One Thousand Gifts: Study Guide

How do those four word strike you? As naïve? Infuriating? Impossible? Offensive?

For Ann Voskamp, the notion of being able to give thanks was lost between her gnawing anger and deep resentment toward God for his unfair dealings in her life and the lives of others. Having suffered from agoraphobia and anxiety for much of her life, she despaired of finding a joy of her own.

Then, a friend dared her to write a list of a thousand blessings. Over the months that followed, she made some profound discoveries:

How it’s possible to give thanks even for the things that might crush you
How thanksgiving always precedes the miracle
How to slow down and life fully in the moment
How things that feel like trouble might actually be gifts of grace
How to break the bondage of fear by embracing everyday blessings
How trust is the bridge over tumultuous waters that leads to joy
How to turn your blessing into being a blessing to others
In this study, Ann encourages us to take on the life-changing discipline of journaling God’s gifts—to discover a way of seeing that opens our eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of becoming present to God that brings deep and lasting joy. It’s only in this expression of gratitude for the life we already have, that we discover the life we’ve always wanted…a life we can take, give thanks for, and use to serve others. In it, we come to feel and know the impossible right down to our core: We are wildly loved by God.

Sessions include:

Attitude of Gratitude
Grace in the Moment
All Is Grace
Trust: The Bridge to Joy
Empty to Fill