I Dare You!
A dare, there’s something about a dare that captures our attention. A dare “to live fully right where you are” challenged, convicted and encouraged me this week. Ann Voscamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, a gift from a friend at Christmas, suggested a dare I’d like to take and challenge you as well.
A dare, there’s something about a dare that captures our attention. A dare “to live fully right where you are” challenged, convicted and encouraged me this week. Ann Voscamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, a gift from a friend at Christmas, suggested a dare I’d like to take and challenge you as well. I’m really passing on a dare given to Ann by her friend. Having spent considerable focus on the word, Eucharist, defined as thanksgiving, Ann began to discover the pattern of thanksgiving that runs throughout the scripture. Not just the challenge to “in everything give thanks” (I Thess. 5:18) but how thanksgiving to God is exampled by so many biblical character as well by the Jesus himself. Then the dare by a friend challenged Ann with the question. “Could I write a list of 1000 things that I love. To name 1000 blessings—1000 gifts, not gifts I want, but gifts I already have." The rest of her story testifies to the transforming power of journalling that list of 1000 Things I love: 1. Morning shadows across old floors. 2. Jam piled high on toast 3. Cry of a blue bird from high in a spruce. My list and your list would be different. 1. A warm Texas Sunday in January. 2. Wind on the lake making waves. 3. Sunshine shining on wood floors. Does anyone want to take this dare for 2012? Might we too experience the transforming grace of Eucharist, thanksgiving, long before we hit number 1000? Might we better understand the reason for the command “in everything give thanks.” Buy that journal, get started! I dare you!
Gwynne Johnson
Gwynne Johnson currently serves on the Board of Entrust, Inc., an international education and training mission where she authored the Entrust curriculum, Developing a Discerning Heart. She recently served as Co-Chair of the training project, Christian Women in Partnership, Russia and as Senior Director of Women's Ministry at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. Gwynne has a M.A. in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. She currently lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband of 58 years, Don. She works part-time in her daughter and granddaughter's bakery "The Best Box Ever," where she gets paid in cookies.
