One Thousand Gifts

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are is a book that is rare on today's market. Ann Voskamp reveals what it means to be "child like" but not childish. She is deep, well educated and her writing reveals a remarkable understanding of human nature; the good, the bad,the beautiful and the ugly. The thrust of the book is thanksgiving to God in and for all things. In this volume I was challenged to come to grips with a phrase in the Eucharistic Prayer of the Holy Communion Service. That phrase being " The Sacrifice of Praise". Upon looking this up in the Bible in Hebrews 13:15 and linking this with Ephesians 5:20 where we are encouraged to give thanks for all things, I began to realize through Mrs. Voskamp's writing, of this marvelous book, that if we are serious about our faith in Christ then thanksgiving is the appropriate response of our heart and lips in, for and through all circumstances. What I have just written involves the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. We must realize that all of this life is a mystery and God's ultimate plan for us is all good. Mrs. Voskamp's style is simple, comfortable, at home and filled with love, joy and the pain of the every day living. Here is where the mystery is revealed but not fully explained and here is where one begins to count ONE THOUSAND GIFTS; and DARE TO LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. As we count those gifts, God and His plan begins to be revealed to us more clearly and what is left is praise and thanksgiving.

I love this book! it takes a minute to figure out Ann's train of thought (so I got the author-narrated audio book as well.... that was helpful, It went from being beautiful and flowery to me totally getting what she's talking about.... it's just the way she talks.) Some complained it was too flowery,,,,, but I loved that! Beautiful writing! ALSO, this is important: it is an easy explanation of thankfulness and how to find that connection to God when life is so messy... and it IS messy! I think this is the most practical book on thankfulness I've ever read. Also, from a person who sufferers from mental illness... this book is like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for believers. Like, normal, DBT is totally helpful... but kind of vague on where you're thankfulness should be directed and is humanistic, which is fine. most therapies are kind of generalized that way. But for those of us who are believers and are trying, also,, institute DBT , this book, tho I don't think this was it's intended purpose, really helps to incorporate faith into DBT. I've recommended it to a bunch of people!

A great step to learning to be greatful foe all things

Instead of purchasing this as a book, I got this as an audio book to listen to on a long road trip. The Author's voice and reading are soothing and poignant. Her writing style leans towards the poetic. For some this may be an issue, for others they will see the beauty in her writing and her view on life. While I have listened to many great examples and truths from this book, taking and applying them to my life... I find that I wish I would have rather purchased this as a book or study. Not that this hasn't been good. But that rather, I wish I had the ebook with the audio added. Just so I could, if I chose, read the words and even read faster than the audio. Ann Voskamp writes poetically and speaks from deep truths and trials based on her own life experiences. She bears forth, from the simplicity of life and everyday examples these deep hidden truths that point us continually to God's love and a heart overflowing with thankfulness. She shows us that even in moments where there is deep hurt and uncertainty, we should look to God and remember His goodness, His faithfulness, Him sovereignty in control and planning and working all things together for our good. We are to give thanks and then as she says "comes the miracle". Believe, give thanks and then taste and see that -yes, God is good. Yes, He does work all things together for our good. The question is, will we believe Him; will we believe His promises even amidst the hardest circumstances? One Thousand Gifts is filled with poignancy, truth and experience pouring out and encouraging you to live life to the fullest. To live in thankfulness and to experience the wonder of God. I do recommend this book and hope that you will let it touch and awaken you to living out the truths found within. "...give thanks is an action and rejoice is a verb and these are not mere pulsing emotions. While I may not always feel joy. God asks me to give thanks in all things because he knows the feeling of joy begins in the action of thanksgiving. " - Ann Voskamp

I love this book and will read it again and again! Ann Voskamp has such a poetic way with words I frequently want to print and frame quotes by her. I have given this book as gifts at Christmas time and others have loved it too. Some quotes from the book: “Sometimes you don’t know when you’re taking the first step through a door until you’re already inside.” “Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing.... Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away.” “Humbly let go. Let go of trying to do, let go of trying to control, let go of my own way, let go of my own fears. Let God blow His wind, His trials, oxygen for joy's fire. Leave the hand open and be. Be at peace. Bend the knee and be small and let God give what God chooses to give because He only gives love and whisper a surprised thanks. This is the fuel for joy's flame. Fullness of joy is discovered only in the emptying of will. And I can empty. I can empty because counting His graces has awakened me to how He cherishes me, holds me, passionately values me. I can empty because I am full of His love. I can trust.”

Its the most brilliant book. Its like Gold. Beautifully written and could be life changing

Si vous ne connaissez pas Ann Voskamp, il faut absolument découvrir! La version audio sur cd lue par l'auteur est super (si on comprend bien l'anglais) car le ton aide à comprendre la pensée de l'auteur. Pour les idées véhiculées par ce livre, je vous laisse lire les commentaires écrits sur le livre. Pour moi, il a changé beaucoup de choses dans ma vie, m'a aidée à retrouver joie et tranquillité d'esprit grâce à la pratique de la reconnaissance envers Dieu au quotidien. J'ai lu le livre il y a deux ans, et je le ré écoute maintenant sur cd, une piste audio par jour dans la voiture en allant travailler! Ca donne une autre vision pour la journée.

Know that this is an extreme Christian book by someone very religious. I read in other reviews that it's possible to see past that, however I found that difficult as there are bible quotes on almost every page, and there is a 'as Christians we are guaranteed God's love' - that I find a bit hard to swallow as a spiritual, but not doctrinal Christian, person. The writing doesn't read easily but is poetic, at times feeling a bit contrived, which also means that it doesn't have a clear progression, but feels more like vignettes of everyday life collected in a book. It feels as if there is distance between the words and the realness of the author's life, which often is the case when authors focus more on the poetry than lived life. It is however a pleasure to read the author's search for eucharisteo (thanks-givings) and seeing her find it, in what in buddhist tradition you find by being present here-now in whatever you do.