10 Encouraging Psalms of Thanksgiving and Praise

1. God's beautiful love for you never changes, never falters, and never ends.  Read Psalm 136

2. God's faithfulness toward you goes on forever. Read Psalm 117

3. God is God: worthy of praise, awesome in creative power, and full of goodness. Read Psalm 100

4. God purposefully created you as an intricate work of art, and He cares about every little piece of you.  Read Psalm 139

5. God is the greatest hope and encouragement for a worn-out soul. Read Psalm 42

6. God is the best and truest antidote to any fear. Read Psalm 56

7. God is a nurturing Shepherd who knows just what you need. Read Psalm 23

8. God is your best defender. Read Psalm 27

9. God is a trustworthy provider with your best interest at heart. Read Psalm 37

10. God is right here with you, listening to you and eager to help. Read Psalm 145

Weather you're approaching this day with over-the-moon gratitude or a feeble attempt to drum up a droplet or two of thanks, may you find hope and encouragement as you think on the truth of our God. May these Psalms of praise remind you of the loving, sovereign God you serve.

5 Ways to Grow Grateful Kids

October 3, 2022 Updated November 9, 2022 Thrive (CRCNA)

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Gratitude is our response of thankfulness for God’s goodness, love, provision, and grace. 

As Christ-followers, we don’t just practice gratitude because it’s good for our health (although it is!), or only when things go smoothly. Our gratitude flows from an awareness that, regardless of our circumstance, God loves us and is with us. Here are five tips for cultivating grateful living with your family. 

1. EXPRESS YOURSELF

Express your gratefulness to God and to others (including your kids!) out loud and often. They’re taking their cues from you, and the best way to cultivate a grateful spirit in your kids is to cultivate it in yourself too.

2. PROVIDE PROMPTS

At mealtime, at bedtime prayers, and at other times, invite everyone to name a person/place/thing/experience for which they are grateful, or to name something they can hear/see/taste/touch/smell for which they are grateful.

3. TAKE NOTE OF GOD’S GIFTS

Keep track of God’s good gifts using a format that works for your family. Some ideas: keep a family gratitude journal; jot your thoughts on sticky notes and post them on a Gratitude Wall; express your thankfulness on paper strips placed in a Gratitude Jar; write or draw things for which you are grateful on a paper tablecloth. Save your lists and drawings and revisit them at Thanksgiving, on New Year’s Day, or anytime you’d like a reminder of God’s provisions. 

4. REMEMBER GOD’S GOODNESS

During challenging circumstances, remind your kids that God is with them. Wonder about the ways in which God may be at work behind the scenes. Express gratitude for the fact that even though we may not fully understand God’s plan, we can trust that God works for good in all situations and that our destiny is safe in his hands. 

5. LIVE GRATEFULLY

Your practices should overflow into your community. Be generous with your time, talents, and resources. Show appreciation to others in tangible ways. Be a servant. And always try to treat others in ways for which they can be grateful and give thanks to God!

For more great ideas for family faith formation, check out the Dwell at Home resources at DwellCurriculum.org/home and the Faith Practices Project at crcna.org/FaithFormation/Practices.