Counting Your Gifts

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Counting Your Gifts

Counting the Gifts

October was all about balance and rest. I hope you found a rhythm that felt like a dance, not a march.

Summer is knocking on the door. The days are long the year is starting to feel very, very full. You know end-of-year functions, deadlines, school concerts and that little voice whispering, oh my hat “December is coming.”

Before the rush arrives, I want us to pause. Not to plan but to count and give thanks for a year that was. To look back and notice all the gifts we received through the year. Sometimes they came in unsuspecting places. Sometimes they came when we least expected it.

This month I’m holding onto this verse:

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything. Not for everything, but in it. Gratitude doesn’t deny the hard it finds God in the middle of it.

This is my personal invitation to you to come and explore with me journaling prompts for counting the gifts.

Setting the Vibe: My Intentions for the Month

This month, I’m focusing on gratitude that feels honest. Here’s what’s on my mind:

  • My Main Intention for November: To write down one gift every single day and to finish the year with a grateful heart instead of a tired one.
  • A Rhythm for My Body: Slowing down before the rush. Protecting my sleep, keeping up my daily walk, not overcommitting to every end-of-year invitation.
  • A Rhythm for My Mind: A year in review. Paging back through this year’s journal, a few pages at a time.
  • A Rhythm for My Soul: Saying thank you out loud. To God, to the people in my life and even to myself.

I’ll also be keeping a “gift list” this month. Thirty days, thirty gifts (at least). I’m curious to see what the list looks like by the end.

My Weekly Journaling Prompts

Here’s how I’m breaking down the month. Just a few minutes each day to count my gifts.

Week 1: Noticing the Gifts (1 to 7 November)

Gratitude starts with noticing. This week, let’s open our eyes.

What gifts are hiding in plain sight in my everyday life?

  • List ten ordinary gifts from today. (A hot shower counts. So does a quiet minute.)
  • What is one gift from this year you almost forgot about?
  • Who has been a gift to you this year? Write their names and why.
  • What gift has your body given you this year?
  • Which of your senses brought you the most joy today? Describe the moment.

Weekly Reflection: What did you notice when you started looking for gifts this week?

Week 2: Gratitude in Hard Places (8 to 14 November)

Not everything this year was easy. This week, let’s look for God in the hard parts.

Where did I find God in the hardest moments of this year?

  • What was the hardest thing you walked through this year?
  • What did that season teach you that you couldn’t have learnt any other way?
  • Who showed up for you in the hard times?
  • Is there anything you can’t feel grateful for yet? That’s okay. Write about it honestly.
  • Write a prayer that holds both the pain and the thankfulness.

Weekly Reflection: Did finding gratitude in the hard places change how you see this year?

Week 3: Finishing Well (15 to 21 November)

The end of the year can feel like a scramble. This week is about finishing with grace.

What does it look like for me to finish this year well, without burning out?

  • What do you need to finish before the year ends? What can wait?
  • What could you let go of, so you reach December with some energy left?
  • What would “finishing well” mean to you? Write your own definition.
  • Who needs to hear thank you from you before the year ends?
  • What is one thing you started this year that you’re proud of?

Weekly Reflection: What helped you finish with grace this week?

Week 4: Making Room for Advent (22 to 28 November)

Advent begins soon. This week, let’s prepare our hearts for the season of waiting.

How can I make room in my heart and diary for Christ this December?

  • What do you love most about the Christmas season? What do you dread?
  • What would a slower, more meaningful December look like for you?
  • What is one tradition you’d like to begin (or let go of) this year?
  • Where in your heart do you long for Jesus to come near this Christmas?
  • Plan one quiet Advent practice for December. Write it down.

Weekly Reflection: How does it feel to prepare for December with intention, instead of being swept along?

Week 5: A Grateful Heart (29 to 30 November)

As the month ends, let’s look at all the gifts we’ve counted.

What does my gift list tell me about God’s goodness this year?

Weekly Reflection: How has a month of counting the gifts changed your heart?

Wrapping it Up: End-of-Month Reflection

At the end of the month, I’ll take a moment to reflect, no judgement, just curiosity:

  • Which gift from this year surprised me most?
  • When did I find it hard to be grateful, and what did I learn?
  • What is one grateful rhythm I want to carry with me into December?

I hope this helps you pause before the rush and count every gift. Here’s to grateful hearts and a gentle end to the year.

With grace, Debbera