Casandra Martin

Gratitude is an attitude. It is a mindset that is on the lookout for the myriad of ways God is constantly moving in our lives. When our eyes are open, our hearts are more sensitive to the presence of Christ.

I decided to challenge myself to find ten reasons to be thankful in the first ten minutes I was awake this morning. It was a decision to set my heart on God as I start my day. I am praying that opening my eyes to His presence first thing in the morning will cascade into an ever-increasing awareness of Him throughout my day. Here is what I am thankful for so far –

            1. Quilts

            2. Toothpaste

            3. Warm sweatshirts

            4. Good morning hugs

            5. The sunrise

            6. Work I love

            7. A day filled with possibilities

            8. Cold water

            9. Apples

            10. My Bible

It didn’t take long. As soon as I opened my eyes, I was overwhelmed by the blessings that fill my life. They say that how you spend the first ten minutes of your morning sets the tone for the entire day. Looking for God in these first few minutes has the power to open my eyes to His presence as I walk through each hour of my day.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be overwhelmed by gratitude. He is here. He is moving in my day. He has filled my life with more blessings that I can count. Each one is a reminder to look for His hand, trust His heart, and follow His lead. If this is what I find in the first ten minutes, imagine how amazed I am going to be as I move through the next 1,430 minutes of the day.

Adoption is a special word. It frames a heart that longs for relationship and is willing to go the extra mile to bring someone close to their heart. A willingness to share life, bestow love, deepen connection, and unveil a mystery are all wrapped up in that single word.

We got just a little taste of the joy and wonder of adoption as we stood in line at the animal shelter. We looked at dog after dog, each needing love, some TLC, and a home. Big puppy dog eyes met us at each turn. Each little face just wanting to be wanted.

We finally picked out a sweet dog and began filling out the paper work to take him home and make him a part of our family. There were questions to answer, information to gather, and commitments to make. My husband and I were interviewed to see if we were qualified to be good pet parents. The face to watch, however, was my son’s. As soon as we had settled on our pup, my son never left his side. He planted himself by the kennel, leash and collar in hand, and waited. He talked to his new friend, reassuring him that life would soon be different. He anxiously watched us for a sign that the dog now belonged completely to us. He opened his heart and let Jack in. The shelter workers were amused. I saw God in my son’s face.

“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will…” – Ephesians 1:4-5

God adopts us. He walks through the suffering, tragedy, and scars of this world and declares that He wants us all. He paid the price, worked through all that was required, and claims us as His own. He opens His heart and commits Himself to giving us a home and a place to belong. He plants Himself by our sides, reminding us each day that life is different because we are a part of His family.

My Jesus Resolution today is to rejoice in my adoption. I don’t belong to this world. I belong to Jesus. I am a part of His family – loved, cherished, cared for, and valued. He welcomes me in and opens His heart to me. Just like Jack, there is some training and discipline to be had in order to best learn how to live in this new home. Today I am going to look in the mirror and let Him remind me how much I am wanted. He adopted me, and that is reason enough to rejoice today.

Jesus said that we must become like little children. The older I get, the more profound that truth becomes.

We were walking him home. Our little friend lives around the corner. He had been at our house playing, laughing, and being loved. It was time to deliver him back to mom and dad, so we packed up his stuff and headed down the street.

My husband and I were focused on moving from point A to point B. It was time to get from one place to another. Our little friend had a different perspective. The walk home was an opportunity for adventure.

Heading down the driveway, his eyes began to sparkle with all the possibilities inherent in the journey. He decided that he would jump over every crack in the sidewalk. Not a little hop, mind you. A stop, set-your-focus, give-yourself-a-pep-talk kind of jump. He encouraged himself to jump high. He told himself he could do it. He made sure that we all cheered when he made it. And then he ran to the next sidewalk crack so he could do it all over again.

He noticed all the ordinary things that turn a walk into an adventure. Sprinklers were fascinating. Barking dogs were talking just to him. The street corner became a moment to hold hands and boldly go forward. All too soon we were home. Dad’s big hug became the prize for taking the risk and going on the adventure.

My Jesus Resolution today is to have an adventure. I am going to walk somewhere today; I might as well walk with joy. I need to let my heart come alive with all the possibilities God has for me on the journey. I want to notice all the extraordinary blessings bound up in the ordinary things around me. I want to experience the grand prize of running into my Father’s arms. Today holds an opportunity for adventure. Ready to go?

I am not a math whiz. I never did think that acute triangles were all that cute. I value the discipline of mathematics, but can’t say that it was a subject that brought me great joy.

There was one line of math problems, however, that did inspire a light bulb to shine over my head – greater than and less than. Once I got the direction of those two-sided triangles figured out, it all clicked. I could look at two numbers, insert a sideways vee, and find the solution.

John 3:30 has one of these kind of math problems in it. It is a story problem in which some disciples are trying to balance the equation, but John the Baptist teaches them about greater than and less than. His disciples are troubled by swelling crowds and diminishing attention. John looks at Jesus and says, “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Greater than and less than. John keeps his eyes on Jesus and comes up with the right answer. I must continually have more of Jesus in me and less of self. Jesus must grow bigger in my life. He must take preeminence. He must loom large while self moves into the grave.

The interesting part of the equation is joy. In the sentence before John reveals the greater than/less than answer, he states, “That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” When Jesus is greater and I am less, the result is complete joy.

My Jesus Resolution today is to work the math problem. My dad was right – I really will use this stuff later in life. Today, understanding greater than and less than will help me see the importance of more Jesus and less me. It will help me keep the triangly-thing pointed in the right direction. I want to be like John, keeping my eyes on Jesus and helping others find the solution in Him.

She didn’t know she was interrupting. I was in the middle of a meeting, and someone came in to talk. My co-worker graciously opened up the time to answer her questions. I sat in the other room stewing about being interrupted.

I don’t like interruptions. I make plans, set agendas, work time lines, and organize my calendar so I can get it all done. Interruptions slow me down. They get in my way. They disrupt the flow of my day. And so often, God uses them as reminders that it isn’t all about me.

God uses interruptions to refocus my attention. His plan should be my priority. His timing should be my delight. His rhythm should rule my days. God uses interruptions to redefine my priorities, to reshape my thinking, and to pull my heart back to Him.

I am slowly learning to see interruptions as holy moments. I began to pray for the woman in the other room. I wanted to cross another item off my to-do list, but God was opening a door for someone to see Jesus. In interrupting my schedule, He was teaching me about surrender. In watching my friend, I learned much about moving in the movement of God.

My Jesus Resolution today is to be thankful for interruptions. Instead of getting irritated, I am going to start looking for the movement of God in the moment. I am going to see the interruption as a yellow light to slow down and pay attention. Jesus was interrupted by people all the time. He saw each interruption as an opportunity to point someone to the face of His Father. I want to be like Jesus. I want my life to be about His timing, His will, and His movement. So today, I am going to be thankful when He interrupts me in order to pull my eyes back to His heart.

They were streaked across the sky. Wispy clouds painted across the deep blue of early morning. I was out walking just as the sun came peeking over the horizon. The shimmer of the star-lit sky began to give way to the golden hues of the sunrise. The canopy stretching across the heavens gently framed the new morning, adding sunlight to the symphony of color playing across the sky.

I turned the corner and caught my breath. There, enmeshed in the soft blue sky of the morning, were pink clouds. Stunning colors embedded in the unfolding drama of the dawn. Painted in the clouds was every shade of pink you can imagine. Soft, pale hues were set against dark, dramatic pinks. They lit up the sky, framing a dramatic beauty that would only last for a few moments as the sun strolled over the horizon.

“He did that for me.” That was the thought that captured my imagination. Understand that it was very early. The streets in my neighborhood were still sleepy and quiet. Very few others were out and about. With no one else watching, He painted beauty in the sky so I could catch a glimpse of His glory.

I am so glad that I noticed. I am so thankful to serve a God who will create wonders just to see us smile. He is more than willing to put pink clouds in the sky so that I will have another reason to praise Him and bend my heart before His throne. We don’t serve an it-will-do, let-them-just-get-by God. We are loved by a willing-to-go-over-the-top Father who can’t wait to amaze us with His passion for us.

My Jesus Resolution today is to look for pockets of beauty. They are scattered throughout my day. Little reservoirs of glory meant to draw my eyes to His face. Too many times I walk on past, not paying attention, content to focus on my list, my agenda, my struggles, and my stuff. Today, however, I am going to look up and pay attention to the beauty He is planting in my day. He gave me pink clouds. Imagine what He has in store for you.

Have you ever looked at the timing of something and just wondered? A word of encouragement is spoken just when you need it. A door opens just when you couldn’t see a way out. A friend calls, a letter arrives, an email pops up and it speaks to the ache in your heart. Touching a place deep inside, it reminds you that you are not alone, to push forward, or to hang on.

God speaks to us all of the time. We expect the Creator of the universe to shout and thunder, but so often His voice is heard in the gentle nudges, quiet whispers, and “coincidences” of our days. He is constantly moving in our lives to pull us closer to His heart. He loves to encourage us, cheer us on, and point us in the direction that looks most like His Son. He plants little reminders of Himself for us to find along the way, hoping to make our hearts see and grow a little more like Jesus.

Too often, I miss it. I see coincidence when I should see the hand of God. I consider myself “lucky” when I should notice how blessed I am. So many times, I don’t connect the dots between the fingerprints of God and the good things in my day.

What a wonder it is when I do pay attention! All of the sudden my days take on a different dimension. I look at the mundane things in my life with new eyes. Emails are sometimes the answers to time spent on my knees. Hugs can be reassurances from the heart of my Father. A phone call opens up the possibility of hearing God’s voice.

My Jesus Resolution today is to look with different eyes. Before I jump to the coincidence conclusion, I am going to look for the hand of God. I am going to believe what it says in James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above” – and open my eyes to the truth that the Lord is touching my day. Every moment holds the possibility of tracing the fingerprints of God. The more I see Him, the more I will look like Jesus.

I am still learning lessons from Shelby. Our little sheltie passed away about three months ago, but God is still using her to impress lessons on my heart.

Shelby and I were walking buddies. Every morning we headed out, enjoying the cool morning air and the time with God and each other. What I didn’t realize was that others were watching. I can’t tell you how many times over the past three months someone in the neighborhood has stopped me to ask about Shelby.

One neighbor stopped me this week to ask where our little dog was. I told him our sad news and he spent several minutes telling me how much he and his wife enjoyed watching me and Shelby. “It was obvious you loved her.” he said.

God used the moment to teach me about the power of consistency. Every day Shelby and I walked. Every day somebody was watching us. I didn’t notice. I wasn’t paying attention. But someone was, and our walks together made an impression I didn’t even understand.

The same is true in our walk with Jesus. People are watching. They are observing the way you move through your day. They can see how you walk with God. They begin to count on the fact that you consistently, regularly move in His steps. They notice, and in the noticing, we have an opportunity to point them to Jesus.

My Jesus Resolution is to be aware of the power of consistency. Someone is watching today. Someone is looking at me to see if I am still walking with God. Will I stick with Him no matter the weather, the circumstances, or the struggles? Is it obvious that I love Him? Can they see Jesus walking in my life? All the little things I do, all the small moments of surrender count. The daily in and outs of walking with God add up to a consistent testimony about His place in my life. Today I am going to be deliberate about being consistent. You never know who might be watching, and when they see me, I want them to see Jesus.

You could hear the giggles echoing all over the house. My son was playing with a preschooler and the laughter was contagious. I dried my hands, stepping from the kitchen to the family room to see what was producing such joy.

My high-school aged son was crouched on the floor in a football stance. The little guy squealing so infectiously was setting up to launch himself across the room. My son dug in, bracing himself for the “tackle” that was about to come. Our little friend started a full-scale run straight into the outstretched arms awaiting him. A few feet from his target, he vaulted straight into the sky – arms wide open, feet sailing behind him – flying through the air. My son caught him. There were hugs, tickles, and more giggles and then the routine started all over again.

My son caught my eye, marveling at our little friend’s complete trust. “He just knows I will catch him every time,” he said as he prepared for another tackle. “That is a picture of faith in action,” I replied. “Yeah,” my son noted, “scary faith.”

Scary faith. I like that. Not scaredy-cat faith, not timid faith, not weak faith – scary faith. Faith willing to take risks. Faith willing to fly. Faith so confident in the One who is holding us that we are willing to launch ourselves from across the room just to land in His arms. Faith willing to leave the ground in order to experience joy.

Paul put it this way 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”  

My Jesus Resolution today is to take a step in scary faith. I am going to move out of my comfort zone and into the arms of God. I am going to relinquish control and let Him take the lead. I am going to take a risk, trusting that He will catch me. I am going to surrender when it doesn’t seem logical. The world may shake its head. It may try to discourage me or dissuade me from running and making the leap. But the world doesn’t know what I know – His arms are open wide and He is waiting for me to fly.

Have you ever stood on your head or hung upside-down from a tree branch? It changes your perspective. Things look different. You notice things you didn’t see before. Textures and colors take on different dimensions. Being upside-down causes you to reorient yourself, take in the pieces of the world, and put them together in a different way.

Jesus is King of an Upside-Down kingdom. The world gives us its perspective – put yourself first. Pleasing yourself is the purpose of life. Succeed at all costs. Bigger is better. Newer is a must. You only live once. So immersed are we in this perspective that it seems to take on a logic and reasonableness of its own.

When we become citizens of the kingdom of God, He turns our perspective on its ear. Dying becomes the path to life. Surrender equates to victory. Bending low in service lifts our hearts to new heights. He calls us to turn upside-down and look at life through His eyes. Ancient paths hold relevant truth. Eternity redefines newer, bigger, and better. A cross turns torture into triumph. An empty tomb proclaims abundance and fullness beyond imagining.

My Jesus Resolution today is to check my perspective. Sometimes I get a little too tangled up in the world and its point of view. I am going to watch Jesus and follow His eyes. I am going to listen to His voice and measure the promises of the world against His truth. I am going to cling to the cross and let it reorient my vision, reignite my passion, and retrain my heart. What I might find is that the world is really the topsy-turvy, upside-down one. Standing with Jesus, I get to see things as they are truly meant to be seen.