For September 1st:

Welcome to the September Edition of the 2013 Christ United Methodist Church Women’s Ministry Daily Devotional. God asked us to share our stories of finding Him through grateful hearts, which inspired us to put together this “Living a Life of Gratitude” daily devotional. Since January 1^st, we have been guided to live our lives learning how to find something to be grateful to God for each day. Some days we have been blessed and inspired by stories from many of the faithful women in our congregation, other days the entry has simply been a scripture about being grateful. We have also had days that the devotion was a creative idea one of our members has shared to help them be thankful or a book recommendation that has motivated them. Other days the words from well-known authors and saints as well as hymns have blessed and guided us.

Each day this month we hope you will begin to look forward to reading the entries as an addition to your faith journey and that it will inspire you to find endless ways of seeing just how good the Lord really is and how much He loves each one of us.

If you are just beginning this journey of thankfulness and wish you could read some of the back entries from January, February, March, April, May,  June, July and August you are in luck. There are no more printed versions of the devotionals, but you can see all the entries when you visit our “Living a Life of Gratitude Daily Devotional” blog.

Go to Gratitudedevotional.blogspot.com. You then have the capability to “scroll back in time” to read all the entries from day one. You can also receive these same daily devotions directly to your email by entering your email address in the designated spot on the blog. After your initial entry, the devotionals come directly to your email.

If you would like to submit an entry for next months issue, we would love to include you as part of this ministry. Your entry needs to begin with a scripture that has inspired your thoughts, then a paragraph or two in your own words telling your story of thanksgiving. You can submit your entry by dropping it by the church office (Attn: Women’s Ministry Devotional) or by emailing it to cre8dzins@comcast.net. We look forward to reading about how God has blessed you!

Pass this information along to your friends who might need or enjoy daily inspiration from women right here at Christ United Methodist Church.

CUMC Women’s Ministry

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:6-8

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

As it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

If I surrender to His Will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life

And supremely happy with Him

Forever and ever in the next.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971)

This month we continue sharing our stories of gratitude and stories of serving out of grateful hearts.

CUMC Women’s Ministry