You would think after all God has brought me through in this wheelchair, it would make me grateful. But I still have my times when I lack gratitude and get grumpy. Today is an example. I don’t have any of my regular aides here on second shift to transfer me from my wheelchair to my bed. Placing me in my bed using the Hoyer lift is more of an art than a science, and it’s easy to bend my head panels, which I use to drive. If my head panels get misaligned, my wheelchair could be out of commission for several days while I wait for it to be fixed.
So, I’m choosing not to get out of bed today, but I’m also choosing to praise God. What blessing does he have in store for me? Can I be a light in a dark place for someone that visits me? I hope so. With God in charge, I know so. I’ve learned it just takes practice to be thankful to God. When we feel the worst, we must pray for the best. It’s just a decision to be righteous.
As Linda Brumley states in her book, Called to Be Holy, “We try to get the strength to go to God instead of going to God for the strength (Brumley 2021).
The joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh 8:1).
Let me reiterate: The joy in the Lord will provide us strength.
God will also give us the strength to praise him. What can we thank God for today? His power. His forgiveness. His loving kindness. His creation for us to enjoy. That we have a direct connection to him through prayer. That he is our counselor. That he is holy. That he is righteous.
Practicing a life of joy during trials takes perseverance. When I am mentally disheveled, I don’t want to be grateful. When I am in pain, I don’t want to be grateful. It takes training to learn to have joy during hard times.
For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts (Psa 92:4-5).
God’s deeds bring great joy. His deeds are recorded on every page of the Bible. God’s words are profound and should make our hearts leap for joy.
Are you going through a difficult time? Perhaps you can practice gratitude today.
Diary of a Quadriplegic 
Words are weighted by the life that speaks them. I was touched thins morning by yours!
BT
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Thank you, BT.
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Words are weighted by the life that speaks them. I was touched this morning by yours!
BT
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Well said, Nida!
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Your words are on point. Thanks for sharing your journey.
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Thank you, Terri, for prompting others to pray when they’re out of sorts-to find joy in the Lord. You’re so right to remind us that gratitude is the right attitude! God bless you, Terri. 🙂
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Thank you for taking the time to read my blog posts. God is so good.
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Praising God with you, Terri, for all He is and has done, and for you. We may all be jars of clay holding the treasure of the gospel within us, but you are more treasure than clay through your life in Christ of faith and love, and hope.
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Thank you for the encouragement – as always! With love, Terri
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Terri,
I thank God for you today because you always give me a reality check. I have so much to be grateful for, but it seems to be easier to complain about what’s wrong or is not going well, than stop to remember what God has already done and is doing in your life. I am grateful that you are able to keep things in perspective and thereby helping others to do the same. Bless you my dear sister.
Althea F.
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Thank you, Althea. It’s really good to hear from you.
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I tried to feel your pain. But I could not find it. I was a little sad… for I wanted to help you somehow… then suddenly, unexpectedly, I touched your joy… It is real… It is strong… It is now mine… Thank you, sister Terri!
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i think there’s a place to get angry at god for the nonsense we put up with. Why be thankful for being stuck in bed because you were let down by carers? If you are interested, google search blind rage by Georgina Cleave for an alternate perspective. Or consider the cry of Jesus, “my God, why have you forsaken me?”
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No thanks – my perspective gives me joy each day. I’ll stay right where I’m at! Thank you for your comments.
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Good for you, Terri! ❤
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Good Morning to my Friend.
Your Writeups has a way of giving me strength when ever I read your Diary.
May the Lord almighty who knew you even before you were formed in
your mother’s womb continue to be your strength and anchor.
Thanks for being my inspiration.
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Good Morning my dearest Terri, Thank you so much for being my inspiration. When ever I read your emails, I am always grateful for your genuine love for God despite all your trials.Reading through your mail today brought tears to my eyes because it reminded me of what my immediate late elder brother went through but my greatest joy was that he gave his life to Christ before leaving this world. His trials back then is what brought about my passion to “Serve God and Humanity “I truly wished I was there to be of service to you but unfortunately we don’t stay close. Please, if you don’t mind, I truly wished to have your phone number so I can be calling just to check up on you.This is my own WhatsApp number if you don’t mind. ±2348028975579.My name is Judith Henry. Thanks for being an inspiration to me at this point in my life despite the marital crisis rocking my marriage at this point in time.God will continue to be our strength and anchor. Yahoo Mail: Search, organise, conquer
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Hello Judith! Thank you for the encouraging words. Do you have an email address? If you do, can you send it to diaryofaquadriplegic@gmail.com.
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I tried to touch your pain, to share it with you… but I could not. Instead, to my surprise, I touched your peace… I got a portion from yours. God bless you, sister Terri. Thank you!
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Thank you Terri for your beautiful words! You truly inspire me! Love you!!
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Great that your blog is about gratitude. I realize that i havent even focused on being grateful…that my prayers skip that whole first part of the lord’s prayer…that i will have to be intentional in order to speak what is right..
thx terri!
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gratitude often goes by the wayside when my pain starts rising. I really have to focus on all the little things sometimes just to make it through. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you for your comments and your relatability. Blessings.
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Terri,
Thank you for always putting life in perspective, Terri! Your vulnerability and deep love for God’s Word inspire me and help me to step back and look at all my blessings and check my gratitude! You touch so many people through your blogs! God is using you in a very special way! Love you!
Carol McDougle
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Love you, Carol!
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Thank you, Terrri, for this good reminder and encouragement for all of us to check our attitude of gratitude. When I get in a life-sucking slump, if I sing the Hymn “Count Your Blessings” followed by literally counting off my blessings it shifts my focus to the Lord in a heart of worship and praise.
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What a wonderful way to make it out of a slump! Thank you for the encouragement.
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Terri, you asked, “Can I be a light in a dark place for someone that visits me?” I would say, yes, you have been. In a sense, your readers “visit” you whenever we read the thoughts you share. You have inspired us through your honesty about your struggles, and at the same time, your refusal to give in to grumbling and self-pity. I’d say you’ve been light for many of us.
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Your bounce-back spirit is so refreshing, Terri. In fact, it’s one of the things I’ve thanked God for on many occasions. Blessings beyond counting, my friend.
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Thank you so much for this, Terri. I needed to hear your words of inspiration especially right now as I’ve faced various health issues and also now my job is laying off people by the dozens and the future looks especially grim. I have been really depressed lately but you remind me that we still always need practice gratitude on a daily basis. You are so right that is a choice (and often a challenge!) to be thankful and to change our perspective from negative to positive but it is necessary and it nourishes our soul and our relationship with God and with others. As it says in the Bible “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice.” I thank God for what He has done for me and for what He is preparing for me in eternity and I thank God for you as well, Terri. Your words and your spiritual gift of encouragement and insight continue to touch so many and we love you and thank you for it. We see a very bright reflection of God and His Spirit through you and your words and I am VERY thankful for that. Praying for you always and thanking God for you always. Love, Crystal Tyler
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Thank you, Crystal, for your kind words. You have inspired me.
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Thank you Terri. I constantly tell people (in recovery especially) that gratitude is the answer to almost all of life’s difficulties. “A grateful addict will never use” has been the truth in my life. I’m like everyone else – I can be ungrateful many times but I’m so glad that God has helped me to find gratitude in the difficult times mush quicker than I used to. Gratitude is a conscious choice to appreciate the life I’ve been so richly blessed with even when it doesn’t feel very blessed.
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Amen! Such a great reminder.
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Wow. Your example of practicing gratitude is way more powerful than you maybe even imagine. You have so much authority to teach this subject!
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Thank you for reading my blog, Jennifer!
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Thanks for this reminder, Terri! You are a light to all who read your blog and to those who come in your room. Praying for you.
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Love you, Mary.
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I love you, too!
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thank you Terri. You are making every effort to persevere in the depth of your personal walk with God, which is of great worth! The battle of our thoughts and heartbreaks are real and gratitude and praise seem to be the way of victory. Eternal life is to know God. You are knowing God. Letting Him heal you; letting the Spirit work. John 6:29 says “the work of God is to believe in the one he has sent.” So God works for us when we believe in Christ’s love. It’s hard to do that when we are suffering, especially when we feel God is not intervening. I believe you have such a reliance with God that you will receive a special place in heaven with Him.
Love you!
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