its one thing to be grateful when life is going well, quite another when you lose a daughter

​A friend sent me this saying this morning.

Gratitude is born in the hearts that take the time to count past mercies.

This is a great day for me to slow down and count the incredible mercies of this day.

I had the honor of speaking to a MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) in Blacksburg, VA. The topic - gratitude. It was fitting, talking to a group of young moms, because I discovered gratitude when our first son was born. Babies make you stop and count mercies. Especially the way our first baby arrived.

I'm grateful to my friend Kimberly Caldwell for inviting me.

Before I left this morning I deposited a check I received in the mail from my friend Jodi Stoner. It was the proceeds from her Run to Jodi's House Half Marathon that she generously gave me to support my TwoTim47.com mission. When I hit that deposit button, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. With her heart for serving others.

Here's the miracle in today's mercies. I met Kim and Jodi through my Megsmiles family. A group formed when a young mom - herself active in MOPS - was hit and killed by a motorist while she was out running.

In closing today, I talked to the group about how our grateful hearts can change the world. I talked about Romans 12:11-12

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

I gave an example of a woman whose gratitude has impacted my life. I talked about the joy she finds in the hope of Christ, her unwavering patience in affliction, and her incredible prayer life. That woman is Meg's mom Pamela Terrell Cross. In spite of all the tragedy she's faced, she remains a life of gratitude.

It's one thing to be grateful when life is going well. It's quite another to be so when you lose a daughter. Faith and gratitude like that - well it changes the people around you.

Take time to count your mercies today.