{wedding photo Scott Cotton Photography :: anniversary photo Ashley Lauren Photography}

Happy November! November is easily one of my favorite months. What’s not to love about getting together with family, focusing on blessings, and celebrating life! {And it is my dad’s birthday month!} For as long as I can remember my dad has embedded in me that it is important to focus on my blessings. He even included it in my family’s acronym {visit it here}. And this month we get to all focus on our blessings.

In honor of Thanksgiving I reached out to a few of my favorite bloggers and asked them to share a little bit about Jesus and the blessings in their lives. Their posts will appear sporadically between now and Thanksgiving. And trust me, you won’t want to miss their encouraging words!

A few days ago my husband and I were sitting on our back porch, eating dinner, and talking about Jesus. His hand has been so apparent in our lives- especially lately. As we began talking about the blessings He has given us I began thinking about Ann Voskamp’s  book ‘1000 Gifts.’    {If you haven’t read it, you must!} Voskamp reminds us that,

“giving thanks is what gets you joy.”

{tweet that}

We must learn to embrace our daily blessings- the big and the small. Later that evening I began my own list of 1,000 gifts. While it is nowhere near complete, it is a beautiful start. And I will continue adding to my list until I reach 1,000! {If you have your own list of 1,000 gifts please share your link below or email it to me! I would love to read the blessings the Lord has given you and will share a link to your list at the end of this post!} Continue checking back to see what our guest bloggers have to say! Their posts will appear midweek.

And so we begin…

1. my husbands smile
2. the way my husband can make me laugh any time/anywhere
3. warm sun shining on your face
4. light bulb moments
5. bible studies
6. salt water
7. salt air
8. sand between my toes
9. okay, anything beach related
10. sunrises/sunsets
11. finding the perfect bible verse at the exact moment you need it
12. adventures
13. fresh flowers
14. making new friends
15. experiencing Christ in & through others
16. blog friends {who knew the internet could form such community?}
17. s’mores {especially when made from a beach fire pit in SoCal with family/friends}
18. words that speak directly to my soul
19. the sound of rain
20. thunderstorms
21. overcast days
22. hearing someone’s testimony
23. black coffee {or espressos}
24. tea {specifically green tea}
25. humidity {yes, i love it!}
26. laughing till i cry
27. spending time with people who inspire me
28. shades of blue
29. celebrating {celebrating anything and everything. each day is a gift}
30. traveling
31. inspiring places
32. experiencing different cultures
33. clean sheets
34. hearing my husband pray
35. great advice
36. walking hand in hand with my man {especially on our evening walks}
37. health
38. bright colors
39. white
40. deep conversations
41. chilled champagne
42.  good beer/wine {especially with my family/friends}
43. fresh fruit
44. accountability
45. love notes from my man
46. candles
47. prayer journals
48. beautiful art {of any kind}
49. worship music
50. coffee dates {with friends, family, husband, strangers, whoever}
51. trying something new
52. inspiring quotes
53. volunteering for a cause i believe in
54. snail mail
55. a good movie
56. my husbands passion
57. saturdays
58. our home group {the village church’s name for ‘bible study’}
59. beautiful photos
60. getting in bed by 10pm
61. encouraging words {verbal, text, snail mail…}
62. more Jesus
63. less me
64. seeing others fulfill their dreams & passions
65. fresh juice {especially home juiced greens… but really}
66. naps with my husband {especially on rainy days}
67. fresh cut grass
68. visiting family
69. meeting individuals with a servants heart
70. tex-mex {yes, it is different and so good}
71. nail polish
72. 80 degree days
73. my moms homemade chocolate chip cookies
74. beautiful invitations
75. dinners outside
76. restaurants with great patios & views
77. Snowboarding {especially with family and my man}
78. dancing with my husband {randomly, anytime/anywhere we feel like it}
79. frolicking
80. big dreams
81. swimming
82. yoga
83. listening to other languages
84. our weekly questions
85. apps that let me keep connected with friends in other countries
86. homemade pizza {especially when we use our outdoor pizza kitchen}
87. boat rides
88. bike rides
89. God winks
90. making messes & treats in the kitchen
91. Bible studies
92. adventures
93. marriages based on Jesus