life, day, and body to God or to false gods.” (Pg 47). “We either study God’s works with thanksgiving, or suppress them in ingratitude. Gratitude draws us near to God. Ingratitude pushes Him away.” (Pg 120-121). It’s always one or the other. Not expressing gratitude is ingratitude by default.
Building the habit of expressing thanksgiving and connecting us to God enables us to “uproot lingering discontentment” (pg 62) and “overcome our habits of grumbling, ingratitude, and taking gifts for granted” (pg 38).
Enter this short read that is packed full of Biblical wisdom for those who want to cultivate gratitude. @indycrowe writes clearly and with conviction, detailing the discipline of thanksgiving with practical exercises in each chapter. He emphasizes that thanksgiving is more than an identification of blessings and is instead a posture that connects us to God, the giver of all good things. Thanksgiving is a “necessary, daily, central practice to maintain worship…” (pg 62) that leads to “knowing God more fully, which leads to trusting in God more, worshipping God more, and loving God more” (pg 18).
Throughout the book, Crowe reiterates the importance of building the habit of thanksgiving. “Our act of worship shouldn’t be a one-and-done offering but something we continually do. Because everything we are and have is found in Christ, our whole life is lived with gratitude. It includes giving thanks, singing praise, generosity, prayers of gratitude, and retelling God’s faithfulness, but these small practices build a larger posture of gratitude. The small choices and cultivating the right habits add up.” (pg 47)
The inference can be made that there are no neutral moments with expressing gratitude. “We either offer our life, day, and body to God or to false gods.” (Pg 47). “We either study God’s works with thanksgiving, or suppress them in ingratitude. Gratitude draws us near to God. Ingratitude pushes Him away.” (Pg 120-121). It’s always one or the other. Not expressing gratitude is ingratitude by default.
Building the habit of expressing thanksgiving and connecting us to God enables us to “uproot lingering discontentment” (pg 62) and “overcome our habits of grumbling, ingratitude, and taking gifts for granted” (pg 38).
May 25, 2021
I have a history of being a bit of an Eeyore. In fact, more than one person has called me exactly that over the years. So, when I saw someone recommend this book on Twitter, I immediately purchased it so that I could learn and hopefully grow into being a more grateful person. I'm thankful (see, I'm learning already) that I read this one.
The book is an easy and practical read (Moody Publishers has been succeeding in this category over the past few years). The book is saturated with scripture and emphasizes looking past the gifts to the giver. The gifts point us to the giver and teach us to praise God. This connection between gratitude and worship is an extremely helpful and practical one. I also appreciated how Dustin did not simply gloss over difficulties and assume that we are not supposed to struggle with trials or mourn and lament during dark days. He did encourage his readers to look beyond their circumstances to God in the dark days and still find reasons to be grateful. I thought he could have spent more time on this subject, but I also understand that a deep dive into the connection between gratitude and mourning is beyond the scope of this book.
Even if you get nothing else from this book, I think you will find the gratitude challenge in the back to be helpful. It is a 30-day challenge with short scripture readings and a challenge to list five things each day for which you are grateful. I am still in the beginning stages of this challenge, but I think that this daily discipline for 30-days can produce a habit of gratitude in me and in others.
The book is an easy and practical read (Moody Publishers has been succeeding in this category over the past few years). The book is saturated with scripture and emphasizes looking past the gifts to the giver. The gifts point us to the giver and teach us to praise God. This connection between gratitude and worship is an extremely helpful and practical one. I also appreciated how Dustin did not simply gloss over difficulties and assume that we are not supposed to struggle with trials or mourn and lament during dark days. He did encourage his readers to look beyond their circumstances to God in the dark days and still find reasons to be grateful. I thought he could have spent more time on this subject, but I also understand that a deep dive into the connection between gratitude and mourning is beyond the scope of this book.
Even if you get nothing else from this book, I think you will find the gratitude challenge in the back to be helpful. It is a 30-day challenge with short scripture readings and a challenge to list five things each day for which you are grateful. I am still in the beginning stages of this challenge, but I think that this daily discipline for 30-days can produce a habit of gratitude in me and in others.
June 21, 2020
Dustin Crowe’s book The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks takes readers on a journey through the Word of God and personal reflection, helping readers make the journey he made—from thanksgiving as a concept to a rhythm of living. Starting with a foundation of biblical theology of thanksgiving and a treatment of the power of thanksgiving with many biblical examples, the author focuses on how to weave thanksgiving into every day life so that it is a habit. He also helps readers discover how they can be thankful in every season of life and how thankfulness in difficult times helps one focus on the One who keeps us rather than the difficulties—and how it brings peace and joy and fosters even more thanks-living. The book also includes a “gratitude challenge” for any time of the year—a 30-day reading plan that is guaranteed to propel the reader to cultivate the habit of thanksgiving as everyday living.
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.
June 18, 2021
The Grumbler's Guide to Giving Thanks by Dustin Crowe is a timely publication not just for 2020 but also for 2021. The book expands on Phillipians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." In his foreword, Dustin Crowe makes the point that grumbling rather than thanksgiving comes naturally. Thanksgiving is something that has to be learned and practised to get us from a life of ingratitude to a life of gratitude and enjoy the benefits of thankfulness. The need to focus on the giver and not the gift is emphasised throughout the book. What makes this book worth reading and meditating on are the practical steps and challenges listed that we can adopt as part of our spiritual discipline. The book explores the aspects of biblical thanksgiving by giving various examples and referencing scriptures. This book promises to lead us into seeing God at work in our lives and thanking Him for it, promise fulfilled.
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