💌 When Gratitude Turns Into Awe

A simple question around the table opened a holy moment I didn’t expect.

Hi friend!

Can I be honest? The holiday pressure was already creeping in… until my kids reminded me of something I’d forgotten.

Last week, I sat down expecting a simple Bible memory moment with my kids… and instead they started listing the times God saved our lives. I was not ready for that.

I had just read aloud:

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.
His love endures forever!”
Psalm 136:1 NIV

And:

“Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts!”
Psalm 105:2 NIV

Then I asked them: “What are some of your favorite marvelous deeds that God has done—either in biblical history or in our family’s story?”

I expected the typical Sunday School answers—parting the Red Sea, Jesus rising from the dead—and those definitely made their list.

What I didn’t expect was how quickly personal stories came pouring out:

• “That time when you were nearly forcefully taken from your mom and put up for adoption as a newborn baby in Greece, but God protected you.”

• “That time when I was a baby and almost died in the hospital, but God healed me.”

• “That time I nearly fell off the side of a cliff on our Southwest trip, but God got me safely to the ground.”

Be still my heart. I wasn’t expecting that depth from the get-go! I was even more surprised by how quickly the stories rolled off their lips.

(If a friend comes to mind while reading this, you can forward this email to them—it’s one of the sweetest ways our little community grows.)

This is something we regularly practice in our home: we narrate God’s faithfulness in our everyday lives—so the next generation knows that God still works miracles in our world today:

“One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.”
Psalm 145:4 NIV

I know we’re past Thanksgiving, and today is Cyber Monday. We’re officially in Advent now (and we’ve got some Christmas shopping goods for you below). But before we rush ahead, might we let gratitude linger a little longer?

What if you took a moment this month to look back on your year and recall a few specific times you saw God’s hand at work?

I’d genuinely love to hear from you: What’s one ‘marvelous deed’ God has done in your life this year? Leave it in the comments so we can rejoice with you!

I’ll randomly choose 3 commenters to receive a free set of my Prayers for Joy Christmas printable cards as a little Advent gift as a thank-you for sharing your story.

Let’s think about not just generic gratitude, but moments we can point to and say:

• “Here is where You, Man of Sorrows, comforted me in my sorrow.” (For me, that’s just this week, as my last living grandparents passed into the arms of Jesus.)

• “Here is where You, Lion of Judah, roared Your protection over me.” (For me? I taught our middle schoolers about the Lion of Judah last Sunday, and was reminded again of Jesus’ power protecting His little ones.)

• “Here is where You, Word of God, spoke with power over me.” (For me, that was just last month, celebrating YouVersion’s one-billion-download milestone—worshiping the Word made flesh as we celebrated His word in our hands—felt like a taste of heaven.)

My children helped me remember the goodness and presence of Jesus even during a difficult week of loss.

And speaking of wonder… seeing the Northern Lights illuminate the skies again, for a second time in my lifetime? Another taste of heaven.

What names of Jesus would you use to narrate your walk with Him in 2025? Has He been your Light in the darkness? Your Good Shepherd? Your Bread of Life?

If this idea is new, Advent is a beautiful time to explore it. My devotional Unwrapping the Names of Jesus journeys through twenty gifts of Jesus. It’s 50% off through my publisher until midnight, and Amazon has it marked down as well.

Love when readers gift Unwrapping the Names of Jesus to friends, like at this church Christmas banquet from a few years ago!

Whatever Advent guide you choose, take time each day to pause with Jesus. Let His presence—His names, His deeds, His marvelous works—remind you of His steadfast love.

And let your Christmas joy grow in response to Him.

✨ New here? Subscribe to get monthly joy + encouragement

🌿 Grow in the Word

Each month, we’ll share a resource to grow your friendship with Jesus—plus a sweet giveaway and a simple idea to enjoy His Word.¹

This Month’s Pick: First Nations Version, An Indigenous Bible Translation of the New Testament

Looking for a fresh way to read the New Testament? In this honest review of the First Nations Version (FNV), Leather Edition, I’ll walk you through its background, translation approach, and layout—while sharing who this Bible is perfect for, and why it might not be for everyone.

Creative Idea to Try: Pray the Word

I first learned to pray scripture in Bible college and I resonated with the assurance that came from praying God’s promises back to Him, and over time, it’s become an effortless weaving of my words and God’s words in prayer. If praying Scripture is new to you, start by picking a favorite psalm and slowly reading it out loud, pausing to personalize it to your own life. Allow the words of the psalm to serve as a springboard for your own thoughts in conversation with God.

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💛 In Their Words

Words of hope from our beloved friend and ministry partner Hannah Nitz.

As you start thinking about Christmas, maybe you’ve felt that same uncertainty I have. “Am I making any of this about Jesus? Do my kids think it’s just about presents?”

Three years ago, I was praying for my kids- talking to God about everything I hoped they could know and experience about Him. In that moment, I was overwhelmed with the realization that Christmas was the perfect time to bring these conversations to our dinner table. So I wrote it all down and made a daily family devotional for the month of December!

Over the last three years we’ve loved going through this Christmas Family Devotional with our 2, 4, and 7 year old. It’s good for their hearts as well as our own- stopping each day to reflect on what Jesus being born really means in our home.

Click here and download it for free. It starts today and has one page each day to read as a family!

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🌱 Coming in January…

Over the past months, we’ve been quietly working on a brand-new experience for how we can read the Bible together. It’s a 21-day journey designed to help you grow confident in reading your Bible and actually enjoy opening God’s Word! Think of it as a gentle companion to start the new year grounded in Scripture. More details are coming soon, so watch for the announcement email (coming December 15, Lord willing!) so you can be the first to join!

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✨ Glimmers of Joy

And because joy is rarely found in big moments alone, here are a few small delights from our team this month:

• Throughout the year, I share personal favorites with my email subscribers, and they often leave comments with their own recommendations! A while back, a subscriber shared this stunning take on a familiar Christmas carol and it has since become one of my own favorites. If you’re weary, weeping, or waiting this Christmas... perhaps this song will meet you where you are today. - Kaitlyn

• My four year old asks every day to match her two year old sister. Every time I see them in a matching t-shirt or dress it brings me so much joy. It is one of those little sparkle moments of motherhood for me! —Hannah

• I finally found a meal-planning app that actually simplifies my life instead of adding another task to it. I save recipes with one click while I’m scrolling, drag them into a weekly plan, and it builds the grocery list for me. It’s been a quiet sanity-saver these last two years. They’re offering 50% off through midnight tonight if you want to peek. —Asheritah

• If you need something gentle to listen to while you decorate or sip your morning coffee, I loved this recent conversation with Linda and Sue about Advent and preparing our hearts for Jesus. It’s warm, encouraging, and full of hope. You can watch it here:

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💌 Take This With You

Begin your Christmas season with my 5-day Bible and prayer plan on the free Youversion Bible app (you probably already have the app on your phone):

Throughout Scripture, Jesus is given many names: Immanuel, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Bread of Life, Light of the World, just to name a few. As Christmas approaches, take a few minutes each day to pray through these names and let the Word remind you that Jesus is everything we need… and more.

If someone came to mind while reading this, feel free to forward it along. These letters grow one friend-to-friend invitation at a time.

If something in today’s email encouraged you, we’d love to hear! Just hit reply or leave a comment.

With much joy,

Asheritah & Team

P.S. I’m collecting your stories this week: Where have you seen Jesus show up in your everyday life? Drop a comment in the post—your words might encourage someone who really needs it today.

P.P.S. Did I mention there’s a children’s version of Unwrapping the Names of Jesus that’s also 50% off? (I mean… ALL MY BOOKS at Moody are half off through tonight?) I have no chill when it comes to books and sales. 😊

Join over 75,000 readers who receive this monthly letter of joyful rhythms, creativity, and encouragement.

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