Beth Hildebrand

Jan 11, 20168 min read

Over 200 Things To Thank God For

After enjoying the warm, spring-like holidays here in North Carolina, where flowers were in bloom, it’s the first week of January and here I am thinking for I don’t know how many times, “I need to record my joys.” I’ve been thinking that since ummm… June last year! That’s just 6 months so since it’s the beginning of 2016, now will be a good time to do this. I admit, I was more diligent with recording four years ago when I started this list. I took a Joy Dare. This year, I need to do better.

I don’t need to get caught up in the hustle and worries to the point where I forget to still thank God. There’s so many things going on in this world (and my world) that steals the joy right out of me. This year I’m going to keep counting joys. Keep being aware. Keep looking and finding them on days when they’re easy to find and days that are difficult to.

I challenge you to do this same this year. Grab a notebook, buy a journal book, make and “JOY” list in your phone Reminders, start a blog. It can be your prayer to the giving God. Gratitude. Gratefulness. Thankfulness.

If you’ve read this far, don’t feel like you have to read anymore – I have 204 joys from the past six months to type down. I’ve been keeping a list on my phone, but just not putting them in my blog . This is to hold myself accountable but if you read them, maybe it will bring some things to your mind that you want to thank God for.

Here it goes.

#2559 Husband getting 3 weeks vacation at work allowing us to go on our 2015 Summer Adventure – Drive Across America

#2560 Friends and family who kept our dog while we were on vacation

#2561 Got all we needed (and a little more) in the van for our trip

#2662 excitement for our trip

#2563 Beauty of NC mountains

#2564 Stopping in Franklin, TN to spend the night with friends

#2565 Fro Yo at Sweet CeCe’s on a summer night in TN with friends

#2566 Hearing hot air balloon stories around a pit fire on a cooler summer evening with friends

#2567 Stopping at Welcome signs and taking selfies

#2568 Activity books

#2569 Hearing country music songs from the 90s

#2570 Awning to stand under during a storm

#2571 Sun coming out a little at the Gateway Arch

#2572 Watching movie about the story of the Gateway Arch

#2573 Guys getting a view from the top

#2574 the architecture of the Gateway Arch and the artist and builders

#2575 Oasis of a Target shopping center and Chick-fil-a in the middle of nowhere Missouri

#2576 No flooding on the side road Siri took us on

#2577 A Chinese restaurant in Mitchell, SD

#2578 Laughs in the Chinese restaurant

#2579 Lots and lots of corn

#2580 Art – with the medium of…corn

#2581 Sun comes out as we get to the Badlands

#2582 The Badlands – it’s hard to find words to describe its amazing-ness

#2583 The art of God’s hand

#2584 Son’s adventure running throughout the hill formations

#2585 The vastness of the badlands

#2586 Warming up chili mac for first night dinner at the campground

#2587 The most beautiful sunset I think I’ve ever seen

#2588 Being welcomed in Luck, Wyoming

#2589 Quarters to do laundry at the hotel

#2590 The older couple making omelets for us at their covered wagon who told us stories about the very small town

#2591 Majesty of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado

#2592 Bonine! It worked and I didn’t get car sick on those curvy roads!

#2593 Snow in June in the Rocky Mountains

#2594 Awe in the Rocky Mountains

#2595 Wearing flip flops in the snow

#2596 A rainbow coming out of the river

#2597 Seeing many stars over the mountains

#2598 Sleeping bags, sweatshirts, sweat pants and winter hats to sleep in in a tent

#2599 Bath houses at campgrounds

#2600 Campfire overlooking the lake

#2601 Horseback riding in the Rocky Mountains

#2602 Seeing a rainbow over a waterfall

#2603 Seeing a wild moose and mule deer everywhere

#2604 Small town feeling

#2605 Peppermint ice cream on a warm day after a hike

#2606 Conversations with other travelers and locals during our trip

#2607 Cloudless day to explore in the Rocky Mountains

#2608 Sunflowers on the side of the highway in CO

#2609 Sabbath Day in Grand Junction – in our hotel

#2610 Riding miles and miles in a car with a camera in my lap

#2611 Celebrating my husband’s Father’s Day hiking in the Arches

#2612 Experiencing the beauty of Bryce Canyon

#2613 Ability to hike to the top of that hoodoo

#2614 Cool air in the bottom of the hoodoo on a hot, summer day

#2615 Eating under an awning in the desert at Subway in the middle of no where

#2616 Riding miles and miles with nothing but prairies and mountains

#2617 Majesty and holiness of Zion National park

#2618 Learning history of the canyon

#2619 Sleeping with the cover off the tent and seeing the moon and stars above

#2620 Internet access in National Parks

#2621 Writing in the tent

#2622 Deciding to hike through the Virgin River

#2623 Waterfalls in Zion

#2624 Shade at a camp ground

#2625 The cleanest and nicest bath house at Zion

#2626 Finding another couple at Bryce and Zion from Durham, NC

#2627 Beauty of the Horseshoe Bend

#2628 Shouting praise to God in this vastness

#2629 Feeling small in His majesty

#2630 The Grand Canyon

#2631 Mule deer didn’t get into our campground and tent

#2632 Making rice bowl for dinner in the grand canyone campground

#2633 Seeing the little chapel in AZ we saw 17 years ago

#2634 All the prayers written on the wooden walls of the chapel

#2635 Being with husband’s family who live in AZ

#2636 Laughing and having fun with family in AZ

#2637 Worshiping at their church

#2638 In-n-Out burgers the guys had been craving for months

#2639 Safety from a dust storm

#2640 Shopping with daughter and aunt at Charming Charlies

#2641 Guys loving jeeping in the desert

#2642 Laughing hard at the movie theater of the spilled popcorn

#2643 Pools in AZ

#2644 A safe, 14 hour drive through AZ, New Mexico and Texas

#2645 Seeing miles and miles of windmills

#2646 Keeping a list of funny times on our trip

#2647 The hottest Mexican food husband has ever eaten anywhere (in New Mexico)

#2648 Listening to country music in Texas

#2649 Not looking at a calendar

#2650 Not having a to-do list

#2651 Our server at the restaurant in Fort Worth TX

#2652 Color-by-letter book

#2653 Sharpened colored pencils

#2654 Being at Duck Commander!

#2655 Being with my aunt, uncle and cousin for a coupl

#2656 Safe trip home

#2657 Kids saying they wanted to keep on going on our vacation

#2658 Able to send son to soccer camp

#2659 Son volunteering to room with a new student even though he was originally planning to stay with his best friend

#2660 Spontaneous lunch with IV leaders

#2661 Autumn weekly walks with CT

#2662 Being asked to be a mentor

#2663 A day with an hour conversation with K and L to fill me up. To make me run harder for Jesus.

#2664 18 years wed to my husband

#2665 Date nights again! And it feels so weird with the kids growing up.

#2666 Roses blooming again

#2667 Breakfast for dinner with friends

#2668 The fortune cookie note beside the bed I saw while making the bed that my husband left me

#2669 Gift in summer – unexpected cool August days

#2670 Gift in summer – butterflies on the butterfly bush

#2671 Family dinner’s on the porch

#2672 A whole bouquet of flowers from my mom’s garden

#2673 Eucharisteo – the unknown of my dad’s health

#2674 Explaining Eucharisteo with online study group

#2675 10am gift – talking with M about IF:Pray

#2676 Gift curved – windy roads to the lake for the weekend

#2677 “Alexa” in the kitchen playing music

#2678 Gift green – “the outrageously faithful” quote on my board

#2679 Gift green – “let’s create a xommunity where we will only speak words that makes souls stronger” (Ann Voskamp on my board

#2680 Gift green – “The joy of the Lord is my strength” mirror with green letters

#2681 Waking up early to write

#2682 Unexpected morning walk with neighbor

#2683 OUR DAUGHTER ASKING JESUS INTO HER HEART

#2684 Daughter baptized in the lake

#2685 Hard having to ask God to reveal my sin

#2686 Smith Mountain Lake with family

#2687 Our dog on his first boat ride

#2688 The lettuce I’m shredding

#2689 invited to lunch with Jenni Catron author and speaker who visited and spoke at SMC

#2690 Weekend with my parents

#2691 High school friend who is checking on me

#2692 Bonfire with friends

#2693 So many IF contacts

#2694 The special card, and surprise GIFTS for my trip to IF:Local Leader Gathering from the women who’s the one who made it happen. Gift, after gift, after gift. She is a gift to me.

#2695 Meeting new friends at the airport who I’m rooming with at IF:Local Leader Gathering